Hobbit 2 - Smaug Strikes Back!

Truthfully, I have recently come across many thing I would like to discuss.
Such pieces would be:

My new story of (what I am calling at the moment) "Wolf", a short detective story introducing the main characters and how the series would be done.  Involving Ariel (an ex-cop who is now working as a chef to Julius Wolf) listening to Wolf and his partner Hawk try an solve a problem while she is trying to get Wolf to try new dishes.

(On a side note, I am still working on "Shades of Fear" and "Strawberries", but I've hit a snag.  On SOF, I want to build up the team that is going, but I need more back story for them, so I am thinking of either a flashback or another short part... but I'm stuck at which one.  I've worked out the big scenes AFTER the trip and even the finale, but it's always the middle that gets me.  Strawberries I paused because it is mostly Nox's story of something haunted going on Halloween (or what would be known then as the day before Saints Day)... but I haven't figured out how to explain strawberries being there at that time (or even the place since this is suppose to be around a twist 1800s).)

My review of shows and movies such as -
Once Upon A Time (which mostly involves me talking about how annoyed I am at it's magic twists),
Attack on Titan (which has me confused on why it is so popular right now),
Oldboy (which I wanted to recently, but I stopped because I wanted to wait and actually watch the version first before I tear it up),
and even a Disturbed Review on one of my lists.

My obsession over a game called Monster Hunter and what I think about the Wii U.


But for now, I will talk about Hobbits.

Back in May, I wrote about my thoughts on the first movie.

So what do I think about the Second part?
*Spoiler Free*
The main story is good, good fight scenes and nice effects with Smaug. His reveal and talk with Bilbo is better than Gollum from the first Hobbit movie. The foreshadowing about what is going to come seems heavy, but I think it's going to pass over a lot of people's heads until the last movie. The side stories are the weakness of this film though, seeming a bit crammed in, but it does have some good moments. Better than "Two Towers" but leaves me wondering how the last one will be in comparison.
Very short review - It's Monster Hunter the movie. Go see it, but be prepared to wait a while for the next part.



Now for Spoilers, as well as my opinion -

*Spoilers below*

It starts with the team running from Orcs and heading to the home of Beorn (which was left out of the animated cartoon), where they meet the Bear Shapechanger and after Gandalf splits from the party to investigate dark signs, they head to a dark forest (Mirkwood) where after a really good confusion scene and treetop scene the party gets attacked by mini versions of Shelob spiders.  Bilbo (using the ring) saves the party and gains a name for his elf sword from the screams of the spiders (Sting!).  We also see a good scene of him going absolutely nuts for a moment when he drops the ring and his recognition of what it is doing to him.  And while they fight, they get saved by a familiar elf with agile abilities and get captured by the Wood elves.
After a few scenes in the elf kingdom, the dwarfs escape into barrels and go down the river in a very epic fight scene involving the dwarfs, elves, and orcs that I really enjoyed.  Good funny moments and epic fights.
They come across a barge-man who is good with a bow and are sneaked into Laketown, where the people of Dale now reside.  It is there that it is revealed that the barge-man is Bard, the descendent of the guard of Dale who was legend (and mythed) to have wounded Smaug with the toughest black arrows.
The team splits again and most head to the Lonely Mountain, and after solving the last of the riddle of the door, find the way into the treasure chamber.

And there, Bilbo meets Satan.

*cough* I mean, Smaug.

If Bilbo's conversation with Gollum in the first movie was like having a conversation with a murdering psychopath (which it was), then this scene was him facing a demon god.  Something that could easily crush him and talked elegantly.

Well, Bilbo sees the weak spot and the dwarfs come to his rescue (which I like, the book just left him all alone, but the movie is making the dwarfs into an actual team)...
And then the series that is made fun of for mostly walking now becomes them running.
And running.
They try to kill Smaug (in a scene where I both like and confused by) but only work in making him run away to destroy Laketown.
The movie ends with Bilbo watching and saying "Oh, no."


I liked it.
Like I said before, the weakest parts are the side stories.  I can see why they are there though.  Because I know that this last movie is going to have a ton of action.
The Battle of the Five Armies. 

Some of the add-on content I liked as well.  I know some people are being insulted that it's not fully following the story, but to me it is updated for more of a legend feel, like an actual D and D game.  It's fantasy with lore and rules and it uses that to it's advantage.   I'm still wondering how they are going to do the bird scene though... like I hope because of the back story of Bard that he just has this gut feeling to shoot the arrow.  Or maybe it will be by the dwarfs who stayed behind?  I don't know.  That female elf I also like.  I can see the foreshadowing in the next film though... as like a lesson for Lego to give respect to the dwarfs. 
*hint* SHE GONNA DIE!
 
My peeve though is that I can't fully give a reviewed opinion yet until I watch the last movie.
I think it will be great, and I can see some foreshadowing with these side stories, but it will be a whole year before I can do that.
Sigh...
Well, until then, I got Monster Hunter dragons to fight in my time.
Later