|
Thorin Oakenshield and his loyal band of adventurers continue their arduous quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the legendary dragon Smaug in the second installment of Peter Jackson's epic Hobbit trilogy, an occasionally exciting yet mostly lumbering sequel that proves you can indeed have too much of a good thing. Originally conceived as a two-movie arc but later expanded into a trilogy, the Hobbit franchise reveals Jackson to be the Judd Apatow of fantasy filmmaking -- so enamored with his own monumental vision of a simple story that its very essence is left to drown in a sea of overindulgence. Looking back, we should have seen this coming from his bloated 2005 remake of King Kong, but given the big gorilla's own girth and the advances of special effects since 1933, it seemed fitting to let a contemporary director run a little wild with the concept. His films still contain flashes of true beauty and inspiration, so when it came time for Jackson to helm the Lord of the Rings, it felt only natural that he should be permitted to split the three-volume tome into a feature trilogy. At 544 minutes total (for the theatrical versions), the Lord of the Rings is a formidable film series for even exceedingly patient movie lovers. At 170 and 161 minutes, respectively, the first two chapters of Jackson's Hobbit trilogy mirror their sister series' length, but whereas J.R.R. Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings runs in the range of 1,200 pages, The Hobbit is roughly 300 pages long. If all of this seems like a particularly Jacksonian way of saying that the Hobbit films are too long, you get the point. Together with screenwriting partners Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro, New Zealand's one-time splatter-meister has fashioned one of his generation's most vividly realized fantasy worlds, and populated it with wondrous mythical beasts that seem no less flesh and blood than the actors they share the screen with. Men tower over dwarfs and trolls tower over men, and all are equally believable as they fight before our unblinking eyes. But at some point it becomes a mere spectacle, and as numerous sequences of the screenplay echo the beats of the previous installment (the party are imprisoned by an enemy, Bilbo summons the courage to save his crew from certain death, Bilbo matches wits with a CG menace), the screenwriters have a difficult time keeping us enthralled. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug feels like a raucous pop gem that's been remixed to death, its vital essence drained by good intentions gone awry. Meanwhile, with the levity of the first film a distant memory, the overall mood here is dour and oppressive; yes, the barrel ride down the river -- with elves firing off arrows and orcs' heads flying -- displays the magic of fantasy cinema at its swashbuckling best, but for every thrill like that there are ten pace-deadening scenes in which the group ponder, brood, and slog, diminishing the impact of the film's genuinely inspired moments. In terms of characterization, the actors bring just as much energy and intensity to their roles as they did the first time out, and on occasion, those quiet moments in the screenplay allow us to get to know them a bit better (as with an amusing cross-species romance between a particularly handsome dwarf and a smitten elf). Lee Pace brings an earthy air of nobility to the role of Thranduil -- an unpredictable shape-shifter who's the last of his kind; Luke Evans adds a human touch as Bard the Bowman, who aids the group at a crucial juncture; and Stephen Fry is a wormy delight as the power-drunk Master of Laketown. It's a treat to see Orlando Bloom return as Legolas, yet it's Benedict Cumberbatch who steals the show here without so much as showing his face, much like Andy Serkis previously did in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Bellowing his lines from what sounds like a deep furnace, Cumberbatch makes his Smaug a cunning, nightmarish creature of wrath and fury. Even the ferocious giant spiders that nearly devour the entire party early on have nothing on him, and as his voice reverberates in your bones, you'll fear what he's capable of. Set deep inside the Lonely Mountain, Smaug's climactic fight against the dwarfs and the noble Bilbo Baggins is fantasy cinema at its absolute finest. Even though you may be exhausted by the time it happens, the cliff-hanger finale of this middle chapter will ensure that you'll be there on the opening day of the final installment, despite knowing in your heart of hearts that this journey should never have taken this long.
