5. Its Gloomy
An Unexpected Journey was defined by its brightness. Shot in 48 frames per seconds and realised with a high reliance on Weta Digitals good, if not knockout, CGI. I dont know what it was (maybe because I saw the film in 24 fps), but I found it all looked a little like a cartoon. Even those who didnt have a problem with the style were still quick to agree it didnt fully embrace Jacksons attempted dark tone. Not so for Desolation Of Smaug. With us finally getting to Erebor obviously the sense of the film actually being an epic would be upped, but with the lighting darker and the tone much more focused on the big evil game than before the trailer seems to be resolutely saying that the brightness (although, not as Bilbo erroneously said, the worst) is behind us. Although it is one of the books most ridiculous moments, the barrel escape sequence (if this was one movie I would have no qualms it being cut), while bright, looks to have a sense of genuine urgency compared to the more flippant approach to the (as ridiculous) troll cook off in the first film.