The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

1

HanzidrownDec 21, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The only epic moment in the movie was the Star Wars:Force Awakens trailer in 3d.

So boring scenes and a very poor CGI was in the movie.
One hobbit can knock out 3 orcs with 3 little rocks.Somebody can explain me how?… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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8

RealPeopleDec 21, 2014

I LOVE the LOTR trilogy. I cried when it ended. I thoroughly enjoyed Unexpected Journey. The Desolation of Smaug turned me off( I rated DOS 6/10.) I was not looking forward to the final installment of the Hobbit. I, of course, was going toI LOVE the LOTR trilogy. I cried when it ended. I thoroughly enjoyed Unexpected Journey. The Desolation of Smaug turned me off( I rated DOS 6/10.) I was not looking forward to the final installment of the Hobbit. I, of course, was going to see the movie no matter what. This was a blessing. The reverse of expectation. Instead of expecting something special I went in without high demands. If you start to compare this movie to the beloved book your experience is doomed. If you want a three hour roller-coaster ride thinly based on the book your in for a treat. I saw the movie on Imax. Of all three movies you would expect this movie to be the best for Imax, it was not. A good sound system, a comfy seat, go for that, not 3D. I am a fan of the higher frame rate. The fact that it makes the scenes with practical effects look like a BBC documentary do not bother me. The fact that we get added scenes of high fantasy(elf on dwarf love) while leaving out touching fantasy like talking birds and wargs from the book do not bother me. This is not the Hobbit, this is the battle of the Five Armies from the director of King Kong 4.0. I had a blast, well worth the price of admission, the series will be missed. I also feel that practical effects will make a huge comeback due in part to this movie and others, and that is not a bad thing either. I shall look back on these Hobbit films fondly, for what the are, for what they lack. I did not get the sense of awe as I did with the LOTR films. I had no vested interest in Bilbo or the Dwarves this time around, and maybe that's for the best. I will re-read the book. I will watch Fellowship on blue-ray. The trilogy ended with a big smile on my face, no tears, but no regrets. A solid 8/10 for movie experience.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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9

michael1208Dec 21, 2014

Being the final installment of The Hobbit's franchise, the film itself does leave some nostalgic impression to the audiences; and having to split it into a long trilogy to build up everything seems to be fine even though the last part is aBeing the final installment of The Hobbit's franchise, the film itself does leave some nostalgic impression to the audiences; and having to split it into a long trilogy to build up everything seems to be fine even though the last part is a bit lacking of sub-plots to support the main story. It is the shortest chapter of 144 minutes, starting off straightforward from the happening at the end of Desolation of Smaug, moving immediately to treasure conflicts at Erebor, the not quite strong love triangle between the Elf and Dwarf, and then the unstoppable wars with thrilling action scenes of Legolas and Thorin that last for almost half of the running time. The performance of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins is still promising as his fear, courageous and emotions are strongly inspiring across the trilogy while Richard Armitage also portrays well with his change of behavior as Thorin, the visual effects are undeniable dazzling and stunning, but there is a few part that seems to be just semi-real, not to miss out Howard Shore's scores are awesome as always for all the six entries. While the story line moves in an extreme fast pace with short conversations and it may seems somewhat diverts from the usual tradition of the middle earth saga, The Hobbit trilogy is pleasing at it is, serves a decent connection bridge to Lord of the Ring and the ending with theme song "The Last Goodbye" drives audience's emotion to feel reluctant for farewell. Overall, The Hobbit franchise is worth for one last time although it loses some of the magic compared to Lord of the Ring Trilogy.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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8

BertoflyingfoxDec 21, 2014

I would say it's the weakest movie of all six films, but even then it's still good. The battles were spectacular, the dwarven army and it's leader Dain were great fun to watch on screen. Even though some of the sub-plotting wasnt to myI would say it's the weakest movie of all six films, but even then it's still good. The battles were spectacular, the dwarven army and it's leader Dain were great fun to watch on screen. Even though some of the sub-plotting wasnt to my liking, there were constant scenes sprinkled in-between that brought a smile to my face.

Beorn's scene and the overall final battle will be in my memory for a long while. Definitely watching it again.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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7

akino1Dec 21, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Minus one for the quick and easy death of Smaug at the start of the film. I agree with people saying he should have died at the end of DOS. It would have been much more meaningful. Or he should have been given more minutes at the start of the film. Such a fun character.

Minus one for the terrible acting of Martin Freeman and Luke Evans. At times I asked myself what is wrong with these guys?

Minus one for everything happing in fast-motion. It's like a 4-hour movie cut to a 2.5-hour highlights. The clever slow and fast pacing found in the LOTR films and even the DOS can not be found here. Also the ability of everyone (including children) to take down full-grown armored orcs so easily is very very disappointing. This is not a movie for the kids if I am right.

On the bright side Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage and Lee Pace show their awesome acting skills. The scene including Sauron and The White Council is unprecedented. I must also mention the final battle between Thorin and Azog was incredible, like the last battle between Obi-wan and Anakin at the end of ROTS, close and personal.… Expand

4 of 9 users found this helpful45

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5

tekkiDec 21, 2014

How i felt : Disappointed

Cons: > Movie can be summed up in 3 parts: tie up plot pieces, build up to the last battle, the last battle > bad CGI > bad editing > multiple instances of mistakes > a lot of staring > too long Pros:How i felt : Disappointed

Cons:
> Movie can be summed up in 3 parts: tie up plot pieces, build up to the last battle, the last battle
> bad CGI
> bad editing
> multiple instances of mistakes
> a lot of staring
> too long

Pros:

> its the hobbit
> large fantasy battles
> some fun moments… Expand

6 of 10 users found this helpful64

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8

Gamed2longDec 21, 2014

Is this as good as the Lord of the Rings? No. But its as close as the Hobbit films could possibly come. Unlike the first 2 films which had whole subplots that were filler and bad filler at that, this is at least one whole movie. And while notIs this as good as the Lord of the Rings? No. But its as close as the Hobbit films could possibly come. Unlike the first 2 films which had whole subplots that were filler and bad filler at that, this is at least one whole movie. And while not perfect, it does do middle earth some justice.
The good. The acting by character leads. There is a scene where Legolas is fighting some orcish spawn, and you just know minus the CG its probably all green tennis balls. But he makes it feel convincing.
The scenery is beautiful. The mine. The town they move into. The world feels real and material.
There are some things I'd like to complain about. It seems like there is one scene in each film of the hobbit trilogy which is required to defy all belief. Such as the "dwarf barrel roll" of the last film. This film has that too. Not to spoil anything, but there is a tower and a falling staircase reminiscent of early Nintendo games. Also the film is a bit excessive (to the point of ridiculous) on the animals. I'm thinking the war "hog," the bats, and of course the bunny sled makes a return.
All in all. You know exactly what you are getting into watching this movie. And its a good bridge between the Hobbit films and LOTR… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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7

MouthofSauronDec 20, 2014

I must say, this film was a whirlwind of emotions for me. After three films, I've come to accept the Hobbit movies for what they are. They're not the same calibre as LOTR, but then again, very few films are. BOTFA is, like its predecessors,I must say, this film was a whirlwind of emotions for me. After three films, I've come to accept the Hobbit movies for what they are. They're not the same calibre as LOTR, but then again, very few films are. BOTFA is, like its predecessors, exhaustive and often over-the-top. It falters in some places. But, for all the preposterous battle scenes, there're some very touching and emotionally charged moments in this film, moments that were missing in its predecessors. The tie-in with FOTR is exceptionally well done.
I think these films will become more loved with time. The criticisms aren't unfounded, but I think they're in many ways exaggerated. Unfortunately, reality didn't meet our expectations. But for all its flaws, the Hobbit trilogy is still enjoyable and each film shines in its own way. I certainly enjoyed BOTFA, and I think most people will enjoy it as well.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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8

BshopDec 20, 2014

Great finish to an epic trilogy. Great movie for LotR fans, and any fantasy adventure fans.
The overall movie wrapped it up nicely, making the bridge possible to the first LotR movie. While watching, was really saddened by the characterGreat finish to an epic trilogy. Great movie for LotR fans, and any fantasy adventure fans.
The overall movie wrapped it up nicely, making the bridge possible to the first LotR movie. While watching, was really saddened by the character losses, and equally felt the proud moments when everyone realized the true nature of their predicament. Never thought I could feel that for imaginary characters.
In summary, see if you like LotR, the previous Hobbit movies, or any adventure films.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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2

