The long wait is over for the trailer for the second installment in Peter Jackson’s “Hobbit” trilogy, and it does not disappoint. Fans are introduced to characters new and old, including Bard, Beorn, Tauriel, and Legolas, as well as the highly-anticipated Smaug.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idp6wjqG674]
Just so we’re clear: Orlando Bloom is the draw for this movie.
Yes? Well, now that that’s decided.
Honestly though, there was a lot of Legolas in this trailer. We also got to see our new elf character, Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), in action. But wait, I thought Peter Jackson said that he needed to make three movies because there was just too much content from Tolkien’s original work…? She seems pretty badass though, and if it means more Orli scenes, I’m not complaining. But honestly, Mirkwood is one of my favorite sequences in the book, and I am happy to see that large portions of this movie focus on the elves.
Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans) of Laketown is also featured, along with a brief glimpse of Beorn the bear. The films so far have taken a more holistic approach, allowing viewers to observe the story from the perspectives of characters other than Bilbo. In fact, this time around it didn’t feel like we saw much of Bilbo at all. This is an interesting approach by Jackson, but without it, stretching one book into three movies would have probably been impossible. At this point, fans can only wait to see how this approach will be translated in the context of the full film.
And finally, what we have all been waiting for: a first glimpse at the dragon Smaug. The last scene is very dim, so unless you turn up your computer’s brightness, you might not be able to make out more than a glowing eye and a shadow. But it’s Smaug alright, looking as massive and menacing as I had pictured. I’m not sure yet how I feel about his overall design, but at least it’s not this, as Jackson jokingly announced to fans during the live stream event back in March. I’m interested to see how motion capture and the talents of Benedict Cumberbatch were combined to make this iconic villain come to life, but I have a feeling that Jackson is going to keep all things Smaug-related under wraps until opening night.
If Peter Jackson’s last trilogy is anything to go by (The Two Towers is probably my favorite of the three), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug looks like it’s going to be memorable, fast-paced, and a load of fun. The film will hit theaters December 13, 2013.
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