First Impressions from the Smaug Teaser Trailer

Griffin Conlogue ’15/ Emertainment Monthly Writer
The teaser trailer for the second film of The Hobbit trilogy, The Desolation of Smaug was released this week.  Though a major box office success, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey received very mixed reviews, with many complaining about the 3D and 48 fps frame-rate.  The film also featured a rather disjointed plot possibly due to the fact that the nine hour trilogy is based on a novel that doesn’t even take nine hours to read.  Even with these negative responses, it was still great to return to Middle Earth, and the film was an overall fun experience.
The new trailer looks to continue the story in a similar way as its predecessor.  Martin Freeman (The Office, Sherlock) appears to continue his standout performance from the first film, which was one of its strong points.  New cast members Luke Evans and Evangeline Lilly both seem to have meaty roles that will highlight their acting talents as well as their good looks.
The film seems to be action packed, though very CGI heavy.  This along with the 3D and heightened frame rate, give the film a much more surreal feeling compared to the Lord of the Rings films.  The teaser also highlights the elves heavily.  To portray the elves in combat Jackson uses a lot of CGI, opposed to the more practical effects used for men and dwarves.
A welcome return is Legolas, portrayed by Orlando Bloom.  A fan favorite from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson specifically wrote in a part for Bloom.  The character of Legolas was not even mentioned in the original book.  Some may complain about the liberties that Jackson has taken with the story, but others will love the connections to the Lord of the Rings.
The obvious issue many fans will have with the teaser is the lack of Benedict Cumberbatch.  Many will be disappointed with this as he has quite the fan following.  Cumberbatch is the voice of the dragon, Smaug, and The Necromancer.  The teaser does end on a high note, giving us a fantastic extended look of Smaug.
While the sequel will more than likely cater to the same audience that loved the first, it looks to be a very fun adventure film that will do just as well at the box office.  Consider it a must see film for 2013, regardless of what your opinion of An Unexpected Journey was.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idp6wjqG674]