LvceDec 20, 2014

An half-ass job. Lame dialogues, 15 y old cgi, annoying characters. It's just like a typical Transformers movie, except you weren't expecting it.
Still hoping he doesn't know about the Silmarillion

3 of 8 users found this helpful35

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7

MaxsonDec 20, 2014

Definitely a solid ending for the Hobbit series. Despite the massive usage of cgi effects, the movie still looks great in my opinion. The action and fight scenes were all action packed and well-executed. The story was......pretty linear withDefinitely a solid ending for the Hobbit series. Despite the massive usage of cgi effects, the movie still looks great in my opinion. The action and fight scenes were all action packed and well-executed. The story was......pretty linear with some fillers, but overall it was still exciting to watch. Is it better than Return of the King's ending? Hell no!!!! The Hobbit Trilogy is average if you would compare it to the amazing and epic scale of Lord of the Ring. Still, the hobbit trilogy was fun and exciting, but just not on the epic level of LOTR.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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5

thehab86Dec 20, 2014

I preferred the other 2 by a wide margin, the start is the end of the second and after that imagine a 2 hours battle without any story developement. I should have rented it I guess.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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7

callumjsouthDec 20, 2014

The Battle of the Five Armies is a good ending to Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy. We follow Bilbo Baggins for the last time, although in truth, Thorin Oakenshield feels like the major player in this instalment. The opening sequence isThe Battle of the Five Armies is a good ending to Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy. We follow Bilbo Baggins for the last time, although in truth, Thorin Oakenshield feels like the major player in this instalment. The opening sequence is brilliant and really does force you to raise your expectations immediately. It is masterfully executed and gives the film a strong platform. The acting is stellar in the most part, particularly from Freeman and Armitage. Unlike the previous instalments though, the final chapter lacks sufficient character development and seems too focused on attempting to brainwash our critical mind with numerous action sequences that are suffocated by CGI. These sequences certainly get the pulse raising, but cannot match the ever building suspense that made The Desolation of Smaug so good. The Desolation of Smaug had the right balance between action, suspense and characterization. The Battle of the Five Armies lacks this balance and appears to take a lot of emphasis away from suspense and characterization in favour of action, in order to create a film that can easily entertain kids. This is disappointing from a critical standpoint. From a customer standpoint though, you will feel satisfied that you easily got your money's worth.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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7

PenguenPrensDec 20, 2014

The last chapter of the trilogy the Battle of the Five Armies makes a strong entry. While I have to say I agree with some critics complaining about the opening scene and it's necessity of being in this chapter rather than the previous , IThe last chapter of the trilogy the Battle of the Five Armies makes a strong entry. While I have to say I agree with some critics complaining about the opening scene and it's necessity of being in this chapter rather than the previous , I personally did not have much issue with this. In any case, the BotFA makes a terrific beginning and turns into a disaster movie like Titanic with the dragon and its destruction added.

The things we see until the battle actually starts builds up the tension quite nicely but as soon as the battle starts, things become to fall apart. Never-ending one on one fights, meaningless dialogs and some scenes during the battle that don't tie up very well pull the movie down. While the CGI is not a big issue this time and looks clean enough, there are still some cartoonish action scenes that don't make sense. The Desolation of Smaug had lots of scenes that weren't in the book and they were pretty much all bad and didn't add anything to the story. This chapter though presents some of the best newly invented scenes in all six Peter Jackson movies.

The Battle of the Five Armies is not the Return of the King to a trilogy that isn't the Lord of the Rings. The battle and the struggle don't make you feel excited like the battle for the One Ring. It's not just because you hardly feel like choosing a side in this selfish war but also because PJ couldn't make his magic work this time and everything you see feels like overly done and it only proves that no matter how big of a fan you are of Tolkien, you can only take so much.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

NPCDec 20, 2014

A pretty fun movie. It's pretty much one big, long fight scene, with lots of things that I think were supposed to be serious, but just ended up being silly, such as the scene where all the wizards and Galadriel go to beat up the Nazgul andA pretty fun movie. It's pretty much one big, long fight scene, with lots of things that I think were supposed to be serious, but just ended up being silly, such as the scene where all the wizards and Galadriel go to beat up the Nazgul and Sauron. Lots of predictable endings to pointless plotlines, more Legolas for no reason, that dwarf/elf romance that makes NO SENSE seeing as they talked to each other for a whole 5 minutes, and pretty much everything that was wrong with the first two films is still here. But for all it's worth, it's still a pretty fun movie, though I like to think it as separate from Lord of the Rings.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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0

A_GamerDec 20, 2014

How people can like The Hobbit trilogy is beyond me. Peter Jackson completely disgraced Tolkien's work with this trilogy. The CGI is horrible and cheesy, the new plot "additions" (Michael Bay scenes, elf and dwarf love, lol?) are completelyHow people can like The Hobbit trilogy is beyond me. Peter Jackson completely disgraced Tolkien's work with this trilogy. The CGI is horrible and cheesy, the new plot "additions" (Michael Bay scenes, elf and dwarf love, lol?) are completely retarded and disgraceful. Any true Tolkien fan would feel it after watching these movies. They dumbed down the plot and added "cool action scenes" to appeal to people who don't even know Tolkien's work. I'm happy that Christopher Tolkien won't let Peter Jackson make another movie out of his father's work, respect. If you don't agree with me, read the interview with Christopher Tolkien. He described why these movies suck and he is right.… Expand

10 of 17 users found this helpful107

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5

VidyaBumDec 20, 2014

The unintended comedy with the ridiculous Legolas stunts(far worse than in any other LOTR movie) is the cherry on this action porn cake of a movie.

I appreciate that Jackson tried to spend time and effort on Thorin and some character studyThe unintended comedy with the ridiculous Legolas stunts(far worse than in any other LOTR movie) is the cherry on this action porn cake of a movie.

I appreciate that Jackson tried to spend time and effort on Thorin and some character study here and there, but ultimately it's action porn from start to finish with some really terrible decisions here and there, namely, death of Smaug 15 mins in the movie, what was the point of the huge cliffhanger of the last movie, love story between dwarf and elf which is to say the least unlikely and has the basis of the two having talked for a grand total of five minutes across prison bars in the last movie, Saruman, Galadriel and Elrond going into Dol Guldur like a ninja team to kick all of the Nazgul and Sauron's asses, going about it with martial arts move and a mix of big flash type of magic...it's silly really, all over the place.

I liked Bilbo, liked Gandalf still, liked quite a few characters, perhaps more than in LOTR which was even more of a cliche parade, but really that doesn't save this movie from being an action porn movie. If you want dumb action entertainment in an LOTR world sure, this does the trick, but by no means is it a great movie, or even a good movie, it's just an action flick in the LOTR world.

I'd give it 4 but I'll add 1 for all the laughs I had at every Legolas action scene.… Expand

7 of 8 users found this helpful71

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6

LordOfTheFilmsDec 20, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I`ve really tried to stay positive to The Hobbit trilogy, but it`s easy to understand why people respond with negativity. Personally, I enjoyed the film all the way until the battle begins. And for a while, I enjoyed the battle as well. It all follows the book to an acceptable point (except from the trolls, what are they doing there?).

Suddenly, Jackson decides to make THAT turn away from the original story, and we don`t follow the battle of the five armies any longer, we follow Legolas, Tauriel, Fili, Kili, Dwalin and Thorin vs Azog, Bolg and another army. All that in an ice covered "battle arena," just to make the whole thing more epic. And suddenly, the battle is over, and now Jackson wants to focus on Bilbo, and just Bilbo, without concluding the other story lines 100%. And then the film`s over.

The book is a fine prequel to LOTR, why don`t make the movies that way? I liked this movie for the most, but mentioned plot twists makes it impossible for me to give it 10/10.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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3

austerusDec 20, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is total injustice done to the Middle Earth universe and I took off points for being so far off an appropriate ending to the Jackson's Middle Earth saga.

