To start on what is doomed to be a very long review, I must reveal that I consider the Lord of the Rings trilogy to be among the greatest films ever made. This is simply so everyone will know and appreciate how hard it is for me to review this prequel trilogy objectively without stating 'Peter Jackson is God!' every 6 or 7 words. I will also warn readers now, I will not be explaining 'Middle Earth' at all; every term or name in the stories would take far too long to go through. If you are familiar with J.R.R Tolkien's work or are a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, then this should be simple to follow. With all that said, how does Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy follow up such an enormous project like Rings?
The Hobbit Trilogy follows the story of Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit (duh) from the land of The Shire, portrayed by Martin Freeman. He is whisked away on a huge adventure by wandering wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) along with 13 dwarves lead by dwarf prince Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). The dwarves are on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor and its treasure from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) who took it from the dwarves many years prior. Their story in 'An Unexpected Journey' takes them from The Shire to the Misty Mountains, where Bilbo encounters the villainous Gollum. Pt 2: 'The Desolation of Smaug' takes the 'Company' through Mirkwood and Lake Town to Erebor where Smaug lies in wait. Finally, Pt. 3 'The Battle of the Five Armies' does what it says on the tin, it's the final confrontation between all the factions that have been building up through the trilogy. Remember, I am attempting to review these as a film critic, not a fan. While I would likely give all 3 films 10/10 in my own mind. Here is a more un-bias and objective approach for you enjoyment.
Here we go!
The Hobbit Trilogy follows the story of Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit (duh) from the land of The Shire, portrayed by Martin Freeman. He is whisked away on a huge adventure by wandering wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) along with 13 dwarves lead by dwarf prince Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). The dwarves are on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor and its treasure from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) who took it from the dwarves many years prior. Their story in 'An Unexpected Journey' takes them from The Shire to the Misty Mountains, where Bilbo encounters the villainous Gollum. Pt 2: 'The Desolation of Smaug' takes the 'Company' through Mirkwood and Lake Town to Erebor where Smaug lies in wait. Finally, Pt. 3 'The Battle of the Five Armies' does what it says on the tin, it's the final confrontation between all the factions that have been building up through the trilogy. Remember, I am attempting to review these as a film critic, not a fan. While I would likely give all 3 films 10/10 in my own mind. Here is a more un-bias and objective approach for you enjoyment.
Here we go!
Pt. 1: An Unexpected Journey
The film starts with an aged Bilbo (Ian Holm) recalling the story of Erebor and how the dragon Smaug took this mighty kingdom from the dwarves. This scene is a great stage setter and will immediately familiarise any Rings fans with what they loved from the original trilogy. The only criticism here is the overstretched inclusion of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins. The scene is a great starting point but the slightly bloated references to LOTR might seem a little unnecessary to some. This scene is a little long but overall it acts very much as a detailed prologue to the story and sets a good tone to start.
Once the film flashes back to our main star, Martin Freeman as young Bilbo, the film does take a dip in pace. That being said, everything Martin Freeman brings to the character of Bilbo is completely fantastic. His subtlety and dedication to the uptight, comedic nature of this Hobbit are a joy to watch and is very difficult to ignore. Ian McKellen reprises his role as Gandalf the Grey and like in LOTR he is hugely enthusiastic with the role and brings the same energy to these new films. The chemistry between McKellen and Freeman is obvious right from the start and is immensely entertaining, and hugely important to underlining the connection they have at the start of Lord of the Rings.
Onto the dwarves; Jackson has given each of the 13 dwarves a unique set of traits. From clothing and beards to weapons and personalities, every dwarf is their own character. This has pros and cons. The primary pro is that it creates this great feeling of camaraderie amongst the 'Company', with every dwarf lending their own skill sets to the group and making their own contributions to the quest. The primary negative of this is that so many individuals can cancel each other out; so many of the dwarves have very little time to showcase their personalities, however apparent they are. The film sensibly utilises this from the start by focusing on the dwarves that really lead the story. First and foremost on this list is Thorin Oakenshield; Richard Armitage really brings a great weight and memorability to the character of this dwarf leader, desperate to reclaim his kingdom. He gives Oakenshield a serious authoritative stature while allowing him to connect with the other dwarves as a kind and loyal friend. Second on the list for film 1 is Ken Stott's Balin. Many people will know this character from Lord of the Rings and Ken Stott is exceptional as the wise but firm Balin. The other dwarves are not quite as prominent as these two but all of them get scenes where they can shine.