Condition:NEW. Brand New Factory Sealed
Product Details
Actors: Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans
Writers: Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro
Producers: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner, Alan Horn
Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Box set, NTSC
Language: English
Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 5
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: NEW LINE HOME VIDEO
DVD Release Date: November 4, 2014
Digital Copy Expiration Date: November 4, 2017
Run Time: 186 minutes
Special Features
Includes Digital HD UltraViolet™ so you can enjoy the film on many different compatible devices. MUST ENTER REDEMPTION CODE BY 11/4/17 TO REDEEM DIGITAL HD ULTRAVIOLET OFFER. HIGH DEFINITION IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON ALL DEVICES. See "UltraViolet Details" section below for details. DOES NOT INCLUDE iTUNES FILE, BUT IS COMPATIBLE WITH iPHONE, iPAD, iPOD TOUCH AND MOST ANDROID DEVICES. 5-disc Blu-rayTM Extended Edition includes 25 minutes of never-before-seen film footage and hours of fascinating in-depth looks at the production Discs 1 & 2 – Blu-ray 3DTM: Extended Edition – Parts 1 & 2 Disc 3 – Blu-ray: Extended Edition, Plus the Filmmakers' Commentary Includes New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth™ – Part 2 Disc 4 – Blu-ray: The Appendices Part 9: Into the Wilderland: The Chronicles of The Hobbit – Part 2 Join cast and crew as they share their experiences making the second installment of The Hobbit trilogy in this comprehensive chronology of the production, featuring blocking and filming of key sequences – from Lake-town to Smaug's lair – stories from the set, stunts, special effects, VFX and much more Disc 5 – Blu-ray: The Appendices Part 10: The Journey to Erebor Meet new characters and creatures joining the adventure while taking a revealing look at Howard Shore's brilliant score, then watch Smaug the Magnificent and the realms of Middle-earth evolve from concept to creation, all to be captured in pioneering high-frame-rate 3D technology
Cast & Crew
Ian McKellen Gandalf
Martin Freeman Bilbo Baggins
Richard Armitage Thorin Oakenshield
Benedict Cumberbatch Voice Only
Andy Serkis Gollum
Evangeline Lilly Tauriel
Elijah Wood Frodo Baggins
Lee Pace Thranduil
Luke Evans Bard the Bowman
Ken Stott , Balin
James Nesbitt Bofur
Orlando Bloom Legolas
Ian Holm Bilbo Baggins (old)
Cate Blanchett Galadriel
John Bell , Bain
Manu Bennett , Azog
Jed Brophy , Nori
Adam Brown Ori
John Callen Oin
Stephen Fry Master of Laketown
Bret McKenzie Lindir
Ryan Gage , Alfrid
Mark Hadlow Dori
Peter Hambleton Gloin
Stephen Hunter Bombur
William Kircher , Bifur
Lawrence Makoare , Bolg
Sylvester McCoy , Radagast
Barry Humphries Goblin King
Graham McTavish Dwalin
Dean O'Gorman Fili
Mikael Persbrandt , Beorn
Aidan Turner Kili
Peggy Nesbitt Sigrid
Mary Nesbitt Tilda
Ben Mitchell Narzug
Stephen Ure Fimbul
Craig Hall Galion
Robin Kerr Elros
Eli Kent Lethuin
Simon London Feren
Brian Sergent Spider
Peter Vere-Jones Spider
Mark Mitchinson Braga
Kelly Kilgour Soury
Sarah Peirse Hilda Bianca
Nick Blake Percy
Dallas Barnett Bill Ferny Snr
Matt Smith Squint
Katie Jackson Betsy Butterbur
Richard Whiteside Butterbur Snr
Greg Ellis Net Mender
Ray Henwood Old Fisherman
Tim Gordon Stallkeeper
Jabez Olssen Fish Monger
Stephen Colbert Laketown Spy
Evelyn McGee-Colbert Laketown Spy
Peter Colbert Laketown Spy
John Colbert Laketown Spy
Norman Kali Laketown Spy
Carter Nixon Laketown Spy
Zane Weiner Laketown Spy
Allan Smith Orc Underling
Technical Credits
Peter Jackson Director, Executive Producer, Producer, Screenwriter
Carolyn Blackwood Executive Producer
Richard Bluck Cinematographer
Scott Boland Casting
Philippa Boyens Co-producer, Executive Producer, Screenwriter
Bob Buck Costumes/Costume Designer
Victoria Burrows Casting
Erin Collins Set Decoration/Design
Will Crooks Set Decoration/Design
Carolynne Cunningham Asst. Director, Producer
Weta Digital Animator
Matthew Dravitzki Associate Producer
Bruno DuBois Asst. Director
Karen Elliott Musical Direction/Supervision
Toby Emmerich Executive Producer
David Farmer Sound/Sound Designer
Guillermo del Toro Screenwriter
Simon Harding Camera Operator
Dan Hennah Production Designer
Chris Hiles Sound Mixer
Jennifer Hitchcock Set Decoration/Design
Belinda Lee Hope Production Manager
Alan Horn Executive Producer
John Hubbard Casting
Amy Hubbard Casting
Tony Johnson Sound Mixer
Ken Kamins Executive Producer
Peter King Makeup
Andrew Lesnie Cinematographer
John Lott Set Decoration/Design
Rob Marsh Camera Operator
Ann Maskrey Costumes/Costume Designer
Brian Massey Art Director
Peter McCaffrey Camera Operator
Andy McLaren Art Director
Cameron McLean Camera Operator
Brad Mill Art Director
Eileen Moran Co-producer
Sarah Morris Production Manager
Liz Mullane Casting
Colette Mullin Set Decoration/Design
Jabez Olssen Editor
Conrad Pope Score Composer
Miranda Rivers Casting
Ann Robinson Casting
Kevin Romond Special Effects Supervisor
Howard Shore Score Composer
Michael Smale Art Director
Mark Stephen Set Decoration/Design
Helen Strevens Set Decoration/Design
Liz Tan Asst. Director
Richard Taylor Costumes/Costume Designer, Makeup Special Effects
Gavin Urquhart Set Decoration/Design
Amanda Walker Associate Producer
Fran Walsh Executive Producer, Producer, Screenwriter
Zane Weiner Producer
Dave Whitehead Sound/Sound Designer
Richard Wiles Set Decoration/Design
|