The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Dec. 13th, 2013 08:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakWhich I saw last night, heading basically directly from the railway station to the cinema, because I shall be out of reach for English language showing cinemas for the next few weeks soon. (They have them in big cities, not in the Alps.) It's more of Peter Jackson's unabashed cinematic Tolkien fanfiction, so if you're a purist, you'll probably continue to be appalled. For myself, I enjoyed it - not every detail, but then I had criticisms of the LotR movies, too, while loving them. Mind you, this being the middle installment, its ending feels very abrupt and cliffhanger-y, but I knew that going in.
I was wondering where Jackson would end it, given I couldn't see even Peter J. filling the entire third film solely with the Battle of the Five Armies, but otoh he had to deliver on Smaug in this second movie. Turns out he ends it with an infuriated Smaug leaving Erebor and starting his attack on Laketown, which means he has the Bilbo & Dwarves versus Smaug counters as a climax for this one but still has more dragon for part III (well, the opening of same).
Speaking of part III set up, I approve of introducing Bard in part II and giving him characterisation and a sizeable role to play, instead of letting him show up a page before he kills Smaug, so to speak. Since we also meet his family (two daughters and a son), it suddenly occured to me that as opposed to the fellowship of the Ring, which consists of bachelors (some of whom will have kids in the future, but don't in the present), several of the Hobbit characters are already part of a family. We also get a continuity gag that makes it clear Gloin is Gimli's father (he has a locklet with pictures of his wife and son with him), and in case viewers who never read a single Tolkien word missed it the last time, this film spells out Kili and Fili are Thorin's nephews. (The relevant scene also brings in the emotional backstory the actors mentioned in interviews before, of Fili being Thorin's heir but Thorin having a particular soft spot for Kili.) Bard as a widower doing the occasional smuggling to make ends meet for his family in Laketown but also the only one in Laketown aware that the dwarves going to Erebor and waking up the dragon could be a terrible idea with really bad consequences already brings him in conflict with Thorin makes him an every day rising to the occasion hero fitting with the Hobbit themes overall.
(By the way: Laketown is despicted as a town in winter - the lake is partly frozen - which I hadn't imagined that way but which makes for a good contrast to the eternal summer of the Shire and the autumn in all the Elves' homes. Not to mention the contrast to the fire of Smaug in Erebor.)
Bilbo having already found his courage (to misquote a line of his in the film) and decided to stay with the dwarves in part I, he's mostly a static character here, with two exceptions, to which I'll get in a moment. I mean, he gets to do alll the the clever brave things the book gives him - save the dwarves from the spiders in Mirkwood, free them from Thranduil's dungeons and organizing the escape via barrels, facing off with Smaug - but since he already starts this film being respected and accepted by the dwarves and knowing he can face adventure, there isn't the inner development from the first part. The two exceptions, tho: the film has Bilbo experience some effects from the Ring, from lying to Gandalf - which is Tolkien - to a fit of violent possessiveness during fighting the spiders - which is not but works thematically because of Bilbo's reaction (he's horrified afterwards) and the parallel to what happens with Thorin late, which brings me to the second exception. In the movie, after Bilbo has gone through his fast talking (to prevent Smaug incinerating him then and there) and working on Smaug's vanity ("oh Smaug the Stupendous") from Tolkien, Smaug goes for a Jackson/Boyens mind messing in return and talks about Thorin simply using Bilbo to do his dirty work, the dwarvish greed and, undoubtedly being informed by Kilgarrah from Merlin that any self respecting dragon today also needs to be a slash dragon, says something along the lines of: "I've almost a mind to let you live so you can suffer by watching him go insane and die". This not only starts to sow doubts in Bilbo but gives him a different motive for not handing the Arkenstone over to Thorin immediately once they're reunited. (In the book, as far as I recall, he simply thinks it's shiny and follows an impulse to keep it to himself instead of admitting he found it, which struck me as a bit obvious Doylist plotting because Bilbo needs the Arkenstone later as a bargaining object when things go catastrophically pear shaped, so I'm all for changing that.) Thorin shows some early signs of being affected but by and large remains a heroic character in this film, though I think even hypothetical non readers who've only watched the movies will have twigged Thorin isn't, as film reviewers would have it in part I, The Hobbit's Aragorn (that would be Bard, if anyone) but The Hobbit's Boromir. The scene with Bilbo in Mirkwood having that moment of being horrified with himself afterwards makes me conclude it's also a preparation for Bilbo understanding what's going on with Thorin in part III.