The film itself takes its time setting up all the plot threads and moves at a methodical pace, giving every scene time to breathe without rushing. The only backlash of this is that a lot of people will likely get bored at the slow pace. Those who love exposition will love this film as there is a lot of dialogue and plot development with very little action, especially in the first half of the film. This film carries itself very much as the obvious setup chapter, introducing the primary villain for the story, the now fleshed out Gundabad Orc, Azog the Defiler who is looking to wipe out Thorin's bloodline. This character is mentioned briefly in the Hobbit book but the prominent addition of this character is completely necessary for the film; in the book the dwarves do a lot of walking and are attacked randomly on a number of occasions. This does not translate well to film so placing Azog at the centre of all the attacks makes logical sense and puts a lot of pressure on Thorin to get to the mountain quickly, creating a layer of underlying tension for all 3 films that wouldn't otherwise be there.
The highlight scene of the first chapter is what everyone familiar with the stories might expect, the 'Riddles in the Dark' sequence with Bilbo and Gollum, a life or death situation for Bilbo depending on whether or not he can outwit the gangly creature with riddles. Andy Serkis reprises his role as Gollum and once again steals the show with a fantastic performance as the confused river dweller. Gollum is a lot lighter and more comedic in this film, as he should be considering both the nature of the story and the physical/mental torture he goes through between this film and Lord of the Rings. Once again Martin Freeman shines in this scene and the chemistry between him and Serkis is amazing to watch. This scene also introduces Bilbo to a certain magic ring and the foreshadowing here is brilliant; from the music to the direction, the ring is given a true sense of mystique and power from the start, without revealing its true nature at all.
The primary action set piece of this film is the dwarves fleeing Goblin town. This scene is great fun to watch and is a thrilling action scene. The dwarves all survive, somehow, and escaping the misty mountains proves a mighty task. There's a lot of falling, tumbling, hacking and slashing, but the action is a lot lighter than Lord of the Rings simply because the story of the Hobbit is too. Jackson has no problem lightening the content but still making reference to darker times ahead.
Overall it is a great opening chapter, if you can withstand the slow methodical pace and the exposition. This really feels like a setup to much bigger developments and acts how a first chapter should. Jackson's direction is great, the actors all gel well together, headed off by a fantastic performance from Martin Freeman who really is perfect casting as the loveable Bilbo. There are A LOT of set pieces that are the same or similar to Lord of the Rings and this can be a distraction but overall, while slow, this is a solid offering to kick off the trilogy.
Once the film flashes back to our main star, Martin Freeman as young Bilbo, the film does take a dip in pace. That being said, everything Martin Freeman brings to the character of Bilbo is completely fantastic. His subtlety and dedication to the uptight, comedic nature of this Hobbit are a joy to watch and is very difficult to ignore. Ian McKellen reprises his role as Gandalf the Grey and like in LOTR he is hugely enthusiastic with the role and brings the same energy to these new films. The chemistry between McKellen and Freeman is obvious right from the start and is immensely entertaining, and hugely important to underlining the connection they have at the start of Lord of the Rings.
Onto the dwarves; Jackson has given each of the 13 dwarves a unique set of traits. From clothing and beards to weapons and personalities, every dwarf is their own character. This has pros and cons. The primary pro is that it creates this great feeling of camaraderie amongst the 'Company', with every dwarf lending their own skill sets to the group and making their own contributions to the quest. The primary negative of this is that so many individuals can cancel each other out; so many of the dwarves have very little time to showcase their personalities, however apparent they are. The film sensibly utilises this from the start by focusing on the dwarves that really lead the story. First and foremost on this list is Thorin Oakenshield; Richard Armitage really brings a great weight and memorability to the character of this dwarf leader, desperate to reclaim his kingdom. He gives Oakenshield a serious authoritative stature while allowing him to connect with the other dwarves as a kind and loyal friend. Second on the list for film 1 is Ken Stott's Balin. Many people will know this character from Lord of the Rings and Ken Stott is exceptional as the wise but firm Balin. The other dwarves are not quite as prominent as these two but all of them get scenes where they can shine.
