11 Characters The Hobbit Trilogy Nailed

3. Smaug - Benedict Cumberbatch

Arguably the most exciting thing to look forward to in an adaptation of The Hobbit was the opportunity to see Smaug the magnificent realised on the big screen. Thanks to some stunning special effects and a mesmerising voice performance from Benedict Cumberbatch, the dragon certainly didn't dissapoint. If Riddle In The Dark was the highlight of the first film, Inside Information was the starring moment from the second. Cumberbatch perfectly captured the cunning of Smaug in his dialogue; even without the stunning visuals you could tell that Smaug is toying with Bilbo, trying to sniff out the intruder while enjoying the banter he has gone without for so very long. The way his voice drools with contempt captures the overwhelming presence of this dragon over Bilbo. He doesnt just tower over him visually, he beats Bilbo mentally too. It is easy to see why they added the final set piece between the dwarves and the dragon; it gave the film a climax that it would have lost if it had solely ended with Smaug flying off towards Lake Town. It also gave something that the book missed; the confrontation between Thorin and the dragon. It may have gone on a bit too long - and the statue of melting gold may have perhaps been over the top - but the opportunity to see more of Smaug was very welcome indeed. Roll on the final film!