The dwarves in general fare well in terms of fleshing out and characterisation in this film. Having done a LotR rewatch recently, I was reminded of how Gimli was used as comic relief mostly there (which caused some considerable distress to book fans), which creates the irony that in the Hobbit movies, based on a far more light-hearted book (well, other than its death score), the dwarves are treated far more seriously. Not without humour, of course, but the same way the elves and humans were/are. They're also, and that's to the credit of script and actors, all individuals. Their individual history matters, so when they finally enter Erebor, you can see the different reactions - it's different for Thorin and Balin, both of whom lived there as adults, than for the younger dwarves for whom until now it was mostly a symbol. The Thorin and Balin scenes in general continue to be superb, each giving such an impression of several life times of a relationship between them, and it TEARS ME UP now to think of Balin ending the way he does in Moria between books. (Curse you, Tolkien!)
Thorin (following how the first movie ended) has a lot of confidence and trust in Bilbo in this film and gets to display his stubborn side mostly with Thranduil (Lee Pace: making the non-con writers undoubtedly very happy by invading body space, gliding around Thorin and being generally the most ruthless elf so far, announcing his own interest in the Erebor treasure already) and later with Bard. (He also has that scene with Bilbo where he displays the first red-flagged sign of Arkenstone/gold sickness, but that's another issue.) The film actually lets him have a face off with Smaug (after Bilbo's), which Tolkien never does, but which does feel emotionally earned (given how Smaug was Thorin's nightmare for ages), which also comes with a dwarvishly clever idea of taking out Smaug. Doesn't quite work in that Smaug, protected by Tolkien's plot, needs to be alive for the attack on Laketown that follows, but it's still enough very thematic justice given why Smaug came to Erebor to begin with. Richard Armitage continues to smoulder better than almost everyone else in the dark and brooding business, and brings on the softer moments (like Thorin with Kili, or the one with Balin when they enter Erebor) terrifically as well. I am steeling myself for being a sobbing mess in part III.
Elves: as the trailer showed even the most unspoiled, the film includes not only Legolas (who hadn't been invented yet when Tolkien wrote the book but, being Thranduil's son, most likely was around during those events) but that most derided of fanfiction creatures, an Original Female Character named Tauriel (who is the captain of Thranduil's guard). Count me among the pro-Tauriel viewers. Evangeline Lilly has great fun being a badass fighter, and the voice of dissent to Elvish isolationism. I'm also amused at the gender cliché reversal in the budding romance between her and Kili; Kili is basically the damsel of distress throughout the film and Tauriel is the hero who keeps saving him in the nick of time. And of course she's taller. Also, their first chat establishes Kili's and Fili's mother 'Dís is alive and well in the movieverse (as far as I know, the books don't specifiy whether she was alive or dead at the time of the quest, and fanfic could go with either), which pleases me.
Speculation: because Kili's been hurt, he, Fili, Oin as the healer and Bofur by accident end up being left behind in Laketown when the rest of the dwarves & Bilbo go to Erebor. This obviously is a big alteration to the book's set up. I wonder whether this is either to add complications to the big conflict about to unfold once Smaug is dead, or to replace the talking raven (which in the book carries Thorin's message to Daín and the dwarves from the Iron Hills). (Then again, Jackson does do talking animals; he did follow Tolkien in letting the spiders talk in Mirkwood, which I had been wondering about beforehand.) Could see this going either way.
Lastly: the dragon. Is beautifully realised, and Benedict Cumberbatch does a good dragon voice, but Andy Serkis and Gollum aren't in danger of being dethroned as the most amazing actor/digital character combination ever. I could have done with Smaug's vanity getting even more of an outing because that's the most distinguishing Smaug character trait in the book, but he did like Bilbo's compliments, and the added mindmessing about Thorin in return was a neat touch.