The film itself takes its time setting up all the plot threads and moves at a methodical pace, giving every scene time to breathe without rushing. The only backlash of this is that a lot of people will likely get bored at the slow pace. Those who love exposition will love this film as there is a lot of dialogue and plot development with very little action, especially in the first half of the film. This film carries itself very much as the obvious setup chapter, introducing the primary villain for the story, the now fleshed out Gundabad Orc, Azog the Defiler who is looking to wipe out Thorin's bloodline. This character is mentioned briefly in the Hobbit book but the prominent addition of this character is completely necessary for the film; in the book the dwarves do a lot of walking and are attacked randomly on a number of occasions. This does not translate well to film so placing Azog at the centre of all the attacks makes logical sense and puts a lot of pressure on Thorin to get to the mountain quickly, creating a layer of underlying tension for all 3 films that wouldn't otherwise be there.
The highlight scene of the first chapter is what everyone familiar with the stories might expect, the 'Riddles in the Dark' sequence with Bilbo and Gollum, a life or death situation for Bilbo depending on whether or not he can outwit the gangly creature with riddles. Andy Serkis reprises his role as Gollum and once again steals the show with a fantastic performance as the confused river dweller. Gollum is a lot lighter and more comedic in this film, as he should be considering both the nature of the story and the physical/mental torture he goes through between this film and Lord of the Rings. Once again Martin Freeman shines in this scene and the chemistry between him and Serkis is amazing to watch. This scene also introduces Bilbo to a certain magic ring and the foreshadowing here is brilliant; from the music to the direction, the ring is given a true sense of mystique and power from the start, without revealing its true nature at all.
The primary action set piece of this film is the dwarves fleeing Goblin town. This scene is great fun to watch and is a thrilling action scene. The dwarves all survive, somehow, and escaping the misty mountains proves a mighty task. There's a lot of falling, tumbling, hacking and slashing, but the action is a lot lighter than Lord of the Rings simply because the story of the Hobbit is too. Jackson has no problem lightening the content but still making reference to darker times ahead.
Overall it is a great opening chapter, if you can withstand the slow methodical pace and the exposition. This really feels like a setup to much bigger developments and acts how a first chapter should. Jackson's direction is great, the actors all gel well together, headed off by a fantastic performance from Martin Freeman who really is perfect casting as the loveable Bilbo. There are A LOT of set pieces that are the same or similar to Lord of the Rings and this can be a distraction but overall, while slow, this is a solid offering to kick off the trilogy.
IMO - 7.5/10
Pt.2: The Desolation of Smaug
After a slow but steady build in part 1, Jackson wastes little time in kicking off this film so neither will I:
After a short flashback, the film opens to find the dwarves in peril, being hunted down by Azog and his Orc pack. Jackson has clearly realised that the pace needed to quicken from the start this time round and the film really benefits from this, with much less talking and a lot more progression. The dwarves are all unfortunately still a bit forgettable but we get some fresh new development, especially with young dwarf Kili. Thorin is still main focus of the company, but this is definitely a better showing for most involved.
In part 2, Jackson is clearly relieved to have nothing but brand new settings and locations to play with. The introductions of Mirkwood and Laketown are fantastic with incredible set design and complex details right down to the embroidery on clothing. In Mirkwood we meet 3 new characters. Firstly, we have the Elven king Thranduil, played by Lee Pace. After a very brief appearance in film 1's prologue, Pace does a fantastic job fitting in to Middle Earth with an arrogant and ignorant King who does not aid those around him unless it benefits him. Another character is the returning Elven prince Legolas, played once again by Orlando Bloom. Legolas does not appear in the Hobbit book, but he would obviously be there in some capacity if his father is the king of Mirkwood. The most prominent new addition is the completely new character of Tauriel, played by Evangeline Lilly. Jackson and his writers brought this character in to increase the female presence in the films. While I do understand the reasons, Tauriel is not given the right story to justify her being there. A slightly strange love triangle between her, Kili the dwarf and Legolas is unsteady and does not sit quite right in terms of the other other plot strands. However the actors give it their all and it never feels forced. If you can bare some pretty cheesy dialogue, this is a small distraction.
