The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

PG-13

Released Dec 13, 2013

2h 40m

Fantasy

Adventure

Drama

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Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

251 Reviews

85%

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250,000+ Ratings

Having survived the first part of their unsettling journey, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his companions (Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage) continue east. More dangers await them, including the skin-changer Beorn and the giant spiders of Milkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood Elves, Bilbo and the dwarves journey to Lake-town and, finally, to the Lonely Mountain, where they face the greatest danger of all: the fearsome dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

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Critics Consensus

While still slightly hamstrung by "middle chapter" narrative problems and its formidable length, The Desolation of Smaug represents a more confident, exciting second chapter for the Hobbit series.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Jackson managed to do something that I never thought was possible--make me care about a Hobbit tale. He also delivered one of the best cliffhangers of the year. Kudos to that.

Sep 5, 2017

Full Review

Max Nelson

Film Comment Magazine

Nearly everyone in the film is creaking under the weight of the past.

Jan 14, 2014

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Bruce Diones

The New Yorker

The tale has no emotional resonance, and the thinness of the plot (only five of the book's chapters are adapted here) and the colorless depictions of the leading characters do it no favors.

Dec 30, 2013

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

The continued character development is another perk of the patience of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2024

Full Review

JD Duran

InSession Film

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug was anything but impressive. Just because you have the resources and abilities to do anything with CGI, doesn’t mean you should go crazy with it.

Rated: B-

Aug 19, 2024

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Iván Kazi

EscribiendoCine

This sequel compensates and amply exceeds its predecessor. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 9/10

Dec 7, 2022

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Alysha S

The story is great and the special effects don't distract.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/22/25

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Audience Member

A bad one but it’s fun to make fun of

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/22/25

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paulodavi D

O filme em si é melhor que o primeiro, porém o rei da cidade do lago me incomoda

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

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Travis B

alot more intresting then the first becouse of smug

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/09/25

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Bobby B

Barrel scene. Just, barrel scene. That scenes sums up all that was wrong with this trilogy.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/25

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Ismael A

Had never watched because having watched some scenes of it made me dislike a bunch if aspects of the movie. Now, having it watched, the representation feels terrible. Feels like a disjointed dream, where you can't orientate yourself properly as where things are happening. Lots of tight shots means that a larger context is left out, making it hard and annoying to follow the storyline as well as action sequences. Quintessentially British elements made me feel I was watching a weird Harry Potter spin-off, blended with Sherlock Holmes and Pirates of the Caribbean. Haven't read the book, and this movie makes me not want to. An absolute 180 from the LOTR trilogy. Regarding the excessive CGI... would you eat a cheesy hot dog with extra ketchup, extra mayo, extra mustard, and extra spicy jalapeño sauce? -- Neither would I. Bad enough that I felt compelled to leave this review... 12 years after its launch.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/31/25

Full Review

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Peter Jackson

Director

Ian McKellen

Gandalf

Martin Freeman

Bilbo Baggins

Richard Armitage

Thorin Oakenshield

Benedict Cumberbatch

Smaug

Evangeline Lilly

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Synopsis

Having survived the first part of their unsettling journey, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his companions (Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage) continue east. More dangers await them, including the skin-changer Beorn and the giant spiders of Milkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood Elves, Bilbo and the dwarves journey to Lake-town and, finally, to the Lonely Mountain, where they face the greatest danger of all: the fearsome dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Director: Peter Jackson
Producer: Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Screenwriter: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), WingNut Films
Rating: PG-13 (Frightening Images|Fantasy Action Violence)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 13, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 25, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $258.4M
Runtime: 2h 40m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

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