It is finally here. The epic conclusion to the epic story that was so incredibly detailed, it had to be broken into three parts in order to do it justice. Peter Jackson finally wraps up The Hobbit trilogy with this third installment, The Battle of the Five Armies.
We pick up where we left off in The Desolation of Smaug, with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the army of dwarves watching Smaug descend upon Laketown to get revenge for the ills he feels have been directed upon him. What follows is the destruction of the village and, as the title suggests, a battle between five different armies (though this comes much later). In typical Peter Jackson fashion, a lot of character back story and scene buildup is scattered in between these two battles and a long homage to the characters follows them. This is not me complaining; this is me appreciating Peter Jackson taking the time to tell a wonderful story and making the viewers truly care about each individual character.
This trilogy has been met largely with criticism, for all sorts of different reasons, but Peter Jackson really goes all out with the final installment. He shows how invested he truly is in Tolkien’s world, and how much he cares about the characters, the villages, the story itself. The end result is a beautifully crafted final piece of a story that really did need to be three parts, because the details we receive in each of the films lead to the fantastic finish, and the audience is that much more invested. We are introduced to multiple back stories, and because of this, the conclusion is fulfilling, if not heartbreaking.
The acting in this installment is phenomenal, as each actor/actress seems to be truly one with their characters. Just like in the second movie, Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) steals the show. Freeman gives another stellar performance as Bilbo, and Richard Armitage does a fantastic job of playing the tormented Thorin, king of the dwarves. Ian McKellan, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, and Orlando Bloom round out the rest of the main cast.
What really should be mentioned is the nonstop action of the movie, which will satisfy the critics of Jackson’s usual slow-paced setup. The battle scenes, which at times can seem tedious, are in the end spectacular and lay a strong base for what we know will come in the following trilogy. It seems as though the main goal of the battle is to entertain, and this is exactly what happens. In the end, the audience is left with a satisfied emotional feeling.
This is a film that needs to be seen in theaters to truly appreciate everything that went into making it. The battles leap off the screen, the characters come to life more than in any of the other films, and the drama at the end is truly felt by the audience as Jackson brings this tale to a close. Fans of the book will appreciate his craft, but even the general movie-goer will see what he is trying to accomplish and will leave the theaters sensing that he succeeded.
Rating:
9/10
yorkcinematt 