The primary shift of focus in the story is the sudden importance of the Arkenstone, the jewel that Thorin believes confirms his right to rule Erebor, but is somewhere beneath the feet of Smaug the dragon. This jewel is shown plenty during the prologue of part 1 but otherwise it is not mentioned; now that the mountain draws close in the story, Jackson places the importance back in finding the Arkenstone and using it to back up Thorin's claim to the throne.
Unlike the first film, the Desolation of Smaug has action scenes by the dozen; from spiders, elves and bears (oh my) to a hugely entertaining barrel run down a river to the immense finale with Smaug, this film has a lot more fuel to burn. Every action scene is used to further the story, no chase or fight is used needlessly without some sort of character development occurring. The barrel run is wickedly fun to watch; with action, peril and a lot of elves shooting orcs whilst chasing dwarves down a river. This scene is tense, fast paced and most importantly a lot of fun while being a much needed push for the story.
Jackson also makes the surprising but very intelligent decision of separating Azog and Thorin completely for the entire second film. This continues to build tension and anticipation towards their inevitable showdown in the third and final instalment. Azog's responsibilities are changed as he is called to the ruined fortress of Dol Guldur. This ruined castle is the stronghold of the Necromancer, a sorcerer who can summon the dead. For all those familiar with the story, you will know who this character actually is, but no spoilers here!
In the book, Gandalf disappears for a long time without explanation before retuning in the final battle. Jackson fills in this plot point using footnotes from Tolkien's works to follow Gandalf's time line. These footnotes allow the inclusion of the White Council who primarily appear in part 1 but their mission becomes more relevant here. The White Council is made up of Gandalf, Saruman the White (Christopher Lee), Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). Some might think their inclusion is purely for LOTR nostalgia but their mission is part of Tolkien's work and is wholly necessary to further the mystery and danger of the Necromancer. This story is fantastic and adds a whole layer of exposition otherwise unknown to the viewers who haven't read all of Tolkien'smore detailed side notes. Gandalf is left in a bit of a predicament involving A LOT of Orcs that will come into play in the final chapter of this trilogy and this really is a pretty literal definition of a cliffhanger.
Another new set is Laketown, the human domain in the middle of a lake (obviously) right alongside Erebor. This introduced Bard, played by Luke Evans. Evans does a fantastic job as Bard, though he isn't given quite enough time to become a true emotional investment. Stephen Fry is also involved as the Master of Laketown, a comedic but repulsive leader who does not care about his struggling citizens. The film spends a lot of time here and does slow down a little, but it is all to further the emotional impact of both the ending of this film and the beginning of the final film.
Now onto the main event, the dragon Smaug! Never in cinema has there been a dragon so well recognised as both a creature and a character. Benedict Cumberbatch is inspired casting as the enormous dragon. He oozes arrogance whilst also conveying great intelligence with a low, unstable, terrifying voice. Smaug's infamous scene with Bilbo is a masterclass in tension, and it is fantastic to watch. Smaug's attempts to draw Bilbo out are calculated and at times very sinister. What follows is an immense finale that almost brings down the mountain itself. This scene has some slightly silly moments, with a lot of luck involved and slightly less physics. Ending with an outstanding cliffhanger and the simple words 'What have we done?' to finish, if you are not remotely curious as to what happens next then you have something wrong with you.
Overall a huge improvement in pacing over the first film, with action set pieces by the bucketload, brand new sets and characters and an incredible finale involving cinemas greatest dragon, whilst still providing the necessary exposition along the way. If you don't mind quite a few liberties taken with the book to flesh out the characters and give them better stories, then this will be a thrilling ride.
