History YMMV / TheHobbitTheDesolationOfSmaug

* RomanticPlotTumor: Tauriel, Legolas, and Kíli's LoveTriangle subplot to some viewers. [[http://observationdeck.io9.com/evangeline-lily-on-tauriels-story-in-the-desolation-of-1488618012 In an interview,]] Creator/EvangelineLilly said that she only agreed to play Tauriel after Jackson promised her that it'll be a simple romance and there would be no love triangle. [[ExecutiveMeddling But later, reshoots happened...]]

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: When Thranduil talks about fighting dragons of the north, his cheek briefly melts away to reveal flesh and bone beneath, only to quickly heal back up. Nobody seems to even notice it, especially Thorin, who was only inches away when it happened. There are several theories as to what it actually means--is it an old wound, a real wound he has glamoured over, a spell meant to intimidate, and so on.
** It's also possible it was intended to be a reference to the obscure detail in Tolkien's writings that [[ShownTheirWork elves can sometimes appear briefly physically mutilated as an expression of trauma]].

* AuthorsSavingThrow: When Creator/PeterJackson directed ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' film trilogy, he interpreted "the Eye of Sauron" as a literal giant, fiery, evil eye while the phrase was meant to be more metaphorical, and this change was met with derision by some fans. This film implies that [[spoiler:the flaming eye in the previous films was not actually a literal eye, but rather the humanoid silhouette of Sauron, WreathedInFlames to give the appearance of a giant eye]].

* SignatureScene: Bilbo's first meeting with Smaug.

* UncannyValley:
** Smaug's facial expressions are taken from motion captures of Benedict Cumberbatch emoting while speaking his dialogue. The result gives Smaug's face a disturbingly creepy appearance and a hideous intelligence.
** Thranduil acts very odd and stilted, with strange pauses in his speech and improper facial expressions, most obviously when speaking with Thorin. He comes off as someone not used to interacting with others, especially non-elves. [[IntendedAudienceReaction This was likely completely intentional]]. Likelihood increases given that Creator/LeePace appears to be reusing some of his vampire mannerism experience from being Garrett in the final ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' movie.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Gloin carries a locket containing pictures of his wife and his son, Gimli. Legolas sees it and makes a rather mean-spirited comment about his appearance. Of course, unbeknownst to Legolas, the young dwarf he's mocking would become his closest friend years later.

** Bolg being the first person [[spoiler: to actually fight Legolas to a stand-still]] actually won him over many fans. Many eagerly awaited the rematch in the final film.

** [[VideoGame/DiabloII A group of heroes wander into some ruins to save a grey old wizard who's been captured by evil forces and suspended in a gibbet.]] Gandalf's capture also probably had him smirking when in ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]'' Theoden demanded that Saruman "hang from a gibbet for the sport of [his] own crows".

** Legolas was the EnsembleDarkhorse of the original film trilogy. [[WolverinePublicity Guess who got the most focus in all of the trailers?]] The fact that he's in the film at all is partly an example of this trope: he wasn't mentioned in the book (his character having not been conceptualized at the time), though there is a very plausible reason for him to turn up (the company being imprisoned by his father).

** Thranduil acts very odd and stilted, with strange pauses in his speech and improper facial expressions, most obviously when speaking with Thorin. He comes off as someone not used to interacting with others, especially non-elves. [[IntendedAudienceReaction This was likely completely intentional]]. Likelihood increases given that Lee Pace appears to be reusing some of his vampire mannerism experience from being Garrett in the final ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' movie.
* UnexpectedCharacter: Legolas, to those who had read the book before seeing the movie. And, to a lesser extent, [[spoiler:Sauron]], though he had been built up prior to his appearance at the climax and ''was'' mentioned in the book, but didn't make an appearance.

** It's small and easy to miss, but when you look very closely during the scene where Thranduil talks about the "white gems of pure starlight" you can see them sparkle in his eyes.

* {{Mondegreen}}:
** There are some people who have a hard time understanding what Smaug is saying due to his deep, growly voice. For instance, when he says "those canting dwarves," it is often misheard as "those cunt-ing dwarves."
** Read this: "The King under the Mountain is gay." [[https://youtu.be/IQ2gCi9caL8?t=538 Now listen to this]]. So Smaug is a Bagginshield shipper?

* ContestedSequel: Critics considered ''The Desolation of Smaug'' superior to ''An Unexpected Journey'', since the movie fixes some of the problems ''An Unexpected Journey'' had, [[JustHereForGodzilla along with Smaug and Legolas]]. However, fans of the book tend to label it a step down, citing the increased focus on action, heavy padding by way of AdaptationExpansion, and rather dodgy CGI in many places.

* ContestedSequel: Critics seem to consider ''The Desolation of Smaug'' superior to ''An Unexpected Journey'', since the movie fixes some of the problems ''An Unexpected Journey'' had, [[JustHereForGodzilla along with Smaug and Legolas]]. However, fans of the book tend to label it a step down, citing the increased focus on action, heavy padding by way of AdaptationExpansion, and rather dodgy CGI in many places.

* MoralEventHorizon:
** Smaug's decision to destroy Laketown. While immoral in the book, his reasoning was essentially [[EvilIsPetty pettiness from being robbed]], but here, he implies he might have been looking for an excuse to do it anyways and Bilbo trying to talk him out of it actually gives him ''more'' incentive to do it so he can make him suffer.
** His destruction of Dale decades earlier; he destroyed it not because it had offended or attacked him, or because it had anything he wanted. No, instead he completely destroyed a city of thousands simply because it ''happened'' to be between him and where he was going.

* HarsherInHindsight: The Master of Laketown ranting about who dares to question his authority, along with his lackey's line "There's even talk of an ''election''", can come off very differently in light of the American political situation in 2020.

* EvenBetterSequel: While the trilogy is still divisive among fans and critics, both fans ''and'' critics seem to agree that ''The Desolation of Smaug'' is superior to ''An Unexpected Journey'', since the movie fixes some of the problems ''An Unexpected Journey'' had. [[JustHereForGodzilla Not to mention because of Smaug and Legolas]].