In conclusion: 'twas an enjoyable evening for me, and I now steel myself to find out what everyone else thought, since the critic of our local newspaper hated it.
I was wondering where Jackson would end it, given I couldn't see even Peter J. filling the entire third film solely with the Battle of the Five Armies, but otoh he had to deliver on Smaug in this second movie. Turns out he ends it with an infuriated Smaug leaving Erebor and starting his attack on Laketown, which means he has the Bilbo & Dwarves versus Smaug counters as a climax for this one but still has more dragon for part III (well, the opening of same).
Speaking of part III set up, I approve of introducing Bard in part II and giving him characterisation and a sizeable role to play, instead of letting him show up a page before he kills Smaug, so to speak. Since we also meet his family (two daughters and a son), it suddenly occured to me that as opposed to the fellowship of the Ring, which consists of bachelors (some of whom will have kids in the future, but don't in the present), several of the Hobbit characters are already part of a family. We also get a continuity gag that makes it clear Gloin is Gimli's father (he has a locklet with pictures of his wife and son with him), and in case viewers who never read a single Tolkien word missed it the last time, this film spells out Kili and Fili are Thorin's nephews. (The relevant scene also brings in the emotional backstory the actors mentioned in interviews before, of Fili being Thorin's heir but Thorin having a particular soft spot for Kili.) Bard as a widower doing the occasional smuggling to make ends meet for his family in Laketown but also the only one in Laketown aware that the dwarves going to Erebor and waking up the dragon could be a terrible idea with really bad consequences already brings him in conflict with Thorin makes him an every day rising to the occasion hero fitting with the Hobbit themes overall.
(By the way: Laketown is despicted as a town in winter - the lake is partly frozen - which I hadn't imagined that way but which makes for a good contrast to the eternal summer of the Shire and the autumn in all the Elves' homes. Not to mention the contrast to the fire of Smaug in Erebor.)
Bilbo having already found his courage (to misquote a line of his in the film) and decided to stay with the dwarves in part I, he's mostly a static character here, with two exceptions, to which I'll get in a moment. I mean, he gets to do alll the the clever brave things the book gives him - save the dwarves from the spiders in Mirkwood, free them from Thranduil's dungeons and organizing the escape via barrels, facing off with Smaug - but since he already starts this film being respected and accepted by the dwarves and knowing he can face adventure, there isn't the inner development from the first part. The two exceptions, tho: the film has Bilbo experience some effects from the Ring, from lying to Gandalf - which is Tolkien - to a fit of violent possessiveness during fighting the spiders - which is not but works thematically because of Bilbo's reaction (he's horrified afterwards) and the parallel to what happens with Thorin late, which brings me to the second exception. In the movie, after Bilbo has gone through his fast talking (to prevent Smaug incinerating him then and there) and working on Smaug's vanity ("oh Smaug the Stupendous") from Tolkien, Smaug goes for a Jackson/Boyens mind messing in return and talks about Thorin simply using Bilbo to do his dirty work, the dwarvish greed and, undoubtedly being informed by Kilgarrah from Merlin that any self respecting dragon today also needs to be a slash dragon, says something along the lines of: "I've almost a mind to let you live so you can suffer by watching him go insane and die". This not only starts to sow doubts in Bilbo but gives him a different motive for not handing the Arkenstone over to Thorin immediately once they're reunited. (In the book, as far as I recall, he simply thinks it's shiny and follows an impulse to keep it to himself instead of admitting he found it, which struck me as a bit obvious Doylist plotting because Bilbo needs the Arkenstone later as a bargaining object when things go catastrophically pear shaped, so I'm all for changing that.) Thorin shows some early signs of being affected but by and large remains a heroic character in this film, though I think even hypothetical non readers who've only watched the movies will have twigged Thorin isn't, as film reviewers would have it in part I, The Hobbit's Aragorn (that would be Bard, if anyone) but The Hobbit's Boromir. The scene with Bilbo in Mirkwood having that moment of being horrified with himself afterwards makes me conclude it's also a preparation for Bilbo understanding what's going on with Thorin in part III.
