Customer Ratings & Reviews

Once again, Peter Jackson has outdone himself on putting Tolkien's stories on the big screen. The most amazing thing was the rendering of Smaug, which is explained in depth in the extras. My only dislike was one scene in Laketown with the town Master eating something particularly disgusting -- as if we didn't already know he's a horrid man. Still, the rest of the movie MORE than makes up for it. Great movie and well worth the time spent watching it.

The Hobbit continues the extraordinary feel and tone of the Lord of the Rings Franchise. The characters and acting are all superb, the scenery is beautiful, and the action is intense yet fun. I highly recommend another journey into Middle Earth with this new set of Heroes and Villains. Thorin's Key is a great replica of the key from the movie. The prop replica is well designed and built, it is actually quite heavy, It is a must for any Tolkien fan.

Peter Jackson has done it again. I loved the LOTR's trilogy and so far I have not been disappointed with the second installment in The Hobbit trilogy. This is a fast paced movie with great characters and a lot of action. The only downfall in this film is Jackson relies a little too much on CGI. I would love to see him use more practical effects, especially with the Orc's. Even with that I still love the movie, and the blu ray looks great on my led TV.

Big fan of all the films based on Tolkien's book, glad they decided to make the Hobbit as well. The dragon is awesome in this one, voice actor did an amazing job also. Only things I would change, some of the graphics they had during the barrel ride and Legolas' creepy eyes. Either stick with his natural color or go with dark blue because it was frightening especially in contrast to his eyes from the Lotr series. That and he shouldn't be in the Hobbit.

The Hobbit:Desolation of Smaug is a great movie! This movie has everything a movie fan could ask for. Great action, casting, humor, and cinematography(the views in this movie are breathtaking;I believe this movie was shot in New Zealand, as the other "Hobbit"and "Lord of the Rings" movies were.) I highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoyed "The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey" and also the "Lord of the Rings" movies, you will not be disappointed!

It's a shame the film studio milks the fans by releasing the regular version first and then the extended version later. Of course, then they get fans who buy both (like me)! If you are not a hardcore Tolkien fan you will not get much extra out of this version. However if you are that fan then you will want this version just to see how Peter Jackson tries to expand on the Hobbit storyline to mesh it further with the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug! The second installment of Peter Jackson's 3-part telling of The Hobbit. *Note: this is not a film review* This is the Extended Edition of the film featuring additional bonus features and over 25 minutes of footage not included in the theater release. This version also comes with special packaging and a replica of Thorin Oakenshield's Key to the Mountain. Very good purchase, looking forward to the 3rd film!

Peter Jackson has put together an incredible film but the story is stretched beyond what's in the original book. The effects are wonderful and it's fun to watch but truthfully it could, and should have been done in two segments. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan and love this and his past endeavors (I really don't think anyone else could have pulled off the Tolkien stories) but I'm also a big enough movie addict to realize when it's been taken a step too far. This is an amazing accomplishment and a great way to pass two plus hours but some of this could have been left on the cutting room floor. It still didn't and won't stop me from getting the extended version of this and the third segment too.

Hobbitt 2 is a great film...much more gritty and tense than part 1, with a clearer, more focused plot/plots running through it. The first film was OK, while this film fits in more seemlessly with the overall LOTR films. ONly downside is being part 2 of 3, it ends rather abruptly so not completely satisfying as a standalone film. It will be even better when watched with Part 3. Ultraviolet digital copy was very easy to set up, access and download.

The Extended Edition 3D Version is worth buying even if you have the Standard 3D version. Much like the Extended Editions of the LOTR movies, the story line flows much smoother than the theatrical releases. The added content makes the movie more enjoyable by allowing some scenes to "blend" into the next scene instead of seeming like the movie jumps from scene to scene, not to mention the fact that there is additional material for fans.

