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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Trailer Review.

 
Note: For some reason this was posted twice, must be some kind of glitch.
Before I start the trailer review, sorry everyone for not commenting, replying to e-mails, or posting yesterday, I had unexpected medical problems so I was in the hospital yesterday making sure I did not have to have my appendix removed. Fortunately it was nothing majorly serious, I will just be sick for a few days. Sometime next week I will post the final part to my Top 100 movies, hopefully something will not get in the way again.
If there is one thing that this trailer shows, it is that there are Elves, lots of Elves. Did Peter Jackson forget the film was named "The Hobbit"? Because it appears to a movie mostly about Elves. Obviously this is not going to be true, but that is what the trailer wants you to think. I am not complaining though, Elves are awesome; it is still odd regardless. Maybe Jackson is trying to appeal more to mainstream, since most people like Elves. An Unexpected Journey was fantastic, albeit slightly disappointing considering how perfect The Lord of the Rings trilogy is, but still ranking 8th on my favorite films list. Hopefully Desolation of Smaug will surpass its predecessor, and I hope Peter Jackson is sure not to show the 48fps version to critics so the film can receive the positive reviews it deserves.
Legolas coming back is not a surprise, however I had assumed that he would be in a more cameo role but it appears that his role will be much more akin to Gollum. Adding Tauriel seems like an odd move by Peter Jackson, from what I remember from reading the books, there were no major or even named characters added from the book, or at least from Tolkien's extra writing. The only reason I see is that he wants to add a female character to the mostly male centric cast. Despite this, Tauriel looks like a cool character and Evangeline Lilly  will be a very attractive elf. There are rumors that one of the dwarves might have a romance with an elf, but those are just rumors. One more thing, the trailer music was epic! It was costume track by Audiomachine especially for the trailer; unfortunately it has not been released by itself. Here are JT's thoughts.

JT: I agree with you there James. I was not surprised by other details but there were too many elven shots. For those who don't know, The Desolation of Smaug movie is based on approximately chapters 5-12. It ends right before the clinax but there is a lot packed into the end that will make a third movie. Needless to say, Elves don't figure nearly as much as Jackson would like them too. Dare I say "Sellout to the fangirls!" (apologies to the fangirls. I know you didn't need Tauriel to like this movie.)



JT: The Dwarves have arrived at Lake-town. If you spent time memorizing their harstyles, you know exactly which dwarves you can see.
JT: That is Mirkwood , It is way more heavily detailed than it needed. I think WETA was having too much fun here.
James: Ever since Legolas was said to be from Mirkwood, I have been curious about how different the Elves culture are compared to the others.  
JT: That is not my image of Thranduil at all. I always saw him as an Old king Cole/Robin Hood and his merry men type. Anybody notice that his eyebrows are brown? Fail. Basically everything about him is messed up, even the moose-riding.
James: Well, Thranduil does look like he could be Legolas' father, the resemblance is quite strong, although a wig and makeup are probably the main reason. 
James: Thorin looks like he has fought some spiders and he appears a tad angry, wonder why? It's not like the guy hung-him-out-to-dry when his people needed his help. 
JT: Wait, James what are you trying to say exactly? I can't elaborate because i know all the spoilers.

JT: Barrels out of Bond! Though how in Middle-earth are they going to pull off getting away w/ the top off the barrels? wait and see...
James: This is a much talked about part of the book and where everyone thought the first film would end before it was split into a trilogy.
JT: Best shot!
JT: Is that Azog attacking Tauriel? I predict girl power defeats the zombie orc.
James: Interesting thought about Tauriel killing Azog. It would only seem right that Azog would be offed near the end of the film so that Smaug is the main villain for the final chapter.
James: Legolas seems more angry and maybe slightly more manly. He has some weird expressions in the trailer.
James: Seriously, why so much of the Elves talking, did Bilbo and any dwarf other than Dwalin even have a single line?

James: Tauriel looks like a very cool Mirkwood archer, there certainly seems to be a lot archers in the movies lately.

