Verdict:The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a confirmed HIT based on our analysis of audience ratings and box office momentum.
With a rating of 7.6/10, it has delivered a compelling experience for fans of the Fantasy, Adventure, Action genre.
Answer: Yes, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Fantasy movies.
It features a runtime of 161 minutes and offers a solid storyline that appeals to general audiences.
Last updated: January 11, 2026
Released in 2013, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug enters the Fantasy genre with a narrative focused on The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. Under the direction of Peter Jackson, the film attempts to weave detailed character arcs with visual storytelling.
The film is anchored by performances from Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage. The chemistry between the leads drives the emotional core of the movie, making the stakes feel genuine.
From a technical standpoint, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug offers a visually stunning presentation. The cinematography uses a distinct visual palette that aligns well with the tone. While the 4K mastering highlights the production value, the pacing during its 161-minute runtime can feel deliberate.
Beyond the narrative, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug resonates with current cultural themes in the Fantasy space. It effectively mirrors local sentiment while maintaining a global appeal, a rare feat in recent releases.
As of January 2026, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is available in theaters worldwide. For streaming audiences in the US, UK, and India, look for availability on major platforms roughly 45-60 days after the theatrical release. Don't miss the high-definition experience provided by premium large format (PLF) screenings.
The plot of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug centers on a unique premise within the Fantasy landscape. The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug. The second act serves as a major turning point, leading to a climax that fans of 2013 cinema will find satisfying and robust.
The ending of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has sparked significant debate on social media. It signifies the triumph of the protagonist over internal conflicts. Given the current box office momentum, discussions of a The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug sequel or a wider cinematic universe are already gaining traction.
Final verdict for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013): with an audience rating of 7.6/10, the reception has been generally positive. It is a must-watch for fans of Fantasy, Adventure, Action cinema who appreciate attention to detail.
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $250,000,000 |
| Worldwide Gross | $958,400,000 |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
The estimated production budget for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is $250,000,000. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Analyzing the audience sentiment, IMDb rating of 7.6/10, and global collection metrics, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug stands as a successful venture for the creators. It remains an essential piece of the 2013 cinematic year.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is considered a hit based on audience response and box office performance. With a rating of 7.6/10, it's highly recommended for fans of Fantasy, Adventure, Action movies.
Yes, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is definitely worth watching! It's a must-watch hit for fans of Fantasy, Adventure, Action cinema.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a Fantasy, Adventure, Action movie that The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to ge...
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is considered a hit based on audience response and box office performance. With a rating of 7.6/10, it's highly recommended for fans of Fantasy, Adventure, Action movies.
Yes, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is definitely worth watching! It's a must-watch hit for fans of Fantasy, Adventure, Action cinema.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a Fantasy, Adventure, Action movie that The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to ge...
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a Fantasy, Adventure, Action movie. Please check the content rating before watching with family.
You can find streaming options and availability for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on popular platforms. Check movieMx for the latest updates and reviews.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug features a talented cast. Check our "Top Cast" section to see the full list of actors and the characters they play in this film.
The runtime and duration of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug are available in the movie details section. It's a gripping story that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
The second part amends the fiasco of the first one. Spectacular and, again, with several moments of the already classic "platform-like" fights on the run from these series of movies that could be enhanced if some sense would be given to them. Still, the staging of every location and, remarkably, Smaug, is worth seeing.
7 out of 10 stars would normally be considered quite okay and I guess you could say that this movie is quite okay. However, it has a reputation to live up to. As a movie in the Tolkien universe and with LOTR and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey this movie have a lot to live up to and, as far as I am concerned, it does not. As an action/adventure/fantasy movie it is a quite okay movie. It has a lot of action of course, a lot of adventure and a lot of special effects. Of course everything plays out with the Tolkien universe as a back-drop. I guess it is rather superfluous to mention that the movie is based on the book The Hobbit by Tolkien. However it is here the problems start. In my review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey the first thing that I mentioned was that you should be aware of the fact that the movie did not follow the book in any great detail and that this was quite okay since the extensions were well made. Well, it should be no surprise that the first part of this statement is valid for this movie as well. Unfortunately, whereas the first movie felt like a fluid extension of the book this one feels like it is just full of fillers. There are a lot of cool scenes and a lot of action but it really feels like it was just put in there as fillers to showcase the special effects. Speaking of special effects, quite a few of them where rather unimpressive I have to say. The scenes where the dwarfs went down the rapids in barrels frequently looked plastic and artificial. The scenes with Smaug was not too bad even though he was quite overused but the parts around the forges was just plain ridiculous. I know it is fantasy but come one, getting them started and producing tons and tons of molten gold in a few minutes not to mention riding on molten metal without getting burned was just silly. On the whole I found it an enjoyable movie but I was expecting more.
Jackson turned a great story into just another Prates of the Caribbean. Jumping, sliding, gags, etc. All the thinking parts are gone.
I'm happy to be back in this world, but _Empire_ this ain't. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._
Still very good, but I found 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' to be a step below the preceding 2012 release. The conclusion is what affects it the most, in my opinion. It isn't anything bad, but it goes on for too long - yet the ending itself comes out of nowhere a little. It's iffily crafted, with the entertainment value not enough to cover it up. Again, nothing anywhere near terrible... just not as great as I wanted/expected. I also kinda wanted more scenes with Martin Freeman (Bilbo) across the midway point. I like the focus on Richard Armitage (Thorin) & Co. but I felt there needed to be more with the lead - and with Ian McKellen (Gandalf), for that matter. I've led with my negatives first, but I have many positives too. I enjoyed the scenes in Esgaroth with Luke Evans (Bard), all of the stuff there looks awesome. The character of Tauriel, played by Evangeline Lilly, is cool. Orlando Bloom (Legolas) remains fun to watch. Everything else, including the score, is very nicely done - as anticipated. Love the end credits song ("I See Fire") by Ed Sheeran, by the way. Not quite as grand and great as "May It Be" from LOTR, but it's pretty close!
I'm afraid I still really struggled with the lightweight casting here, but once I'd convinced myself to get over that, I found this to be a far more characterful and entertaining adventure. With the dragon "Smaug" now safely in possession of the gold, it falls to "Thorin" (Richard Armitage) and his band of dwarves to make their way - via the misty mountains and the realm of the elves - to the human settlement of "Laketown" where the nimble-fingered "Bilbo" (Martin Freeman) must find and use a secret way into the lair so he can try to repossess the "Arkenstone". Meantime, the mischievous "Gandalf" (Sir Ian McKellen) is off having escapades of his own in the South? Will they rendezvous in time to thwart the increasingly narked fire-breather. What is clear here is that some of the philosophising from the book is very much on the back burner. This is an out-and-out action movie with loads of combat scenes, some very clever visual effects that almost rendered me a bit sea-sick at times - all built around a solid story of companionship and determination. Characters are playing to their strengths and weaknesses; relationships are being forged and challenged; courage is being found - and lost and it's all enjoyable and engaging to watch on the big screen. Maybe I could have been doing without the romantic interludes (yuk!) but for the most part this is a great looking and visionary interpretation that just happens to have a cast that really should have been so much better. A good, not a great, watch that tees us up nicely for the finale.
