Thorin's (Richard Armitage) gold-lust and Arkenstone obsession blinds him from peaceful negotiations with the Bard (Luke Evans) and Elvenking Thranduil (Lee Pace) while Azog and his Orc army fight for the mountain as a strategic stronghold." (Movie Rating: 3/5) The promise by this visually potent and energetic start soon subsides when it becomes clear that Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Bilbo (Martin Freeman) are treated as side characters to the clash over who has a rightful claim to the share of the gold. It's a shame really since the story picks up immediately where the second film left off with explosive action and mayhem as Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) sets Laketown ablaze. "In spite of the thrilling visuals on display, however, the clash between the dwarves, elves, humans and eagles against a terrifying horde of goblins and orcs doesn't quite measure up to the encounters seen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Of course, his purpose is simply to set Thorin and his company back on the right path to reclaiming the Lonely Mountain from the fire-breathing dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch)." (Movie Rating: 4/5) In this adventure, while in the guild of brave dwarves, Peter Jackson and his team appease the devoted fandom with the appearance of Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt), the shapeshifting giant who's only ever seen changing into a bear, imbuing an air of mystery and generating some well-earned sympathy. "Picking up soon after the events of An Unexpected Journey, the next chapter in the epic-fantasy trilogy based on one book is an unexpected improvement over its predecessor, introducing a few new characters - as far as the original source is concerned - while still managing to stay faithful to Tolkien's vision. For all its minor, and arguably forgivable, imperfections, however, the first in the trilogy remains an entertaining fantasy and decent start to the adventure." (Movie Rating: 3/5) Granted, the end result is at times a wondrous and somewhat exhilarating adventure, but it is also unnecessary to incorporate material from the original trilogy or expand otherwise minor characters into significant contributors in a plot that hammers itself into an unrelated storyline. "With the same CG spectacle and visual eye candy as seen in The Lords of the Rings trilogy, director Peter Jackson returns to Middle-earth with the bloated idea of stretching a tale that Tolkien told in a single book into a three-part trilogy.
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