Let's skip the fact that it's pointlessly bloated, focusing on stuff that's not part of the story (pointless elf/dwarf romance instead of the closure of returning Thorin's body and Arkenstone to Erebor) and have a look at what this movie is: a pure comedy. Compared to the Battle of The 5 Armies, the first Hobbit movie was a masterpiece (I definitely liked the first one as a proper Middle Earth piece, this one feels like a mess stitched in an attempt to be presentable)

There are some really funny moments that simply weren't meant to be like:

- Smaug's death reminded me of Mulan's Mushu the fire lizard: freeze, twitch, dramatically cough and fall flat, just like he got squashed in mid-air. Kind of like my cat when he runs out of energy after playing.

- Thorin is cheaply demonised (he simply goes crazy for no apparent reason, while in the book he's more ambiguous - unfair to people of Laketown because they seem to associate with elves who have no justification for their demands)

- Thranduil, majestic as *bleep*, doesn't seem phased by being in a fight (his hair remains perfect, tiara unmoved) - really, now?

- Legolas jumps on falling rocks like he's the Prince of Persia. That was hilarious!

- Were-worms pop out, roar and never to be seen again. Just like they realized they need to return to Dune!

- We get a really looooong shot of dying Kili. He dies, it's dramatic, but after a few seconds of drama he runs out of faces to make. I was expecting The Mask to pop-out of somewhere and demand an Oscar for this performance.

- Gandalf sighs and poofs with every opportunity, rolling his eyes and pausing for cheap effect. Not at all necessary.

- Tauriel drops orcs in a stride with two slashes at most, but gets bested out of the blue after poking the last one 5 times? Get real!

- Alfrid has no point in existing, at all. His comic relief made me think of Seth Rogen or Sascha Baron Cohen ... in a fantasy battle! Why torture the audience like that?

- The orcs are cut off cardboard, Defiler included. In the original TRilogy they had some personality, here they're nothing but props.

- THorin's group was all armored, helmets on and whatnot inside the mountain but when finally decided to fight they left all the battle gear behind. Huh?

- What happened to the Arkenstone? Bard just kept it? That's what the movie suggests (yeah, I read the book, I know what happens *there*)

- What happened with the gold, promises, etc? They spend 3/4 of the movie fighting over it and then just forget it?

Otherwise, the FX are nice, most of the battle is entertaining but the move lacks substance through and through. The first Hobbit was far superior and I really wish Jackson hadn't tortured me with this underachieving mutant, that's not how I want to remember his Middle Earth. The drama is artificial, cheap and the attempts at humor (where intentional) are even worse.… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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6

andrebarrosoDec 19, 2014

Peter, what happened?
The director took one of Professor Tolkien's best novel, and turned it apart in three movies.
Even that, he could've archived something great with this movie, but it didn't happened. Still, it's a Middle-Earth movie,Peter, what happened?
The director took one of Professor Tolkien's best novel, and turned it apart in three movies.
Even that, he could've archived something great with this movie, but it didn't happened.
Still, it's a Middle-Earth movie, and should not be ignored. You might be unsatisfied with the final result, as I was, but you should go to the movie theater and judge it by yourself.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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2

jaydelzDec 19, 2014

I don't know how others are rating this so high. The long over-dramatic pauses and slow talking was painful. The action was insanely unrealistic that it was not enjoyable at all, like the first 2 movies. The off-book plot was confusing atI don't know how others are rating this so high. The long over-dramatic pauses and slow talking was painful. The action was insanely unrealistic that it was not enjoyable at all, like the first 2 movies. The off-book plot was confusing at times and I still don't know what happened to some armies at the end. I almost fell asleep at some parts. I would give each of the LOTR movies a 10 but each of the Hobbit movies less than 4.

7.5 hours in total of my life I wish I could get back. Even when these Hobbit movies are eventually free on cable I would not watch them. I'm a huge LOTR fan, but Peter Jackson made this Hobbit trilogy utterly ridiculous.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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3

bartzfact0rDec 19, 2014

I've been a fan of this series for decades, and the conclusion of "The Hobbit" trilogy is a disappointment in nearly every way possible. Peter Jackson has left his audiences hanging with a film without any of the superb acting, plot,I've been a fan of this series for decades, and the conclusion of "The Hobbit" trilogy is a disappointment in nearly every way possible. Peter Jackson has left his audiences hanging with a film without any of the superb acting, plot, character development, action, and significance of any of the previous films; it's truly a collapse of "Episode I" magnitude. Fans of LotR will see it anyways (as they should), but don't go in expecting a masterpiece.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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10

talhalafciDec 19, 2014

An epic goodbye to Middle Earth, Peter Jackson gave us (or me) almost everything we expected in the Battle of Five Armies, though we're all agree that The Hobbit trilogy could have been better, but I never expected something like the originalAn epic goodbye to Middle Earth, Peter Jackson gave us (or me) almost everything we expected in the Battle of Five Armies, though we're all agree that The Hobbit trilogy could have been better, but I never expected something like the original trilogy, there is and there will be no films (made by Jackson or not) like The Lord of the Rings trilogy.The Battle of Five Armies is better than first two films, better visual effects, better acting and of course great fight choreographies.I never expected Richard Armitage to be that good, his portrait of Thorin is truly worth to watch.I think that the best scene of the whole trilogy was the one that Saruman, Lord Elrond and Galadriel at Dol Guldur, the fight scene against the Nine was a delight to watch, and of course Cate Blanchett fascinated all of us with her only scene in the film, she steals it.As our thirteen years journey of the Middle Earth ends, all I can say is that it has been a great journey and I'm very happy witness all.… Expand

6 of 10 users found this helpful64

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7

TVJerryDec 19, 2014

As you can discern from the title, there's a lot of action in this concluding installment: humans, dwarves, elves and one little hobbit face the evil Orcs in a massive fight for Middle-earth. Director Peter Jackson is a master storyteller,As you can discern from the title, there's a lot of action in this concluding installment: humans, dwarves, elves and one little hobbit face the evil Orcs in a massive fight for Middle-earth. Director Peter Jackson is a master storyteller, able to deftly weave massive spectacle with moments of personal sentiment. Martin Freeman (in the title role) charms with his whimsical personality. The fantasy world is visually dazzling and the pacing seldom lags, although the battles and the concluding drama go on too long. If you're a fan of the genre, you'll be thrilled with this grand finale.… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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5

RamonGuerreroDec 18, 2014

Well... this wasn't awful, it was a Okay film, but I expected more of a future classic, than a boring plot.. This was supposed to be the king of visual effects of the year, instead it looks like a half finished video game in some sequences.

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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0

srander09Dec 18, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was as irritated as most people when I heard that Peter Jackson would split The Hobbit into three movies because it was obviously a decision based on nothing more than getting as much money as possible, but even I never imagined that he would stoop to making a movie like Battle of the Five Armies (a.k.a. Battle of the 25 Armies plus a couple of random giant mountain goats and a pig thrown in for good measure).

The CGI was as bad as something you would see in a B movie—even worse than the previous two Hobbit films. But even more noticeably, the script took a dive to rock bottom. Within the first half hour, such utterly laughable clichés as “You make me feel alive,” were spoken in a cheesy love scene that seemed like something straight out of Saturday Night Live, except that the audience was apparently supposed to take it seriously.

Shortly before the battle started, there were a few much-needed moments of comic relief, and I thought the film might possibly turn around. But all my illusions were soon shattered during the ten-minute scene where Thorin walks on top of the ice that Azog is floating under with his eyes open, following the orc and apparently waiting for him to break through it, when—suprise!—he does, and (spoiler for those who have not yet watched the ten-minute scene that made this obvious) kills Thorin. Alas. It might have been sad if I hadn’t been waiting around for ten minutes knowing that he would get killed.

Things were looking grim for the dwarves when who should appear? Our heroes the eagles, of course, who have managed to bail out the protagonists in every single movie of the trilogy.

Although I couldn’t stop laughing during the scene where three dwarves find completely random giant mountain goats with no riders in the middle of the battle and proceed to ride them up a mountain, the worst part of the movie was easily the ending. As if the movie isn’t long enough, the audience is not only forced to watch Bilbo go all the way BACK to the Shire, they have to re-watch footage from Fellowship of the Ring! I knew it was a bad sign that Peter Jackson actually made a movie shorter than three hours (although it felt like six)—apparently, he had so little material for this movie that he had to re-use material from his original trilogy.