The dwarves in general fare well in terms of fleshing out and characterisation in this film. Having done a LotR rewatch recently, I was reminded of how Gimli was used as comic relief mostly there (which caused some considerable distress to book fans), which creates the irony that in the Hobbit movies, based on a far more light-hearted book (well, other than its death score), the dwarves are treated far more seriously. Not without humour, of course, but the same way the elves and humans were/are. They're also, and that's to the credit of script and actors, all individuals. Their individual history matters, so when they finally enter Erebor, you can see the different reactions - it's different for Thorin and Balin, both of whom lived there as adults, than for the younger dwarves for whom until now it was mostly a symbol. The Thorin and Balin scenes in general continue to be superb, each giving such an impression of several life times of a relationship between them, and it TEARS ME UP now to think of Balin ending the way he does in Moria between books. (Curse you, Tolkien!)
Thorin (following how the first movie ended) has a lot of confidence and trust in Bilbo in this film and gets to display his stubborn side mostly with Thranduil (Lee Pace: making the non-con writers undoubtedly very happy by invading body space, gliding around Thorin and being generally the most ruthless elf so far, announcing his own interest in the Erebor treasure already) and later with Bard. (He also has that scene with Bilbo where he displays the first red-flagged sign of Arkenstone/gold sickness, but that's another issue.) The film actually lets him have a face off with Smaug (after Bilbo's), which Tolkien never does, but which does feel emotionally earned (given how Smaug was Thorin's nightmare for ages), which also comes with a dwarvishly clever idea of taking out Smaug. Doesn't quite work in that Smaug, protected by Tolkien's plot, needs to be alive for the attack on Laketown that follows, but it's still enough very thematic justice given why Smaug came to Erebor to begin with. Richard Armitage continues to smoulder better than almost everyone else in the dark and brooding business, and brings on the softer moments (like Thorin with Kili, or the one with Balin when they enter Erebor) terrifically as well. I am steeling myself for being a sobbing mess in part III.
Elves: as the trailer showed even the most unspoiled, the film includes not only Legolas (who hadn't been invented yet when Tolkien wrote the book but, being Thranduil's son, most likely was around during those events) but that most derided of fanfiction creatures, an Original Female Character named Tauriel (who is the captain of Thranduil's guard). Count me among the pro-Tauriel viewers. Evangeline Lilly has great fun being a badass fighter, and the voice of dissent to Elvish isolationism. I'm also amused at the gender cliché reversal in the budding romance between her and Kili; Kili is basically the damsel of distress throughout the film and Tauriel is the hero who keeps saving him in the nick of time. And of course she's taller. Also, their first chat establishes Kili's and Fili's mother 'Dís is alive and well in the movieverse (as far as I know, the books don't specifiy whether she was alive or dead at the time of the quest, and fanfic could go with either), which pleases me.
Speculation: because Kili's been hurt, he, Fili, Oin as the healer and Bofur by accident end up being left behind in Laketown when the rest of the dwarves & Bilbo go to Erebor. This obviously is a big alteration to the book's set up. I wonder whether this is either to add complications to the big conflict about to unfold once Smaug is dead, or to replace the talking raven (which in the book carries Thorin's message to Daín and the dwarves from the Iron Hills). (Then again, Jackson does do talking animals; he did follow Tolkien in letting the spiders talk in Mirkwood, which I had been wondering about beforehand.) Could see this going either way.
Lastly: the dragon. Is beautifully realised, and Benedict Cumberbatch does a good dragon voice, but Andy Serkis and Gollum aren't in danger of being dethroned as the most amazing actor/digital character combination ever. I could have done with Smaug's vanity getting even more of an outing because that's the most distinguishing Smaug character trait in the book, but he did like Bilbo's compliments, and the added mindmessing about Thorin in return was a neat touch.
In conclusion: 'twas an enjoyable evening for me, and I now steel myself to find out what everyone else thought, since the critic of our local newspaper hated it.
