It was one year ago that audiences, along with director Peter Jackson, returned to the world of Middle-Earth with the first installment of The Hobbit trilogy, An Unexpected Journey.  An un-even, overlong film, An Unexpected Journey was not without it’s moments of positivity, including a fantastic performance by Martin Freeman as the titular hero, Bilbo Baggins.

A year later, we find ourselves with the second installment, The Desolation of Smaug.  A finer film than the first, the movie is unfortunately dragged down under the weight of its overindulgent ambition - but remains a movie that must be seen on the biggest of screens.

Picking up almost literally where the first film left off - minus a “one year earlier” diversion which doesn’t seem to provide much to the film minus a momentary cameo from Peter Jackson - we continue along the journey as Bilbo, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the party of Dwarves lead by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) head towards the forest of Mirkwood on the way to the Lonely Mountain.  Ever layered with tales of multiple lands, the story quickly splits Gandalf from the group, as he investigates the rise of the Necromancer, and the dwarves journey through the spider ridden forests, get captured by Elves (including the returning Legolas, and created-for-the-film Tauriel, played by Lost’s Evangeline Lily), travel to Lake-town, and yes, ultimately meet their goal of finally returning to the Lonely Mountain.

If that sounds like a lot - it is - the film once again runs nearly three hours, and with a third film to come, you wouldn’t be wrong for wondering “what’s left?”  But what matters is what is on screen, and for as bloated as it feels, there is a lot to like.  Freeman - despite continuing to feel ancillary to the plot in many regards - continues to captivate as the younger Bilbo Baggins, and his performance is the finest tool the film has.  Many may look towards the barrel river run as the peak of the film - and it’s a very impressive sequence, even if it feels a bit like a video game - but the peak is the long awaited confrontation between Bilbo Baggins and the legendary dragon Smaug.  Voiced, and capture-peformed, by Benedict Cumberbatch, Smaug is an absolute revelation.  This incredible creature is worth every penny put towards this film, and makes every minute watched in the series worthwhile. I could have watched him rant, rave and breathe flame for hours.

Unfortunately, though, there’s a lot between those opening credits and the fantastic dragon filled climax.  Sure, frequent action sequences keep you engaged (with a remarkable number of decapitations for a relative “family” film), but I found myself regularly disinterested in all matters not related to our group of dwarves.  Sure, it’s nice to see Orlando Bloom engaged in a role again, returning as Legolas, but his role along with Lily’s Tauriel, feels like a duo of Mary-Sue and Marty-Stu’s.  They are incredibly perfect, and always win - there never seems to be a sense of urgency or weight with these characters.  A friend more well-versed in Tolkien remarked that this is common for elves, but that doesn’t change my personal disconnect.  The addition of Luke Evans as Bard, along with the pleasant appearance of Stephen Fry as the Master were both certainly welcome, but left me disengaged.  It’s an instance of a plot too heavy and a film too long.

Even with my gripes, however, there is an undeniable joy in returning to Middle-Earth. Every inch of frame is filled with creativity and love - you truly get the feeling that artists brought these films together. They may have been allowed to run a little too rampant, but their vision is captivating.

The Hobbit trilogy will clearly never live up to its predecessor, but with The Desolation of Smaug, Peter Jackson provides viewers a film greater than the first - even if he could still use an editor. Built on the back of Bilbo Baggins and an amazing dragon, the movie is worth the journey.  May they stick the landing with There And Back Again next year.