When Tauriel discusses love with the abominably cliched line “Why does it hurt so much?” I think she described the feelings of most of the audience enduring the latest Hobbit movie.… Expand

25 of 39 users found this helpful2514

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10

ZarkanaDec 18, 2014

Among my friends no one takes the Middle Earth films more seriously than I do. Growing up with LOTR, and following the Hobbit through all of it's production, my anticipations were set very high. I genuinely loved the first movie, but did notAmong my friends no one takes the Middle Earth films more seriously than I do. Growing up with LOTR, and following the Hobbit through all of it's production, my anticipations were set very high. I genuinely loved the first movie, but did not like the pacing of the second. Honestly, I did not think the series would end on a good note. I was however proven wrong. The Battle of the Five Armies was a strong finish for the controversial hobbit films, and certainly made me excited to include them along side the Lord of the Rings series. Let's just wait for the extended editions!… Expand

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

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8

nms1215Dec 18, 2014

This movie is probably the best of each. While the complaints are still there--over the top CGI, laughable stunts, and too much freedom with the source content. They are all still there, but to a lesser degree--the CGI has definitelyThis movie is probably the best of each. While the complaints are still there--over the top CGI, laughable stunts, and too much freedom with the source content. They are all still there, but to a lesser degree--the CGI has definitely improved, the stunts are still laughable but much much shorter, and they spent less time trying to make this about The White Council (they have just one real scene together).

My complaints are simple: the love triangle was awful and never worked, despite Tauriel being a decent character; there are times where the movie (intentionally) makes you laugh only to instantly cut to the slaughter civilians (it was very awkward); they also were very heavy-handed with the corruption of greed (we got it, a million times over); not enough Dwarf character development (something they have continually failed at).

It was still a good, fun movie. It did a good job of emphasizing events that did lead to the LOTR series--especially with showing how the ring is slowly and subtly corrupting Bilbo--without taking away from the there and now. However, this is a battle movie. There is action, combat, explosions and destruction. Peter Jackson, IMO unfortunately, focused on these instead of the great characters he had to work with. To this day, none of the fans of the films (that have not read the books) know the names of the dwarves besides Thorin and Kili (and by extension, Fili).… Expand

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

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8

ToFewViewsDec 18, 2014

This is visually beautiful movie, with action coming out the ears. It's the complete opposite of the first hobbit movie with the first being called "Slow" this one is anything but that. The story feels like it slightly takes a backseat inThis is visually beautiful movie, with action coming out the ears. It's the complete opposite of the first hobbit movie with the first being called "Slow" this one is anything but that. The story feels like it slightly takes a backseat in this film, with the huge amount of focus on action you feel the story progress but no where near as much as the others. But any fan of middle earth will love this movie, I feel it's a great conclusion to the series that leaves you excited to even go back and watch LOTR.
And of course this is a movie you must see in the theaters Peter Jackson's use of 48FPS is visually amazing and changes the whole experience.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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3

jesse_diehlDec 18, 2014

The senseless accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of "more" (AKA Dragon Fever) is the supposed theme to this final instalment of the Hobbit films. The irony of these films is that this movie itself is cursed with this sickness.

TooThe senseless accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of "more" (AKA Dragon Fever) is the supposed theme to this final instalment of the Hobbit films. The irony of these films is that this movie itself is cursed with this sickness.

Too many characters and a unending amount of needless scenes, plague this movie and causing it to drag on and on. Less is more Peter Jackson. The sophisticated special effects and concept art that went into this movie seems to be what He was really passionate about. Not story.… Expand

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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10

benoskiDec 18, 2014

I'd say critic reviews of this film were largely exaggerated. A brilliant end to a great trilogy and the perfect farewell to one of the biggest sagas in film history.

8 of 18 users found this helpful810

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7

therowbertDec 18, 2014

great action packed ending with somewhat weaker story.
pro:
-the action -beautiful scenery -awsome details and effects con: -story on the weaker side when compaired to the previous movies - Bilbo is a little useless throughout thegreat action packed ending with somewhat weaker story.
pro:
-the action
-beautiful scenery
-awsome details and effects
con:
-story on the weaker side when compaired to the previous movies
- Bilbo is a little useless throughout the movie (i know it's just a hobbit but still)

I totally enjoyed this movie,it's a worthy part of the series and it realy kept my eyes on the screen.
The story for me was a little underwhelming though but far from terrible.
If you're a fan of the hobbit you won't be dissapointed at all.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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5

var_starkDec 18, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Good Job on screwing a big saga PJ. The movie starts in a rush, in less than 20 minutes he just ends all the secondary storylines, and then starts preparing for the battle. This is when the movies gets its finest, comprehensible situations, tension, dignified characters, psychological dilemas, bargaging... actually feels like the old movies, you know something serious happens here. Then the battle begins, everything goes well (the company suffers the madness of thorin, Bardo tries to defend his people, the elves and the dwarves doing good fight) and then... everything becomes marvel.
A movie called the battle of the 5 armies switches into the most epic and useless 1vs1 in the middle earth.What happens with the core of the battle?, the heroes trying to defend what is important, fighting for the good and the land. Real struggles, down in the field of battle... all gone. The movie becomes a ridiculous SFX choreography between legolas, tauriel, thorin, Azog and Bolgo... just like marvel you've got serious business happening down there but wtf," we have to make a badass battle betwen the villain and the hero, who **** cares about the rest? " Well i do, and that was what made battles in LOTR great, the heros were showy, they were better than the rest but they FOUGHT with them, Would you imagine in the return of the king that Aragorn just goes to find sauron far away from the battle, have a badass fight with sauron wich you know it's totally gonna lose and forget about everyone dying in the field??? THAT's HORRIBLE.

HORRYBLE DECITIONS IMO.

Some may say, OH YEAH, THE VISUALS ARE GRAT, SO AWESOME SPECIAL EFFECTS, dude i am a VFX technitian, i **** love VFX and i tell you, if this movie were suppose to feed with VFX it would be MORBID FAT, horrible fat. It just has VFX in excess, not even necesary, nor for the plot, not for the sake of the movie. Yeah, there are some spectacular effects SO WHAT, they arn't even necessary. What happens with the totally unnecesary bell, Legolas just defying gravity, those horrible Orcs (seriously, what happend to the orcs? why do they look like a videogame?) once again, so many bad decitions.

This movie could have been very good if it just went to the point, focus on creating an actually good battle, working on the relationships and stopped inventing ridiculous stunts and scenes.

FY peter jackson… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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10

RufatDec 18, 2014

Peter Jackson made a perfect ending for his middle earth odyssey. And Martin Freeman was awesome. Best of Hobbit series. More action and more fun. And more disappointing because of it is the last.

6 of 12 users found this helpful66

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10

sundaymovieDec 17, 2014

This movie is basically just a huge battle. It is everything that is promised. 5 armies fight, and they battles are amazing. you can either enjoy an amazing battle or you can nitpicking it for having the things you wanted from lord of theThis movie is basically just a huge battle. It is everything that is promised. 5 armies fight, and they battles are amazing. you can either enjoy an amazing battle or you can nitpicking it for having the things you wanted from lord of the rings. more action and no walking around. stop being so hypocritical.… Expand

6 of 16 users found this helpful610

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10

AnarionDec 17, 2014

An awesome ending to an already brilliant saga. While I will admit the battle was somewhat lacking, the scene with the dwarf wall, and then the elves jumping over was just too epic. Also, small references back to the original trilogy add someAn awesome ending to an already brilliant saga. While I will admit the battle was somewhat lacking, the scene with the dwarf wall, and then the elves jumping over was just too epic. Also, small references back to the original trilogy add some interesting points. And lastly, that song at the end adds such a depressing note, as you finally realize that a great saga is coming to an end.… Expand

6 of 13 users found this helpful67

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10

SHORTFINGERDec 17, 2014

well i have not seen the other 2 in the theaters my brother gave me the dvds. so i went to see this one. it is suppose to be 21/2 hours long before i new it it was over usually i`m always looking at my watch to see how much time is left thiswell i have not seen the other 2 in the theaters my brother gave me the dvds. so i went to see this one. it is suppose to be 21/2 hours long before i new it it was over usually i`m always looking at my watch to see how much time is left this is one of those movies that keep my attention to the end. i thought it was just great cannot wait for the blue ray to come out. yea a few scenes i was wondering about but that did not ruin the movie for me had a nice time at this movie… Expand

