The Hobbit Trilogy: 10 Dumbest Moments
2. Smaug's One-Hit KO
This one was always going to be a problem. There are some things that just don't translate very well dramatically from the page to the screen. Throughout the first two films Smaug is bigged up immensely to be a force immeasurable, a flying, flaming furnace who can incinerate anything in an instant. While much of this is true, and well established, it's difficult not to be disappointed when he's downed by a single arrow.
But that's not what's dumb - what's dumb is how the extension of The Hobbit into three films changes the context of Smaug's death. Had the last half an hour of The Desolation Of Smaug been an epic and ferocious battle against Smaug, ultimately culminating in his death, audiences may actually have been satisfied. Instead, we witness an extremely brief battle at the beginning of Five Armies, sweeping Smaug aside before the film has barely begun, and leaving countless audience members asking each other Is Smaug actually dead? Is he coming back? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5MyNFfh7Ns