After a short flashback, the film opens to find the dwarves in peril, being hunted down by Azog and his Orc pack. Jackson has clearly realised that the pace needed to quicken from the start this time round and the film really benefits from this, with much less talking and a lot more progression. The dwarves are all unfortunately still a bit forgettable but we get some fresh new development, especially with young dwarf Kili. Thorin is still main focus of the company, but this is definitely a better showing for most involved.
In part 2, Jackson is clearly relieved to have nothing but brand new settings and locations to play with. The introductions of Mirkwood and Laketown are fantastic with incredible set design and complex details right down to the embroidery on clothing. In Mirkwood we meet 3 new characters. Firstly, we have the Elven king Thranduil, played by Lee Pace. After a very brief appearance in film 1's prologue, Pace does a fantastic job fitting in to Middle Earth with an arrogant and ignorant King who does not aid those around him unless it benefits him. Another character is the returning Elven prince Legolas, played once again by Orlando Bloom. Legolas does not appear in the Hobbit book, but he would obviously be there in some capacity if his father is the king of Mirkwood. The most prominent new addition is the completely new character of Tauriel, played by Evangeline Lilly. Jackson and his writers brought this character in to increase the female presence in the films. While I do understand the reasons, Tauriel is not given the right story to justify her being there. A slightly strange love triangle between her, Kili the dwarf and Legolas is unsteady and does not sit quite right in terms of the other other plot strands. However the actors give it their all and it never feels forced. If you can bare some pretty cheesy dialogue, this is a small distraction.
The primary shift of focus in the story is the sudden importance of the Arkenstone, the jewel that Thorin believes confirms his right to rule Erebor, but is somewhere beneath the feet of Smaug the dragon. This jewel is shown plenty during the prologue of part 1 but otherwise it is not mentioned; now that the mountain draws close in the story, Jackson places the importance back in finding the Arkenstone and using it to back up Thorin's claim to the throne.
Unlike the first film, the Desolation of Smaug has action scenes by the dozen; from spiders, elves and bears (oh my) to a hugely entertaining barrel run down a river to the immense finale with Smaug, this film has a lot more fuel to burn. Every action scene is used to further the story, no chase or fight is used needlessly without some sort of character development occurring. The barrel run is wickedly fun to watch; with action, peril and a lot of elves shooting orcs whilst chasing dwarves down a river. This scene is tense, fast paced and most importantly a lot of fun while being a much needed push for the story.
Jackson also makes the surprising but very intelligent decision of separating Azog and Thorin completely for the entire second film. This continues to build tension and anticipation towards their inevitable showdown in the third and final instalment. Azog's responsibilities are changed as he is called to the ruined fortress of Dol Guldur. This ruined castle is the stronghold of the Necromancer, a sorcerer who can summon the dead. For all those familiar with the story, you will know who this character actually is, but no spoilers here!
In the book, Gandalf disappears for a long time without explanation before retuning in the final battle. Jackson fills in this plot point using footnotes from Tolkien's works to follow Gandalf's time line. These footnotes allow the inclusion of the White Council who primarily appear in part 1 but their mission becomes more relevant here. The White Council is made up of Gandalf, Saruman the White (Christopher Lee), Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). Some might think their inclusion is purely for LOTR nostalgia but their mission is part of Tolkien's work and is wholly necessary to further the mystery and danger of the Necromancer. This story is fantastic and adds a whole layer of exposition otherwise unknown to the viewers who haven't read all of Tolkien'smore detailed side notes. Gandalf is left in a bit of a predicament involving A LOT of Orcs that will come into play in the final chapter of this trilogy and this really is a pretty literal definition of a cliffhanger.
Another new set is Laketown, the human domain in the middle of a lake (obviously) right alongside Erebor. This introduced Bard, played by Luke Evans. Evans does a fantastic job as Bard, though he isn't given quite enough time to become a true emotional investment. Stephen Fry is also involved as the Master of Laketown, a comedic but repulsive leader who does not care about his struggling citizens. The film spends a lot of time here and does slow down a little, but it is all to further the emotional impact of both the ending of this film and the beginning of the final film.