JT: Two lines: We don't need her, and she's being Lego's girlfriend despite press releases to the contrary. Phooey on you PJ!
James: She may very well be Legolas'

James: Grumpy cat Legolas! I need to ad captions and create a meme! See the rebalance, he looks just like Grumpy cat. 
 
 

JT: The hoard of Smaug! Or Thorin, depending on who's side you're on...:D And this isn't nearly half.
James: According to Ford Smaug is richest character in fiction, so there was to be a several tons of gold!

 
JT: Gandalf at Dol Goldur. He looks scared, but then, you only live twice, and his time hasn't come yet.
James: One of the only frames of Gandalf in the trailer. I know Gandalf leaves the Dwarves company and only Tolkien's extra writing chronicles what happens.

James: The effects for Azog look great, although nothing can match Andy Serkis as Gollum.

James: Finally some Bilbo, the movie is named "The Hobbit" after all.
James: Luke Evens, aka, guy who looks a lot like Orlando Bloom from the Pirates trilogy.
JT: His character is Bard the Bowman, and he shows up in Laketown. He actually looks just how I imagined him.

James: Several scenes of awesome action! Desolation of Smaug appears to have even more action than its predecessor.

JT: O Bloom is the good guy again (or before)!

JT: Smaug is a fail. He looks like a picture transplanted from a poorly drawn 2D version...
James: Hopefully Smaug will look better in the film, the effects should be much better.

What are your thoughts on the trailer? Please comment below. Also Middle Earth fans, check back Friday for The Two Towers: Book Vs. Film final part and tomorrow for my Watchmen review.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

15 comments:

  1. Love these frame by frame rundown of trailers. Here I thought I was the only who thought Luke Evans looked like Orlando Bloom from the Pirates of the Caribbean.

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  2. By the way, hope you are feeling better!

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  3. Enjoyed this analysis, think you're wrong on a few counts. *book spoilers*

    1) Smaug & Thranduil look fine.

    2) The romance is rumoured to be between Tauriel and Kili which would be even more fail than Tauriel and Legolas

    3) Its no surprise that they've added a female character, without here, the movie would literally be completely male. The same with the first film an Galdriel. Galadriel didn't really play that big of a role, yet was marketed big. Saying that, Tauriel seems to have a bigger role in this film than Galadriel did in the first.

    4) Smaug will die in this film. Azog, not so sure. Based of the books, then unless they expand Smaug's role significantly beyond the books (unlikely despite everything else), the climax of this film will be the Battle of Lake-town and the dragons demise.

    5) The 3rd film will concentrate on the Battle of the Five Armies, and the return of the Necromancer (Sauron), which will be mostly expanded. In the book, Tolkien chucks a Game of Thrones (yes!!) when he knocks out Bilbo for the Battle in order to not have to talk about the battle.

    6) Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett are credited so it may suggest the Battle of Dol Guldor will also happen in this film.

    Overall, the trailer is fine and shouldn't be an estimation of whose in the film or not. I look forward to it and expect it to be great (leading me to be disappointed if it isn't)

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  4. I hope you feel better! Love the Review!

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  5. This is an awesome interpretation of the dragon http://www.flicksandbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/the_hobbit_smaug_and_bilbo_.jpg

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  6. Hope you complete your recovery soon.

    B2B.

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  7. Hope you feel better soon! Great review! I'm definitely excited for this movie!

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  8. Hope everything's okay with you! :)
    I have to agree, it just seemed a little too 'elvish' and it is about a HOBBIT called Bilbo. I am excited about Tauriel as she looks like a promising female character.

    I hope Smaug is not disappointing but he didn't look that great in teh trailer, I agree. I just really want to hear his voice! :D

    Oh yeah, and totally agree about Luke Evans as a look alike of Will from POTC we actually thought it was Orlando Bloom until we checked.
    I am really excited about seeing the Spiders! And Gandalf's line "It is undoubtedly one." Sounds really cool, too.

    Great review, guys!

