The second installment to Peter Jackson's J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit, is both engaging yet dissatisfying. The film itself is highly crafted in terms of visuals and effects; it is a pleasure to watch. The plot moves smoothly and is somewhat better paced than the first part. Yet, unlike other trilogies, such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Hunger Games, we are left with pretty much no fulfilling conclusion at the end of this chapter. It is no wonder as the original material for the film was not intended to be chopped into pieces. Jackson should have created a two-part enterprise and find a better way of conclude each installment.
With that being said, I am a sucker for J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world, a realm Jackson superbly transfers onto film. An ensemble cast provides vivid performances, including Benedict Cumberbatch whose voice makes the dragon sound better than any other dragon alive today. I also wonder what will happen to the world of film magic once, one day, hopefully not too soon, Ian McKellen will no longer be with us. Kudos goes also to Howard Shore for his musical score. Now on we wait for the final installment.
(Following this film I have further explored the idea of conclusion and satisfaction, click here for an entry on this matter, posted to my personal blog.)