At first, I was very irritated that Peter Jackson chose to break the film up into 3 movies, but after the first Hobbit, I decided "the more Hobbit the better!" "Smaug" has the charter development and action that you wanted and needed. It builds perfectly to a cliffhanger ending that will have you screaming when you realize how long you have to wait for the ending to the story. Smaug is a beautiful digital creature, and his voice is perfect.

Defenders of the Original Text will neither be pleased nor amused, and find Jackson has taken several steps too many to energize the second entry in his trilogy. The more you treasure Tolkien's work, the more your distaste for The Desolation of Smaug will grow as the film hurtles toward its action-packed end. As a film, particularly as the action-oriented midpoint of a much larger action-fantasy trilogy -- Jackson's second chapter works quite spectacularly If you can't wait to add both the theatrical and extended cuts to your collection, you definitely won't regret the purchase. However, if you're more careful with your BD dollars, you may want to wait for the Big Bad Edition due this November.

As most of the Tolkien based movies it is a little slow to start but builds over the length of the movie. It was a bit annoying to have to get up and change disks in the middle of the movie but with the amount of data required for a 3d Blu-Ray movie I can't complain. Audio and dynamic range was also good. Being about 3hours or so in length, be prepared to sit awhile. The ending in typical fashion, leaves you hanging for the last movie....

J.R.R. Tolkien purists may scoff at the idea of fabricating a female version of Legolas (Tauriel) and forcing her into a love triangle with Legolas and a dwarf. I understand their point, but I also love Tolkien's works, and although Tauriel seemed unnecessary, her presence didn't hinder my overall enjoyment of the movie. In particular, the voice acting of Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug and the continued performance of Martin Freeman as Bilbo are reasons enough to see the movie. Add in the usual breathtaking scenery we've come to expect from a Peter Jackson-helmed trip to Middle-earth, and this is a highly entertaining fantasy flick with one of the better cliffhanger endings in movie history.

I read the book and I can honestly say this movie has little to do with it. So if you are one of those "why see the movie if you read the book" people, you should break your own rule and see this movie. If you can get over the fact that the book and the movie aren't the same, you will enjoy it for what it is and not what you think it should be. It's funny and sad at times and the acting and special effects are wonderful. Give it a try.

Peter Jackson has outdone himself with this second film in the Hobbit series.The action is well paced, the acting is top-notch, and the visual effects are, again, outstanding. Added characters? I like 'em. Changes to story? Not as many as you would think And Smaug? None can be his equal. This is the dragon I've not seen on film since Dragonslayer. Evil, seductive, sympathetic, and downright terrifying! Can't wait to watch it again!!!

After buying a copy to enjoy at home, my 11-year- old grandson couldn't wait to see the film again! The only part that bothered him was the spider attack! ( I can't say it didn't bother me too.) However, I muted the sound for that scene only and then he was able to watch. Perhaps other children with ADHD/ADD could also enjoy this exciting adventure fantasy if this accommodation was made while viewing, especially when watching in 3D.

The Hobbit films are so well done and Peter Jackson/New Line is unparalleled when it comes to the special features on the Middle-earth [The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings] extended editions. No one else is in the same category and the added scenes blend seamlessly into the whole, not merely choppily inserted to make a quick buck. The Thorin key replica is nicely made and is a lovely addition to my middle-earth collection.

As the second installment of the Hobbit trilogy, I actually enjoyed this one more than the first. The first seemed to drag, but this one moved along quite well. My main beef was the expected tension points -"Gandolf, don't step there, that rock's going to fall!" And, of course, it did. Can't someone just climb up the side of a mountain without dangling by their fingertips at some point? Otherwise, good movie, great chamber of commerce promo for New Zealand.

I love how the movies are taking several related storylines from different books and combining them to provide one singular comprehensive story. This does result in some drastic changes from the books, and I can understand how some people won't approve; particularly the addition of a completely new character and how that role seems to detract from the main plot. Overall, I find it to be an excellent retelling of a classic tale.