The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

"Without the 40 minute set-up of irritating character introductions that halted An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug falls more in line with Part 1’s more riveting second and third acts. The 161 minute running time feels more like a 100m sprint than a marathon, making this middle chapter of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit the most accessible addition to the Middle Earth saga."

"This robust, action-packed adventure benefits from a headier sense of forward momentum and a steady stream of 3D-enhanced thrills."

"Despite suffering from middle-act wobbles... nevertheless delivers rousing action, incredible visuals and one stupendous dragon."

"Exhaustion has set in by the time Bilbo and his friends encounter Smaug... so it's a good thing that that's when Jackson goes full bore with the adrenalizing, digitally augmented braggadocio."

"The Desolation of Smaug is a cheerfully entertaining and exhilarating adventure tale, a supercharged Saturday morning picture: it's mysterious and strange and yet Jackson also effortlessly conjures up that genial quality that distinguishes The Hobbit from the more solemn Rings stories."

"Unnecessarily sprawling... It’s hard to fight the feeling that The Hobbit simply isn’t an epic story, and the efforts to expand it into one leave it feeling like an anvil crammed into a sock."

"After exhibiting an almost craven fidelity to his source material the first time out, Jackson gets the drama in gear here from the outset with a sense of storytelling that possesses palpable energy and purpose."

"Middle-earth's got its mojo back. A huge improvement on the previous installment, this takes our adventurers into uncharted territory and delivers spectacle by the ton."