MOVIE REVIEW. THE HOBBIT : THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG.

“THE HOBBIT:  THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG”

PRESS REVIEW

And of course, everybody knows that there has to be another chapter since the last one ended with a you-ask-for-it cliffhanger.

Loyalists of  J.R.R. Tolkien have been literally clamoring for more.

This is the second feature in the trilogy of THE HOBBIT saga, and is a remarkable difference to the last entry “An Unexpected Journey”.

To make up for lost time, it springs to action oh-la-la without much ado once the movie begins.

This one is smugly titled “THE DESOLATION OF THE SMAUG”. It’s the mid-chapter.

Admirably fitted in a taut package, it is awesomely presented with a dazzling splash of the CGI extravaganza.

Not forgetting the deafening battle cries to harness you on edge.

Anyway, here’s the plot in a nutshell:

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF THE SMAUG is the second in a trilogy of films adapting the  popular classic The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

It continues with the adventure of the lead character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman).

He takes us on a journey with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Along the way, you’ll witness all kinds of weird creatures such as  wizards, elves, dwarves, orcs, humans and the giant slithery dragon Smaugh created by JRR Tolkien and brought to the giant screen by director PETER JACKSON.

Orlando Bloom who plays Legolas returns with a bang brandishing his signature bow.

He’s a force to reckon with in the form of Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) an impetuous albeit attractive warrior princess.

Both of these oddball characters add weight and sunshine to dispel the gloom that would otherwise linger in the movie.

To sum it all up, “THE HOBBIT: The Desolation of Smaug” is one entertaining effects-laden film and is a reel blast from start to finish.

Go watch it!

“THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY” Movie Review. The LULL before the STORM.

“THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY” PRESS PREVIEW

It’s a case of much ado about everything.

Everyone has his differing opinion in regard to “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”.

Hence I’ll keep this Review short and sweet to spare readers from the long overture, the tedious technicalities that come with the making of this epic.

Here’s a case in point which follows the proverbial adage that good wine needs no bush.

Because film director Peter Jackson requires no formal introduction.

His  latest offering “Hobbit” is a prequel to his immensely successful “Lord of the Rings”, allowing us to set foot again in the fictional world of the Middle Earth.

The LOTR trilogy was produced in 3 parts, the journey starting from 2001 and culminating in 2003.

Hold your breath, that was 9 years ago, long before the advent of the 3D stereoscopy.

Nearly $3 billion in worldwide grosses had been collected on this franchise.

Now “Hobbit” 2012, the almost-three-hour prequel has  arrived after the many years of waiting. Interest has since waned.

The Hobbit follows the story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), a reluctant hobbit who has been recruited by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to join him together with a motley group of rowdy dwarves to rescue their Lonely Mountain home from an evil dragon.

The quest involves encounters with trolls and orcs, visits with elves and Gollum (Andy Serkis).

The entire visual extravaganza was shot at 48 frames per second (twice the normal speed) as Peter Jackson insisted that the traditional 24 frames format has a primitive dressing.

 Striving beyond perfection, the double speed evokes a sheen of “surrealistic fake-ness” in key scenes.

 ”The Hobbit” may be an entertaining effort given the advances in digital animation and faster projection speed, but the inspiration has diminished, and it hardly enthralls the way its predecessors did.

Followers of the LOTR  movies will still continue to find plenty to rave about.

Non-followers may be bored by the overdrawn plot, the chaotic assembly of ghastly creatures and 15 main characters, some of them could have been omitted in the already complicated plot.

You simply can’t please everybody.

Right.