Finally the long awaited ending of the Hobbit trilogy. I didn't love the Hobbit... I liked Desolation of Smaug a little more an this one I liked a lot. I still didn't love it but compared to the other two it's my favorite. The pacing was much better. I still don't think the Hobbit should've been split into three movies. Maybe two. The first two movies squeezed into one and then this film. As I understand it, the Battle of the Five Armies is based off the Silmarillion by JRR Tolken. I have tried to read that book a couple of times.. never got through it. Just... hard to read for me. It's written as a bunch of stories that have like whole sections of who is son of who! Since I haven't read the book I have no idea how the movie compares to the book. Though I suppose I could Wikipedia it.
This movie picks up off from where Desolation of Smaug ends. There is a big showdown with Smaug... which looked good in IMAX. It is amazing how much damage a dragon can do with fire. So now a big chunk of the film covers The Lonely Mountain. Thorin becomes King and obsessed with the gold in the mountain. He is desperate to find the Arkenstone .. an heirloom from his ancestors. Bilbo finds it and hides it from him since he seems to have gone mad. The big battle is taking place around the same time. Elves and the men of lake town want payment from Thorin from all he has promised. Of course Thorin doesn't want to pay... so we go through all the negotiations and what not. Meanwhile... Gandalf comes back to warn them the orcs are coming. No one pays attention to him until the orcs actually show up. Then there is that big battle. Battles Battles! They win that battle and the rest you see in Lord of the Rings.
I did enjoy this movie. I wasn't bored like in the first two. Yes ... bored. I can watch them but I never loved them. This one is fun. Hobbit films though will never compare to the Lord of the Rings trilogy for me. I don't know what it is.... I feel that there was just too much stuffed in to make Hobbit three films. Bilbo should get more screen time. His story is the main story in the books but in the films there are just so many subplots. Finding a leader of lake town, a romance between an elf and dwarf, and then a character named Alfrid who is supposed to be the comedy. This film though is pretty to look at though.. the action is great. It is my favorite film out of the Hobbit trilogy and was great to watch in IMAX.
My review of Hobbit Desolation of Smaug
PS Thranduil is a bad ass!
I didn't mind the first movie, but I hated the 2nd one. I don't know of I want to see this. They butchered the book.
ReplyDeleteThis one looks good, but I don't like that they made three movies and added in all that other stuff. I don't remember if Thorin got all crazy in the book like he apparently does in the movie, I haven't read it in so long. Maybe I should re- read... the subplots sound a little irritating but visually it looks great. I'm looking forward to seeing it now. And I do like Thranduil... :)
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine said the best bits were the scenes with Bilbo, since it IS his story. I've seen the first two in this trilogy so i will see this one eventually...they aren't my most favorite. I think two movies would have been fine. I do love Martin Freeman as Bilbo though.
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Never should have done three movies. Biggest mistake ever. This one is actually good... but I can see why you would wait for DVD. We have a friend who skipped going with us because he just didn't want to put more time or money into the movie.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember if Thorin went crazy like that either, though everyone who has read it assured me he did. I kind of remember Bilbo hiding the Arkenstar. But that's about it. I for some reason also remember Bilbo burying the treasure. That wasn't in the film though. I am playing the Lego Hobbit game right now so that's been fun. If you liked the other two movies you will enjoy this one as well.
ReplyDeleteI really do like Martin Freeman in the films too. At first I didn't think I would since I adore him in Sherlock but he is great in the role. I really like the end of this film where they link it up with LOTR.. kind of made me teary eyed.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same as you that they shouldn't have made this into three movies. I haven't even seen the second one yet (although I will eventually) but it just seemed too much to wait a year and pay so much to watch these bloated films. Which makes me sad because I love the world, and even Peter Jackson so much! I hope I will enjoy the trilogy as a whole when I see it. I'm glad the last film was the best for you - at there is satisfaction in that.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear this one is better. I'm like Kami. I didn't mind the first movie and while I didn't hate the second movie, I was disappointed with it A LOT. So, I'm not as excited to see this movie as I was with the first two. I'll probably see it still, just because. But, yeah, I'm just not sure.
ReplyDeleteOH wow... you didn't see the second film yet. OK yeah... you are stronger then I am. I am just too curious to miss it. Doesn't mean I will watch it over and over. Just that I wanted to watch it since it is apart of geek culture. And I am a fan of LOTR. It's like when I went to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and regretted every minute of it
ReplyDeleteI think it should have been two movies as well. And, this one was fine, although I was so bent out of shape with what they did to Tauriel and her character at the end. Also, Thranduil is my favorite. More screen time!
ReplyDeleteI do think if you liked the first two movies will enjoy this one also. I really wasn't too excited to see this one either but am glad that I did see it. Maybe that's why I like it since my expectations weren't too high.
ReplyDeleteHow do you feel about Legolas' eyes??? Now they are blue??? Hilarious. As far as Tauriel's character... well I knew someone was going to die and it had to be dramatic. Like when we think Thorin has killed the Orc and the BOOM the Orc comes through the ice. I knew it was coming.
ReplyDeleteThe Hobbit is one of my favorite books and I wasn't happy it got pulled into 3 movies. Peter Jackson just couldn't let go of the gold mind I guess. I could maybe see the Hobbit as two movies but for the most part these seem like they are more Simarillion. I read that one and it was painful to get through. It reads like a text book. I can't wait to see this movie but will wait till after Christmas at least.
ReplyDeleteGreat review by the way.
I think Peter Jackson knows he mad people mad with this whole Hobbit series. I didn't even feel like that much of the Simarillion was in it either. Well.. the Gandalf parts I suppose. You may want to wait for video or dollar theater prices. It just depends on how excited you are about the film. I think Peter Jackson thought he was going to make this epic film.. actually his actions for this film reminds me of the attitudes that George RR Martin seems to have. Just cocky and high on their horse.
ReplyDeleteNice review Angie - have a great Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I missed that completely. Awesome. And I dunno, I wanted Tauriel to be a bit more avenge-y. Not just sad and crying, And yes, that through the ice was predictable.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteYeah... I agree. These movies are just eh. Not that great. If I don't ever watch them again life will be OK. LOL!
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