The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, 2013.
Directed by Peter Jackson.
Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangaline Lilly, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Cate Blanchett, Billy Connolly, Stephen Fry, Mikael Persbrandt, Ian Holm, Sylvester McCoy, and Benedict Cumberbatch.
SYNOPSIS:
The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.
Filmgoers and shire admirers have become as used to Peter Jackson and his J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations over the years as they have the obligatory “extended cuts” of every already long film. The Hobbit films have been no different and now comes The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – The Extended Edition.
The extended cut, like other Jackson extended cuts, is not a light one. It’s packed with 25 minutes of new footage. I debate to simply reveal said extended and new scenes, but one of the true pleasures of this extended cut is to go in cold and discover the new ground in a fresh manner.
The Desolation of Smaug is the continuing adventures of Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions as they travel to reclaim a lost land and fortune. The film itself was obviously covered on release so there’s little point in covering old ground here.
What should be covered is whether this “extended” cut is truly worth someone’s hard earned dollar and whether this release as a whole is merited beyond some extra cash for Warner Bros. (not that they need it).
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to people familiar with the Lord of the Rings franchise and Peter Jackson’s home video releases that this set is very much worth purchasing for modest and hardcore fans alike.
The new and extended footage will do nothing to quell people’s overall criticisms of Smaug or the Hobbit franchise as a whole (overstuffed, overlong, too complex, can’t live up to the Rings), but for those that appreciate Jackson’s return to Middle Earth then the new footage gives you more of what you want. This extended cut delves deeper into a world created by J.R.R. Tolkien and brought to life (and even expanded upon by) Jackson.
The home video release does not disappoint in presentation either. A film like Smaug needs the best picture and sound presentation and it gets it. The film looks stunning and doesn’t lose much of its pizazz going from the big screen to the small.
Also making the set well worth checking out are the special features. Not disappointing, one can get as lost in the extras as the film. There’s of course commentary from Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens (co-producer and screenwriter), The Appendices which takes a multi-part in depth look at the history and making of the film and a special feature looking at New Zealand, the beautiful landscape Jackson has long decided to transform into Middle Earth on film.
This extended cut runs at just over 3 hours, but on home video it plays like a warm breeze. Few can match Jackson today in creating such immersive and absorbing films about complete fantasy with characters we care so deeply for. Perhaps it is the inspiring CGI or maybe it’s the bright colors and wondrous landscapes and beauty caught on film or maybe it’s something else entirely. No matter what it is, in a world where binge watching is the new media way to consume, a 3 hour version of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (with special features both a layman and future filmmaker can appreciate) is very welcome.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – The Extended Edition is available now.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Zachary Leeman
Originally published November 5, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
