BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Desolation of Smaug review - SPOILER ALERT

**Posted by besleybean** December 22, 2013 7:16 pm

I saw it Friday and would largely agree with your assessment.The dragon out acted everybody, but yes, there were good performances.
Is Martin's part just badly written?

Last edited by besleybean (December 22, 2013 7:16 pm)

**Posted by kittykat** December 22, 2013 7:17 pm

I think it was great It had some flaws, but so does every film.

**Posted by SusiGo** December 22, 2013 7:24 pm

IMO the problem is that with LOTR Jackson had almost too much material for three films whereas with The Hobbit he does not nearly have enough.

**Posted by kittykat** December 22, 2013 7:29 pm

He went into the appendices that Tolkien wrote, found in the back of ROTK, to flesh things out.

**Posted by tobeornot221b** December 22, 2013 7:31 pm

There was hardly an opportunity for really appreciating and enjoying the wonderful settings (the village, the landscapes). Too fast paced as if there was the fear the audience might get bored if there weren't enough fighting Orks in every possible scene. I found Legolas boring. No mimic, just jumping and fighting.

**Posted by besleybean** December 22, 2013 7:32 pm

Personally I preferred The Hobbit to the Lord of The Rings and I preferred Smaug to The Unexpected Journey.
I like the feel of it...
I am sorry if this sounds horrible, but when I know what Martin was paid for that work: he really doesn't do a lot for it.
I think all he has done in Sherlock is way above anything in The Hobbit.
I mean I agree with Peter Jackson, Martin was born to play The Hobbit and he's very good, but just lacks something...
I remember after the 1st one, some fangirls saying: the best film I've ever seen etc.
I just thought: really?
You can't have seen many films then.
One of my pals is a diehard Martin fan and even she agrees this is lacking something.
Sorry Martin, Benedict steals your thunder here.

EDIT: I actually like Legolas.
Generally I thought they were all good...
But Bilbo's role is weak in parts.

Last edited by besleybean (December 22, 2013 7:34 pm)

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 22, 2013 7:34 pm

kittykat wrote:
It had some flaws, but so does every film.

I don't agree with that one. There are films, some of them 50, 60, 70 years old or even older, which are perfect. It is possible to make the perfect movie. The most important factor for that is a very good story.

SusiGo wrote:
IMO the problem is that with LOTR Jackson had almost too much material for three films whereas with The Hobbit he does not nearly have enough.

I've got the same impression. There just isn't enough story for three films.

**Posted by kittykat** December 22, 2013 7:35 pm

Life is far too short to get caught up in what's "bad" about it. I enjoy the films for what they are; entertainment. The world is so full of bad stuff at the moment so we need everything we can get from films that are done by fans for fans.

**Posted by tobeornot221b** December 22, 2013 7:45 pm

Yes, something like Sherlock. Witty, funny, clever - wonderful!

**Posted by besleybean** December 22, 2013 7:48 pm

Yes I fail to see why good films can't also be enjoyable.

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 22, 2013 7:50 pm

kitty, I don't think anyone here is getting 'caught up' in the weaknesses of the movie. But I honestly don't see what should be wrong about mentioning the things that just didn't work for me - or to stay a bit critical. After all, I pay money for a movie ticket. And to be honest, to me it's just part of the fun to talk about a movie afterwards and to hear different opinions about it.

**Posted by SusiGo** December 22, 2013 7:55 pm

I agree with you, Solar. And this is not about spoiling anyone's film. It has more than once happened to me that I loved a film or a book and someone else did not like it at all. This just happens.
Besides, I love to be entertained. But even my fourteen year old son who loves action movies and fight scenes says there was not enough story for him. And he is a very big fan of LOTR.

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 22, 2013 8:09 pm

And furthermore, this thread would only have one page if we all just agreed that it was great and that's it. I mean, the idea of this whole forum is to exchange opinions, isn't it? Would be a bit boring if we all just agreed on everything.
It's totally fine with me that other people love this movie, and I know that sometimes it's hard to take when other people don't share your love for a movie, a book, a song. Believe me, I had heated debates about movies with my boyfriend in the past. But I find it quite interesting to hear why he loves a movie that I don't love at all and vice versa. You can learn a lot from such discussions.

**Posted by besleybean** December 22, 2013 8:11 pm

And sometimes you can think a film is rubbish, but may be able to appreciate the actors...or vice versa.

**Posted by SusiGo** December 22, 2013 8:20 pm

Exactly. E.G. "The Fifth Estate" surely has its weaknesses but Benedict is wonderful in it. And then you have things like "Sherlock" where script, actors, design, music and everything else are great.

**Posted by besleybean** December 22, 2013 8:22 pm

I can honestly not think of a single criticism of Sherlock...the Hobbit is a different matter..

**Posted by Harriet** December 22, 2013 8:29 pm

Agree. The few flaws in Sherlock are so tiny that mentioning them would be petty.

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 22, 2013 8:32 pm

I'd say the biggest flaw in connection to Sherlock is that we only get three new episodes every 37 years or so.

**Posted by Harriet** December 22, 2013 8:33 pm

Or like that!

**Posted by besleybean** December 22, 2013 8:33 pm