7 of 14 users found this helpful77

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7

WJSDec 17, 2014

This movie is very long...well it seems very long as it seems to be coming to end about 3 or 4 times and then on it goes, just like the third installment of "The Lord of the Rings" as it never wants to end. Mind you it looks and soundsThis movie is very long...well it seems very long as it seems to be coming to end about 3 or 4 times and then on it goes, just like the third installment of "The Lord of the Rings" as it never wants to end. Mind you it looks and sounds amazing and it's quite romantic. It's epic in its scope and it's visually stimulating but if you haven't seen "The Lord of the Rings", it might be confusing. The whole time I was watching I was thinking that Peter Jackson must be really tired of directing the same movie again, just like I was getting tired of watching the same movie over again. Unfortunately, I just didn't get into this movie as much as I hoped I would as I've been looking forward to seeing it for quite awhile...and although I was impressed with HFR 3D visual aspect it just seemed overwrought and heavy handed to me. Once you've seen one Orck get his head lopped off it all becomes quite redundant.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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5

SergeantSozDec 17, 2014

I was a fan of Lord of the Rings since the Fellowship. Needless to say these Hobbit movies take a huge dump on the first three movies just like the new Star Wars movies did.
PROS
I honestly can't think of much. If you liked World ofI was a fan of Lord of the Rings since the Fellowship. Needless to say these Hobbit movies take a huge dump on the first three movies just like the new Star Wars movies did.
PROS
I honestly can't think of much. If you liked World of Warcraft, this will be a movie you might like.
CONS
I can say this was the worst of the three Hobbit movies. How can the guy who gave us Lord of the Rings, which featured battle scenes so epic, they sent chills down my spine, sink to this level. The entire movie was underwhelming. They brought in too many characters that didn't need to be there and established subplots with characters I still don't know the names of. I couldn't feel any empathy for anyone, even when they died. They were just there. Everything is drawn out way too long. The beginning of the movie honestly would have made a better ending to Desolation of Smaug. I was against the Hobbit being made into 3 movies before and I stand by that. The biggest killer is that the movie relies way too heavily on CGI. It looks fake and destroys everything. The Lord of the Rings only used CGI when it was needed. Massive hordes of orcs I understand, but when you do close ups of these characters and they're animated, it just doesn't feel the same as makeup and costume. Another thing to point out, Jackson needs to cool it on the panoramic shots. The camera never sits still, its always soaring through the air. It gets annoying. The movie was just "meh". I didn't totally hate it. I've seen worse, but the whole Hobbit trilogy has been a letdown. They brought in characters like Legolas and make references to Aragorn and Gimli to satisfy our nostalgia for Lord of the Rings, but ultimately it just gets in the way. I LOVE Smaug. The one highlight in this whole trilogy is whenever Smaug is on camera. For everything else, it wasn't done the right way.… Expand

8 of 14 users found this helpful86

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10

Beowulf4862Dec 17, 2014

Terrific final episode of the Hobbit adventures. Despite the naysayers, Jackson's film is very character dependent and showcases the acting of a number of fine actors from across the globe. A fitting ending to an epic journey of discovery,Terrific final episode of the Hobbit adventures. Despite the naysayers, Jackson's film is very character dependent and showcases the acting of a number of fine actors from across the globe. A fitting ending to an epic journey of discovery, loss, and growth. Visually arresting and emotionally satisfying.… Expand

10 of 22 users found this helpful1012

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9

ProteusDec 17, 2014

Beautiful to watch among other virtues. Compare this to say, Exodus and see pure excellence vs. shoddy CGI laden cinematography. Bravo to Peter Jackson for immersing us in a lovely world.

4 of 10 users found this helpful46

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10

BlaccyDec 17, 2014

Peter Jackson saved the best to last, the thrilling Defining Chapter made everyone applaud the movie when the credits were rolling. Despite the ending for the middle earth saga Jackson had taken The Hobbit to a whole new level with amazingPeter Jackson saved the best to last, the thrilling Defining Chapter made everyone applaud the movie when the credits were rolling. Despite the ending for the middle earth saga Jackson had taken The Hobbit to a whole new level with amazing cinematic effects. This is defiantly one movie worth seeing!… Expand

8 of 16 users found this helpful88

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1

ZimbardoDec 17, 2014

A slow and tedious close to a series that lost its edge a decade ago.

Here's a few reasons why Christopher Tolkien is a saint for turning down millions to keep Jackson from defecating on his father's work: 1) The Necromancer story arcA slow and tedious close to a series that lost its edge a decade ago.

Here's a few reasons why Christopher Tolkien is a saint for turning down millions to keep Jackson from defecating on his father's work:

1) The Necromancer story arc ends up just being another crappy fight scene (why the hell is Saurumon's magical power Kung-Fu?) that feels more like a teaser for the LotR series. This would have been a perfect opportunity to expand on the back stories and roles presented in the Silmarillion. Doesn't happen, instead we get a lame light show.

2) What about the fight scenes we've all been waiting for? This would have also been an AWESOME opportunity to show off more of Beorn doing cool bear-man stuff but he's limited to a 2 second cameo. Instead we see more combat involving Bard's 12 year old son. Great call.

3) The epic battle and armies feel more like rival gangs. I swear to god when the dwarfs show up it feels like I'm watching The Warriors. This battle didn't feel anywhere near as epic as it should have. It's not like cost is a limiting factor when everything is CGI. I don't understand why they didn't render in larger armies.

4) The movie moves at a crawl. They really drag out Thorin's Dragon Sickness and the only reason seems to be they gotta fill up time. I love it when Thorin sobers up and then asks his crew if they're willing to go out and fight... which is what they've been pleading for this entire time. What was with that sinking into gold scene? The CG was so bad I thought we were going to get a Beast Wars cameo.

5) The movie opens with Smaug's attack on Lake Town which SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST FILM. Smaug's attack and death feel so anti-climatic that I'm 100% sure the decision to keep Smaug alive into this movie was just so Cumberbatch could help in the film's advertisement. For Christ's sake he has 3 lines.

6) Martin Freeman looks bored. Maybe the rest of the movie poisoned my mood but Bilbo seems like he's reading off lines. Hell, he doesn't even feel like the film's hero, Alfrid the Master's lackey gets more screen time.

All of this has been done before and done better in the original trilogy. This could have been something great if Jackson and crew didn't phone it in as a cash grab.

But I should end on a positive note: Hugo Weaving is still a bad ass and the only reason why this film doesn't get a 0.… Expand

25 of 48 users found this helpful2523

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9

THEkerimbankaDec 17, 2014

Maybe not quite the best of the three (close competition with Desolation), but it is definitely a fun and enjoyable experience. Sit back and allow Jackson to play with his action figures and I guarantee you will be amused.

7 of 11 users found this helpful74

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8

TheFilmFanaticDec 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First and foremost I would like to point out that I'm incredibly biased towards Jackson's Tolkien films given my love of Lord of the Rings and despite the shortcomings of the first two Hobbit films, I still believed that Peter Jackson could strike gold yet again. When this film was changed from There and Back Again to The Battle of the Five Armies, I became hesitant about the finale of the trilogy, but thankfully I was wrong.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (BotFA) is a visually-stunning, action-packed and tear-jerking finale to the action adventure trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Peter Jackson brings us a Lord of the Rings-esque final film, unlike the previous two Hobbit films, with style, grace and aesthetics potentially better than those of the original release of Return of the King. Although the premise diverted from the book's content by adding other characters and changing the focus of the narrative, the overall story in the end was better suited for a big screen adaptation that acted as not only the finale of the Hobbit trilogy, but the end of the Jackson era of Tolkien films.

Unfortunately I was still disappointed with the CGI-laden fight scenes, particularly the use of CGI orcs, goblins and other humanoid creatures rather than full-scale, large cast fight scenes like Lord of the Rings. However, outside of that criticism there is not much else negative to say about this film. Even with the CGI-induced Middle Earth, we are given one of the more realistic representations of a dragon in any film. Smaug is unbelievable, and that creation alone is Oscar worthy. The cast is phenomenal, I mean talk about star-studded. I found that some characters were a bit one-dimensional as an attempt to help keep Bilbo and company as the focus of the film, but Thranduil stole every scene he was in. I would love to see Peter Jackson do a standalone film surrounding the painful backstory of the king of Mirkwood.

