Rating of
3/4
Action Overload, Pure Fun
Chris Kavan - wrote on 12/22/14
Although The Hobbit trilogy, in my mind, is a pale imitation of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Ring Trilogy, it is still a pretty grand fantasy epic in its own right. Though the first film was a bit meandering, things picked up with the Desolation of Smaug and for Battle of the Five Armies, things pretty much turn to all-out action. Yet even amidst the many battles - there is still time for some rather introspective moments. Not everything works, but I think things wrapped up rather nicely and if this is indeed the last trip to Middle-Earth, things end on a good note.
We start with a big action scene right off the bat - the dragon Smaug, awakened, attacks Laketown, laying waster with his fire. As people struggle to escape, including the unscrupulous Master of Laketown (Stephen Fry) it falls to Bard (Luke Evans) to save the day. Meanwhile the elf Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) is navigating the burning town with Bard's children and a handful of the Dwarven clan (including potential love Kili - Aidan Turner) trying to find escape. This scene could have easily been put at the end of Desolation of Smaug - but by holding off, it creates an immediate sense of urgency and gets things off to an exciting start - and it never really lets up.
The Laketown refugees quickly make for the Lonely Mountain, where Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) had finally taken on the mantle of the king. But all is not well. Dragon sickness has taken him - and his lust to protect his massive pile of gold, not to mention locate the crowing Arkenstone - is driving him to madness - forsaking everything to protect his riches. While his fellow Dwarves reluctantly follow him out of loyalty, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) isn't so loyal - and is also secretly in possession of the Arkenstone.
Gandalf (Ian McKellen) is having a rough time of his own. Having been captured by an awakened evil - the Necromancer (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, as is Smaug) - but is rescued by a trio of powerful friends - the elves Galadriel and Elrond and fellow wizard Saruman (reprising their roles - Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and Christopher Lee). Once free, however, he wastes little time in traveling to Erebor - where he finds himself late to the party. Joining Bard and the Laketown refugees is the elf Thranduil (Lee Pace) who has come to claim some family heirlooms. When Bard attempts to parlay with Thorin, he finds the Dragon sickness has taken him - he will not deal with the elves nor honor his deal with the humans - and war seems inevitable.
Too bad that the Orcs, led by Azog (Manu Bennett) is also on the way - showing up just after the arrival of Thorin's cousin Dain (Billy Connolly). Thus we get to the actual Battle of Five Armies - and what a battle (or series of battles) it is. Some might say it's a bit of action overload - but man, there is a lot going on - it's like the Two Towers Battle of Helm's Deep amped up to 11. Needless to say, if it's action you crave, you're going to be happy.
But even amidst this blood and battle - there are some interesting, quiet moments - mostly involving Freeman, but even Legolas (Orlando Bloom) get some additional backstory. And there is even some humor, mostly in the form of the craven Alfrid (Ryan Gage). I wish there was more time for introspection, but, alas, there are orcs to behead.
That being said, certain things still felt out of place. I still don't buy the whole Tauriel/Kili relationship and the CGI, while impressive, actually felt less impressive than said Battle of Helm's Deep. And there is such a thing as too much of a good thing - all the action begins to wear after awhile.
Still, for a fantasy epic, this was a great way to end the trilogy. Though it can't quite match the sheer grandeur of The Lord of the Rings, it holds up pretty well on its own. And the end quite nicely ties in to the rest of the series.