    God Bless,
    Vellvin.

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  9. @Daniel: Evens could really be Bloom's brother, he looks so much like him. And thank you!

    @morro: Thanks morro, do you have a website of any kind?

    Thank you for the long comment, since I have not read the book, I am not sure what will happen in the film yet.

    Thanks for the art of Smaug, that looks almost exactly like the film's version.

    @T.M. Hall: Thank you T.M.!

    @Buddy2Blogger: Thank you B2B.

    @Duchess Mandalore: Thanks Duchess, can't wait for the either!

    @Vellvin: Thank you Vellvin. :)
    Tauriel does looks cool, I look forward to how her character will be used.

    I know, I was wondering why we did not hear him in the trailer.

    Thanks! :D

    -James

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  10. Until I read this post I didn't notice how much it showed the elves in the trailer. I was too busy telling my mum which elf was which and trying to listen to everything after she saw Legolas and said, "OH! I didn't know he was in it!" And then having to tell her why he was. *Smirk*

    I loved the trailer, but now I want to rewatch it because I was sure I saw more of Bilbo in it, but from the looks at all these screen caps I must have just imagined it in. (That and I wasn't looking too close when they did show him because I was worried the spiders would pop out.)

    Also, SO glad I'm not the only one who saw Bard and thought, "Why is Will Turner in the movie?" I thought they had Orlando Bloom doing two parts. (Either way, can't wait to see Bard. The moment he showed up in the book I liked him.)

    I didn't mind Smaug's looks so much, but I bet he will be even cooler in the movie. (Trailers do crumy jobs when it comes to dragons. I saw another one that had the dragon looking weird and he looked cool in the movie.)

    I have mixed feelings about Tauriel. Tolkien's story worked without a girl, and it looks like they are trying to make it romantic between her and Legolas. (Although when you mentioned it, I scrolled down and saw the "grumpy cat Legolas" and it looked as if he didn't think much of her being his girl.) In the books, wasn't she in love with a human? Or am I thinking of another elf?

    Anyways, I am VERY excited for the movie, just not the spider scenes. And I shall try and give Tauriel a chance. After all, she is an elf and an archer, so she might turn out to be pretty cool.

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  11. I don't think Smaug looked that great like I said before, and I would have preferred to not have seen him until the movie comes out.
    Thranduil some of us call him the pretty elf he wears chines night gowns and his got a weird crown and his eye brows are to big for a elf and yes why are they brown.
    (if he grew a beard would it be brown)
    I think Tauriel looks Cool.
    And It would have been nice if Bilbo and the dwarves said more.
    but was a great trailer.
    Hope you get better soon.
    God bless Rogan.

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  12. By the way Legolas has brown eyebrows also.

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  13. @Jack: There was some Bilbo but not really any dialogue Bilbo, I am mostly sure I took a screen cap of most of Bilbo's scenes.

    Spiders popping out of the screen, that could be a great moment of the film in 3D!

    It seems everyone thought the Bard was Bloom!

    I agree, will look better in the film for sure.

    I am not sure if Tauriel will be Legolas' girlfriend. From the rumors, there will be some kind of romance with Kilie I think. Actually she was never in the books, so you must be thinking of another Elf.

    Very excited too! It should be awesome!

    @Rogan: Haha, "pretty elf". Thank you for telling me about that, I do remember saying anything about it in my review, but I was thinking about it.
    I agree, more Bilbo and dwarves would have been nice.
    Thank you Rogan.

    -James

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  14. Tauriel seems to be very cool, but she wasn't in the book. But then, Legolas wasn't either, so I guess that's okay. I agree with your points & I seriously can't wait. Somebody dying here!

    omg grumpy cat legolas :D

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  15. Hi James,

    Just watched the movie, way better than the first part which was good.
    http://suspendeddisbeliefsteve.blogspot.ca/2014/01/the-hobbitthe-desolation-of-smaug-2013.html

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One rule: No strong profanity. If you want to link to one of your posts, please do; I am always interested in other reviews and such.

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