In the end The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is more than the finale of the Hobbit trilogy, but the end of Peter Jackson's era of Tolkien films bringing a sense of nostalgia to fans of any age sad to see their favourite characters and the visually stunning Middle Earth for the last time.… Expand

6 of 12 users found this helpful66

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8

petrocsDec 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Peter Jackson faced some staunch criticism from fans when he announced he was splitting his announced Hobbit adaptation into a trilogy. Many cited the sheer size of the book as a cause for concern but the underlying belief was that the move looked more like a cash grab for the studio who were facing their final trip to Middle Earth. The Battle Of The Five Armies posed the biggest challenge for Jackson simply because of the subject of the film was presented to readers as a footnote that takes places place after the story (The story was published in the back of The Return of the King), but Jackson has put all the speculation to rest and released his best film in the Hobbit trilogy.
Picking up right where The Desolation of Smaug left off, we find the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) arriving at Laketown to exact his wrath on the people of this small fishing village after losing Erebor the the dwarves. Bard (Luke Evans), witnessing the destruction of his home, decides to take matters into his own hands and take on the mighty beast with a lowly bow and arrow, a move which would lead him to come face to face with the villainous monster. Accepting that his effort as a failure, one last chance is awarded the bowman after his son arrives with an ancient ironclad arrow just strong enough to pierce the tough hide of the beast.
Thorin (Richard Armitage) has begun to feel an abundant amount of lust for gold, which is referred to as dragon sickness. The once proud, would be king has begun hell bent on finding the Arkhenstone and demands the dwarves to search until they find it. Thorin begins to lose the loyalty of his kin as they fear his sickness has clouded his judgement. Bilbo (Martin Freeman) finds the stone but fears it effects on his friend and decides to hide it. Meanwhile, the men and woman of Laketown are facing a harsh winter and no place to live. Bard and his villagers journey up the Lonely Mountain to Erebor to ask for Thorin to honor his promise and provide the people of Laketown their fair share of the gold to help rebuild their homes. Thranduil (Lee Pace) and his Elven army arrive at the same time to claim what is rightfully theirs from the mountain as well, a alliance is formed between the Elves and man to storm the gates of Erebor and take their share.
Bilbo decides to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict and offers the Arkhenstone to the invaders to bargain for their share in exchange for Thorin's prize, a bargain he quickly refuses and the arrival of reinforcements from the Iron Mountains arrive to help Thorin fortify his compound and his treasure. War is inevitable and the armies prepare for battle, but the arrival of Gandolf the Grey (Ian McKellen) brings word that their is a more pressing danger coming for the combatants. Azog (Manu Bennett) and his Orc army have arrived and are determined to wipe the three armies off the face of Middle Earth. As Bilbo tries to convince Thorin and the dwarves to join the fight and drive back the insurgents, Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) arrive to warn Gandolf of even more danger lurking to the North. The need for a unified front and a leader who can turn the tide of the battle is demanded. Thorin must face his demons head on and become, once again, the true king under the mountain. But will it be enough to defeat the coming evil?
Peter Jackson has taken an after thought and turned it into one of most exciting films of the year. The very CGI heavy battle sequences are astounding and the choreography of the hand to hand combat scenes is breathtaking, the film has taken effects to a new level and its awe inspiring to witness. The director keeps the film from slowing down by keeping the story moving along, unlike the previous two films which tended to lag at times. The tie-in scenes to the Lord of the Rings trilogy are nicely done and Jackson completes his Hobbit journey with near perfection.
Richard Armitage continues to portray Thorin to absolute perfection. The actor has etched his legacy into Tolkien lore. Martin Freeman continues to impress with his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins. Freeman's character arc has taken him on the most interesting of all the characters journeys. Ian McKellen is the complete embodiment of Gandolf. The mannerisms, the voice, the delivery of every line is done elegantly. The remaining cast including Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Lee Pace and Evangeline Lilly to name only a few, were astonishing. The physical work alone deserves an enthusiastic applause but each brings an amazing range to their characters and delivers fantastic performances that would make Tolkien proud.
Overall, The Hobbit will not be looked upon as fondly as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the movies are extremely enjoyable and worthy of a viewing. The Battle Of The Five Armies is a truly astounding achievement on its own and a perfect ending to Bilbo's story.… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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5

oDjentoDec 17, 2014

The last film announced – for the moment – set in middle earth has had a colossal amount of hype building up over it. The Hobbit may not have started off as strong as LOTR, but with The Desolation of Smaug in 2013 we saw the epic-ness andThe last film announced – for the moment – set in middle earth has had a colossal amount of hype building up over it. The Hobbit may not have started off as strong as LOTR, but with The Desolation of Smaug in 2013 we saw the epic-ness and brutality of middle earth was brewing. So with all the Hype towering above the trilogy and with the fan boys ready to write nit-pick all the little details of the film, does The Battle Of The Five Armies disappoint? No. Not completely.
The film takes flight from where we left off; the people of Esgaroth (Lake Town) are attempting to evacuate the city after they see Smaug has left the Lonely Mountain in search of vengeance upon Middle Earth. He begins burning the city in a beautiful splendour of CGI fire that eradicates large parts of the Town. With the brutality going on you can’t help but admire Peter Jackson’s knowledge of making good CGI. This scene continues for a good 10 minutes but ends rather disappointingly, as due to the ending of the second film you would be expecting a little more from a certain character.
Back upon the mountain we are reunited with Bilbo and the Dwarves. They enter they’re old home and Thorin begins to become mad, making his role the more dynamic one of the film. There is a lot of tension from these scenes due to Throin’s obsessive craving of the Archenstone, and his voice brilliantly – albeit obviously – foreshadowing Smaug’s craving for the mystical gem. These scenes play out well and offer a nice change in pacing from our fast paced introduction.
Back down at the base of the Mountain, Bard is travelling up with the people of Lake town to take refuge in Erebor. Thorin’s madness has driven him also to greed, and so forth he will not part with any gold from his dismally eerie, yet golden home. From here on, Bard meets elfs, dwarfs arrive on the battle field, orcs, Uruk Hai and goblins filter in, and the title of the film comes into full view.
The rest of the film is mainly just a battle which lasts for at least 50 minutes and for its length, it is masterfully paced. This is the main spectacle we came to see. Changing from scene to scene, with the environments being dynamic enough to make each fight feel unique, the length of it isn’t even noticeable and only once you reflect back on it you will be in disbelief you sat through a battle of that length without wanting it to come to its conclusion sooner.
The Film also provides plenty of nods to the following trilogy which are also a nice thing to revel in but along with this and all the other positives of the film, some factors do take away from our last experience of middle earth. The acting wasn’t anything that would amaze you with most characters being average or just pleasantly enjoyable, but the most stand out performances came from Richard Armitage (Thorin) and Evangeline Lilly (Tauriel). For those who weren’t fond of the framing of the last 2 films (48fps instead of the typical 24fps) you will not see any change in that. It still feels odd to watch, but you can’t bash the director for changing his own cinematic vision of how he wants people to view his film. So for that, props to Peter Jackson, yet I am still not keen on it.
Some exposition seemed a bit forced at times, which has been prevalent in the previous Hobbit films so it’s not too much of a negative but still rather disappointing. Lastly, of all the criticisms, the one that irritates me the most is how useless and unimportant some of the characters are. In LOTR, we knew everyone, they had a brilliant scene at least once or twice and we got to see their role in the lore of middle earth. However, half the dwarves still don’t seem to do or say anything. They are literally just there for eye candy so people who have read the books can say they didn’t leave anyone out. It is not only dwarfs too, some character appear just for a moment to never be heard of again; Elron, Radagast, Beorn.
In conclusion, the final Hobbit film is exceedingly pleasing in the department of action yet falling on flat notes on many other factors. The drama is racked up to ten however, with the only comparison I can make without giving too much away is saying it is on par with a mild episode of game of thrones, which some people may see as good or bad, and the word mild not meaning it is toned down. The Battle of the Five Armies is a satisfying conclusion to a brilliant trilogy, and although It may not be a classic like LOTR, it is undoubtedly an incredible action film with plenty to enjoy.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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9

StaticSpineDec 17, 2014

An epic ending to the trilogy, it's not story-heavy, but it turns out a tense action-packed conclusion to the events of preivous parts. Totally worth going to cinema ti watch it.

