The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | Rotten Tomatoes

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

PG-13

Released Dec 13, 2013

2h 40m

Fantasy

Adventure

List

75%

Tomatometer

252 Reviews

85%

Audience Score

250,000+ Ratings

Having survived the first part of their unsettling journey, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his companions (Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage) continue east. More dangers await them, including the skin-changer Beorn and the giant spiders of Milkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood Elves, Bilbo and the dwarves journey to Lake-town and, finally, to the Lonely Mountain, where they face the greatest danger of all: the fearsome dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

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Critics Consensus

While still slightly hamstrung by "middle chapter" narrative problems and its formidable length, The Desolation of Smaug represents a more confident, exciting second chapter for the Hobbit series.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Jackson managed to do something that I never thought was possible--make me care about a Hobbit tale. He also delivered one of the best cliffhangers of the year. Kudos to that.

Sep 5, 2017

Full Review

Max Nelson

Film Comment Magazine

Nearly everyone in the film is creaking under the weight of the past.

Jan 14, 2014

Full Review

Bruce Diones

New Yorker

The tale has no emotional resonance, and the thinness of the plot (only five of the book's chapters are adapted here) and the colorless depictions of the leading characters do it no favors.

Dec 30, 2013

Full Review

Iván Kazi

EscribiendoCine

This sequel compensates and amply exceeds its predecessor. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 9/10

Dec 7, 2022

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

The special effects are superb, the action sequences had my heart racing, the stakes are high, and we spend more time with these wonderful characters.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 21, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Until hindsight allows us to reflect on the complete Hobbit trilogy, Jackson’s second entry is a satisfying tale that breezes by at 2 hours and 41 minutes.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

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Carter C

While I’m not a big fan of cliffhanger endings, this movie seemed to have presented it amazingly. It carried the same traits the last film held such as the performances, characters, story, humor, and visual effects with all of them being top-notch, though it still carried its slow pacing with it, but this near three hour-long movie will not nearly disappoint!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/23/24

Full Review

Max S

it's better than the first one, the characters get development, amazing special effects and good cgi (smaug), really love the adventure and the story telling, amazing cliff hanger in the end, awesome music!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/23/24

Full Review

Luke B

The talk with Smaug is the best part of this movie, other than that, this movie drags on a lot, doesn't follow the book, not Jackson's fault

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/10/24

Full Review

Peter P

Has it's pros and cons.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/06/24

Full Review

Ryland C

Just like Lord of the Rings ROTK, Peter Jackson went wild making this!!! Smaug looks so cool in this movie! The action was top notch! And there is a lot of cool shots. Plus you gotta love Ed Sheerans song in the credits of "I see fire".

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/24

Full Review

Dineth Hansana K

disappointed. I simply don't like this one.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/06/24

Full Review

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Peter Jackson

Director

Ian McKellen

Gandalf

Martin Freeman

Bilbo Baggins

Richard Armitage

Thorin Oakenshield

Benedict Cumberbatch

Smaug

Evangeline Lilly

Tauriel

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Show More Cast & Crew

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Synopsis

Having survived the first part of their unsettling journey, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his companions (Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage) continue east. More dangers await them, including the skin-changer Beorn and the giant spiders of Milkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood Elves, Bilbo and the dwarves journey to Lake-town and, finally, to the Lonely Mountain, where they face the greatest danger of all: the fearsome dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Director: Peter Jackson
Producer: Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Screenwriter: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), WingNut Films, New Line Cinema
Rating: PG-13 (Frightening Images|Fantasy Action Violence)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 13, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 25, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $258.4M
Runtime: 2h 40m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

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