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Continuing the journey to Lonely Mountain, a band of dwarves and one hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), will need to trek through Mirkwood Forest without the aid of Gandalf the grey (Ian McKellen). Hunted by Orc and the powers of a Necromancer growing in strength, leader Thorin (Richard Armitage) will have to keep the company nimble and alert. Although, an alliance appears to be forming, help from Elves, Tauriel and Legolas (Evangeline Lilly and Orlando Bloom) as well as the human, Bard (Luke Evans), may be just the shot the group needs to keep moving forward. But will it be enough help to keep the dragon, Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch), in check? Moving at a considerably swifter pace than it’s predecessor, this second part of Tolkien’s Hobbit is still a lengthy exercise in CGI and cinematics, but seems to accomplish more with less. Albeit, the film is relatively strapped into being one big chase sequence after another with the only really strong plot advancement happening in the last 1/3 or so. Still, from an enjoyment factor we’re certainly given a lot of ring pulp to chew and swallow, and you know what, that’s just fine. There isn’t a whole lot that Director Peter Jackson is going to be able to add to middle earth that’s ground breaking and revolutionary, and at this point who cares, more so, let’s wrap this trilogy up…yeah that’s right, we’ve got one more film to go, one ponders how the final act is going to play out at feature length. At the very least it’ll be visually interesting, something that can also be said for The Desolation of Smaug. Big money big money big money! The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is rated PG-13.