9 of 14 users found this helpful95

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8

GustavoTalainiDec 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) encerra sua inesperada aventura com os 13 anões e o mago Gandalf (Ian Mckellen) em uma épica, matadora e hollywoodiana batalha dos cinco exércitos; a escolha de fazer este o filme mais curto da terra média foi a mais sensata possível, o final da trilogia torna-se imparável, tenso e certamente fará aos fãs um grande e bem vindo adeus.

O Hobbit: A Batalha Dos Cinco Exércitos começa exatamente de onde a desolação de Smaug terminou com o dragão em fúria trazendo o caos a cidade do lago, a cena é rápida e fantástica, Smaug mostra sua vingança e é completamente arrebatador.

O elenco novamente mostra fortes atuações, mas desta vez com destaque a Richard Armitage no papel de Thorin que se mostra corrompido pela doença do Dragão e torna-se insano, o clima de batalha começa logo após a queda de Smaug, com Brad (Luke Evans) se tornando o líder dos desabrigados da destruída cidade do lago em busca do seu prometido ouro para reconstrução da cidade, Thranduil (Lee Pace) o rei élfico em busca das suas pedras brancas e os orcs liderados por Azog que querem tomar Erebor a cidade dos anões, mas antes de tudo isso acontecer temos o mago Gandalf preso em Dol Guldor não que isso seja ruim, pelo contrario a cena é formidável e também não podemos esquecer-nos da Elfa Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) e o Legolas (Orlando Bloom) uma das adições de Peter Jackson que na maioria das vezes são eficientes, mas em certos casos desnecessários.

Temos 45 minutos de pura batalha, não ela nunca fica chata pelo contrário, Peter Jackson certamente sabe fazer batalhas ela simplesmente só vai ganhando intensidade e emoção, inúmeros clímax aparecem um tentando vencer o outro por mais que seja exagerado funciona e é espetacular.

Tecnicamente o filme é incrível e praticamente impecável, a edição, os sons, as mixagens, a trilha sonora, a produção e os efeitos especiais são fortes candidatos para o Oscars e torna este épico filme com grandes cenas de luta, momentos e personagens um eficiente final para a Terra média.… Expand

7 of 12 users found this helpful75

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10

suncokretDec 17, 2014

Fantastic ending to this trilogy. People that criticize this film often forget how Return of the King was made when it reached the theaters. Full of holes, I will tell you. Unnecessary scene with Frodo doing ninja u-turn on the cliff withoutFantastic ending to this trilogy. People that criticize this film often forget how Return of the King was made when it reached the theaters. Full of holes, I will tell you. Unnecessary scene with Frodo doing ninja u-turn on the cliff without one finger in Mount Doom, anti-climatic Eowyn "I'm no man" scene, absence of Saruman, swift ghost battles, rushed ending with many many stuff missing, etc. Extended edition fixed most of these gaps and made the film much more enjoyable, but theatrical cut was flawed and much worse than Two towers and Fellowship.
So be more realistic. I enjoyed it much more than watching ROTK in cinema back in 2003. The story of Hobbit is small and represent Tolkien's early writing, but PJ did a marvelous job in making this journey amazing. Thums up! Can't wait for the Extended edition!… Expand

10 of 24 users found this helpful1014

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3

ahnehnoisDec 17, 2014

There were moments in the Lord of the Rings movies where things got a bit cheesy, production values failed, writers went the wrong direction, or for some other reason things just didn't work. But this final movie of The Hobbit trilogy isThere were moments in the Lord of the Rings movies where things got a bit cheesy, production values failed, writers went the wrong direction, or for some other reason things just didn't work. But this final movie of The Hobbit trilogy is pretty much just that, and nothing else.

There just isn't that much substance to this movie. The locations are few, and mostly CGI; barely a hint of the spectacular New Zealand landscapes that fans flock to. The five armies are boring, and given that we already know where this is headed, there isn't much of a sense of stakes. Of course, before that, you get to kill some time watching Smaug destroy CGI Laketown and the wizard and elf crew fight some CGI wraiths. And frankly, for whatever reason; the frame rate, the 3D conversion, or whatever else, all that CGI looks terrible for a big budget movie in 2014. But wait until you see the five armies in all their CGI glory, and the absurd combat stunts of the dwarves and their allies. That looks worse.

The book's merits are mangled or buried. There are only hints of Bilbo's emotional journey and moral ambiguity. Thorin's obsession with (CGI) treasure is elevated to comic levels; his insanity is so over the top and his overcoming it is so gratuitous and forced that it's hard to watch. There's plenty of time, though, for talking about the feelings of elves and dwarves, and watching Legolas, the ageless elf who looks older than he did a century in the future, and wasn't in the book. And never mind the gratuitously sleezy laketowner, who decides he isn't in to fighting battles for no reason, but is branded a coward, who runs off and hides with the women and hides his treasure in the front of his dress, making him look like one. Ha ha funny. Way to offend everyone at once.

I think what tells the story is the title. The original title for the second, and then when they split them, the third Hobbit movie was "There and Back Again". And that's what I wanted to see. The Hobbit is a tough book to film, but it's really about the subjective experience of the title character, and him experiencing the epic and the supernatural and the horrors of war and returning home to reality. A movie that focused on that and ignored all the subplots could have been good. But they changed the title to "The Battle of the Five Armies" and that's apt. Because now the movie is about the part of the book that Bilbo slept through after getting hit on the head, and nothing else.

As much a fan as I am of the LotR movie trilogy, I'd suggest that people should pull a Bilbo and miss this battle completely.… Expand

8 of 21 users found this helpful813

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7

HighChroniclerDec 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review

Okay, it’s HighChronicler’s Review Time.
The Battle of Five Armies is the epic conclusion to Peter Jackson’s Hobbit Film Trilogy. I am a HUGE Lord of the Rings (LOTR) fanboy, HUGE. Like I will engage people in hours long conversations about it and they don’t even want to hear it. I am also a purist, I think that the Book should be reformatted and adopted to be the Screenplay, and from there reformat it to be the Script (Easy, right? Would save Millions of Dollars this way – you already have the script/screenplay/book.) I am willing to accept Peter Jackson’s adaptation of LOTR as the best book-film translation that we will ever see. EVER. As in Tenn’ Ambar-Metta. That’s right, unto the Ending of the Earth.
This Latest Hobbit does little to disappoint. It delivers in film format the thrilling final third of Tolkien’s book. (With a few changes, not all are bad.)
The cinematography is strange, but since I saw in 3D with enhanced Framerate, I’m going to attribute the choppy shots and scenes to the weird format. Also with the 3D the environment doesn’t exactly hold up. It looks fake, I don’t know if looks fake with the Standard viewing, but I would expect that it would be better. All-in-All The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is a really, really good movie, with two MAJOR, GLARING, UNACCEPTABLE FLAWS.
Rating: 7.5/10, 3.75 Stars, 75% whatever scale you use.
IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT READ, HEARD, LISTENED TO, OR SEEN THE HOBBIT IN THE 77 YEARS IT HAS BEEN OUT: SPOLIER ALERT, STOP READING IF YOU DO NOT DESIRE TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS FILM’S CLIMAX.
Geez, I can’t believe I have to do that.
Okay, I went into the movie with three major things on my mind: The Death of Smaug; Fili, Kili, and Thorin’s Death; and Thorin, Fili, and Kili’s funeral.
First Ten Minutes, Smaug went down with near enough identically to the book, it was different, but wasn’t a bad different. It was fine, checkmark on my list.
Thorin, Fili, and Kili’s Death Scene. Oh boy, this one. I was highly disappointed when they did not pull the text directly into the film here. Thorin’s fight with Azog seemed to go on forever and Fili and Kili did NOT fall defending him. I was upset when I realized that the Dramatic Death of the King’s Nephews was not even close to the way it was. Thorin’s mortally wounded body was found by Beorn surrounded by many corpses of Orc and Goblins. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him. It was tragic, it was Dramatic, and it was perfect. But not in the Movie. NOT ONE BIT!
Here is text taken from The Hobbit for The Royal Death:
“Then Beorn stooped and lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and bore him out of the fray. Swiftly he returned and his wrath was redoubled, so that nothing could withstand him, and no weapon seemed to bite upon him. He scattered the bodyguard, and pulled down Bolg himself and crushed him. Then dismay fell on the Goblins and they fled in all directions. But weariness left their enemies with the coming of new hope, and they pursued them closely, and prevented most of them from escaping where they could. They drove many of them into the Running River, and such as fled south or west they hunted into the marshes about the Forest River; and there the greater part of the last fugitives perished, while those that came hardly to the Wood-elves' realm were there slain, or drawn in to die in the trackless dark of Mirkwood. Songs have said that three parts of the goblin warriors of the North perished on that day, and the mountains had peace for many a year… … Of the twelve companions of Thorin, ten remained. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him with shield and body, for he was their mother's elder brother. The others remained with Dain; for Dain dealt his treasure well.”

NOT COOL. Did I even mention that Beorn shows up for all about 10 seconds.

Then the Funeral. Oh my, it could have been such a scene, IF IT WAS EVEN IN THE MOVIE!

These two things alone are why my rating is dropped from a 9 or 10. The Two most important things to me were botched. Granted the Death scene was not as bad I was thinking while watching it, but It still wasn’t what it should have been.

Mayhaps the Extended Edition will have Thorin’s Funeral, and Beorn have more screen time. If so the ratings will spike to 8.75/10, 4.5 Stars and 85%.… Expand

10 of 15 users found this helpful105

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7

adpirtleDec 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies closes out Peter Jackson's re-imagining of JRR Tolkien's novel in a manner consistent with its two predecessors. Like the first two Hobbit films, it's overlong, bulked up by more of Jackson's fan fiction, and so over-reliant on CGI that at times it feels like watching a video game. But, as was also the case with the previous films, it succeeds more often than it fails.

The film opens very strongly, rendering the destruction of Lake-town by the dragon Smaug and his battle with Bard (finally the Bowman) in breathtaking fashion. Luke Evans makes for a compelling hero throughout the film, though he's apt to be overlooked with so much else going on. Then it's off to Dul Guldur, where Gandalf the Grey is being held prisoner by Sauron. This side-plot is polished off surprisingly quickly, with Elron, Galadriel, and an unexpectedly agile Saruman showing off the Dark Lord and his undead minions while Radagast spirits Gandalf to safety.

The middle of the film is, unfortunately, less consistently engaging. Back at Lonely Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield's transformation from noble leader to gold-crazed lunatic is too abrupt and over-the-top, though Richard Armitage is able to lend pathos to Jackson's unsubtle writing. The elf-king Thranduril is similarly cartoonish, and Lee Pace isn't a talented enough actor to rise above the material. The strongest character in this portion of the film is, rather surprisingly, given how much he's been pushed into the margins, Martin Freeman's titular hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, as he struggles to find a way to bring Thorin to his senses and prevent the inevitable war.

Finally we get to the battle itself, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. The scale of Jackson's computer-generated conflict seems less impressive than excessive, though he is a good as ever at managing massive conflicts while highlighting individual moments. However, the film only manages to become truly compelling again after Thorin snaps out of his madness and leads his company of dwarves in pursuit of the head of the orc army. Azog the Defiler looks better rendered than ever, and his duel with Thorin makes for a rousing climax, only slightly diminished by having to share screen time with another, slightly less successful, physics-defying fight between Legolas and Bolg (who is as awkwardly rendered as ever).

In the end, the sixth (!) and almost certainly final Jackson-directed Middle-earth epic manages to deliver, if not quite the weight of The Lord of the Rings pictures, at least the same level of spectacle, and returning the focus of the film somewhat to Bilbo's relationship with Thorin is one of Jackson's better decisions.… Expand

4 of 12 users found this helpful48

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10

OrwDec 17, 2014

A great ending to one of the best trilogys in its genre. I loved every part. Great in every possible way. We will all miss this characters, Middle Eart and Peter Jackson audacity and creative vision. All six films are now part of the greatestA great ending to one of the best trilogys in its genre. I loved every part. Great in every possible way. We will all miss this characters, Middle Eart and Peter Jackson audacity and creative vision. All six films are now part of the greatest fantasy films ever made. I'm glad i had the chance to witness them all.… Expand

49 of 101 users found this helpful4952

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9

hackmoleDec 17, 2014

Great cap to the adventure.
Yes, some of the CGI could have been a little better, but the story is there and the necromancer story arc is quite awesome.
Yes, some of the scenes seem a little overdrawn, but I found it was to give time toGreat cap to the adventure.
Yes, some of the CGI could have been a little better, but the story is there and the necromancer story arc is quite awesome.
Yes, some of the scenes seem a little overdrawn, but I found it was to give time to give characters time to interact more and really love them.
For the fan, you will love this movie and you will find some great moments.… Expand

14 of 23 users found this helpful149

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7

evtsoaresDec 17, 2014

Does not exceed the " Desolation of Smaug " . Still, a true work of art, because in a year like 2014 where we had several films that generated expectations and frustrated , Hobbit is a show that the public needed . It closes with a flourishDoes not exceed the " Desolation of Smaug " . Still, a true work of art, because in a year like 2014 where we had several films that generated expectations and frustrated , Hobbit is a show that the public needed . It closes with a flourish this epic franchise movie .… Expand

9 of 19 users found this helpful910

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7

silverdragonautDec 17, 2014

Whats good?
well played by the actors, nice visual effects and a incredible Battle of the Armies...
Whats bad? The Legolas Scenes are so ridiculous! Sometimes the Picture is so clear that it cannot be unseen, that its made with Computer...Whats good?
well played by the actors, nice visual effects and a incredible Battle of the Armies...
Whats bad?
The Legolas Scenes are so ridiculous! Sometimes the Picture is so clear that it cannot be unseen, that its made with Computer... Especially the Armies of the Elves and the Dwarves.

Well its a nice ending for the middleearth saga... But some should not expect a new Lord of the rings...… Expand

6 of 14 users found this helpful68

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10

AsyulusDec 17, 2014

The movie was good, i loved the visual effects, great work from Freeman and Armitage, exhilarating battle sequences and apleasing connection to LOTR.

19 of 36 users found this helpful1917

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2

RmommandiDec 17, 2014

The Grand finale to the Hobbit trilogy left me terribly disappointed. I feel as if it did a discredit to the amazing book behind it, and the tales of Middle Earth as a whole.

The CGI was awful and unfortunately plentiful. The battleThe Grand finale to the Hobbit trilogy left me terribly disappointed. I feel as if it did a discredit to the amazing book behind it, and the tales of Middle Earth as a whole.

The CGI was awful and unfortunately plentiful. The battle scenes were rife with a gawdy comic feeling, rendering all attempts at reiterating the epic scenes from the ring trilogy useless.
The pacing and dialogue were incredibly inconsistent, and many sections dragged on for way too long.

A very disappointing end to the movie adaptations of Tolkiens gift to all of us.… Expand

30 of 57 users found this helpful3027

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3

foxgroveDec 17, 2014

The third and final instalment of this overblown adaptation of the rather slight book arrives with a whimper rather than a bang. Following on from the delight that was ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ this film is an exercise in tedium. Picking upThe third and final instalment of this overblown adaptation of the rather slight book arrives with a whimper rather than a bang. Following on from the delight that was ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ this film is an exercise in tedium. Picking up the story as Smaug wreaks havoc on Lake Town village, things start promisingly enough but with the dragon’s dramatic departure we are plunged into scenes of excessive chatter which all but stalls the interest. It doesn’t help that the extras milling around seem amateurish and under rehearsed and a lot of the ensuing dialogue provides unintentional mirth. The battle scenes are badly staged and unexcitingly edited and the film has a messy, untidy feel to it. One actually begins to forget what it’s all about.
Apart from Richard Armitage, who is excellent, the actors add little and Ryan Gage is particularly annoying as Alfrid. The score by Howard Shore is by turns soft and melodic and then overly emphatic as it tries to add drama to scenes that are singularly lacking any. Visually the film is still a success, although the CGI occasionally lets it down, but what the film fatally lacks is the fantastical magic and mystery that made the rings trilogy so wondrously brilliant.
The last 20 minutes or so improve somewhat as the dwarves fight the dark lord Sauron on the snow and ice. These sequences, along with the opening, sport the best of the visuals and provide the most excitement. Here we are treated to, amongst other things, collapsing bridges, giant birds and cohesive individual combat. Overall, though, one is just thankful when the song ‘The Last Goodbye’ warbles onto the soundtrack. This mercifully offers pleasing confirmation that the uneven trilogy has finally concluded. Amen to that.… Expand

13 of 31 users found this helpful1318

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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

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