Now onto the main event, the dragon Smaug! Never in cinema has there been a dragon so well recognised as both a creature and a character. Benedict Cumberbatch is inspired casting as the enormous dragon. He oozes arrogance whilst also conveying great intelligence with a low, unstable, terrifying voice. Smaug's infamous scene with Bilbo is a masterclass in tension, and it is fantastic to watch. Smaug's attempts to draw Bilbo out are calculated and at times very sinister. What follows is an immense finale that almost brings down the mountain itself. This scene has some slightly silly moments, with a lot of luck involved and slightly less physics. Ending with an outstanding cliffhanger and the simple words 'What have we done?' to finish, if you are not remotely curious as to what happens next then you have something wrong with you.
Overall a huge improvement in pacing over the first film, with action set pieces by the bucketload, brand new sets and characters and an incredible finale involving cinemas greatest dragon, whilst still providing the necessary exposition along the way. If you don't mind quite a few liberties taken with the book to flesh out the characters and give them better stories, then this will be a thrilling ride.
IMO - 8/10
Pt. 3: The Battle of the Five Armies
This film is the first of any Middle Earth movies that does not start with a flashback. It dives straight into the peril we were left with at the end of part 2. This is one of the best opening scenes in the Middle Earth saga with a certain dragon destroying a certain innocent town on a lake. This scene is dark, very dark with a surprising amount of on-screen death and you really do get a sense that this town has absolutely no chance against the dragon's wrath. The tension is amped up to the max from the start and it is a true thrill ride! The audience is given no time to breathe in an incredible, though surprisingly short sequence. While it is understandable that a dragon the size of Smaug would not take very long in destroying a medium sized town, this sequence is noticeably short, especially for Peter Jackson with the whole opening sequence being a maximum of 15 minutes in length.
Unexpectedly this film becomes the Richard Armitage show very quickly, with Thorin swiftly becoming seduced by the treasure of Erebor (this sickness is mentioned though out the 3 films, but there is only so much writing a reviewer can do). Now that the dwarves are alone in the mountain, Thorin becomes increasingly obsessed with finding the Arkenstone to the point where he does not seem to care at all for the lives of others. Armitage plays this emotional confusion with great fervour and he sinks his teeth into every line. Jackson also introduces a subliminal relationship between Thorin's obsession with the treasure and the soon-to-be apparent power of Bilbo's ring. This creates a wonderfully offset and uneasy connection between the once close Bilbo and Thorin.
Gandalf's story immediately follows the opening with yet another fantastic sequence involving the White Council in Dol Guldur. This is a hugely satisfying but once again a very short scene. Jackson has clearly realised that this film requires a lot of quick plot movement (even quicker than part 2!) and he delivers this in spades with little to no fat on the meat that is this film! The funny thing is, while this film is actually the shortest of any Middle Earth film, you wouldn't know it. There is so much content in this film that, while it flies by, you very quickly forget how long you've been watching.
As other characters head toward the mountain, all with claims to the treasure inside, the anticipation for the upcoming titular battle becomes almost unbearable. When Azog arrives leading the Necromancer's army from the fortress, what ensues is one of the most entertaining on screen battles in recent memory. At 49 minutes in length, this is an immense and emotionally draining finale. There is so much development though out this battle that it is almost impossible to keep track of everything; from Bard fending off Orcs so the woman and children can escape, to Thorin conflicting with himself over his treasure horde and the lives of his kin, there is a lot of weight to this battle and it is an absolute roller-coaster of a fight. All of this inevitably leads to the much anticipated collision between Thorin and Azog. This fight is a brawl of epic proportions, a slugfest of fist, sword and mace. You feel every blow and this really does feel like the payoff we have wanted through all three films. Unfortunately if you have read the books you know that not all of this ends in smiles, but fear not; these scenes are handled with great emotional power and it will be very hard not to tear up.
The connection to Lord of the Rings that comes at the very end is beautifully realised with Ian Holm returning as the aged Bilbo to close the film in the best possible way, which I will not spoil. It's emotional and really ties all the films together in a brilliantly neat little package. One scene stood out negatively however; this was a scene involving Thranduil and Legolas with an unnecessary reference to another unseen Lord of the Rings character. It does fill in a gap that some people would likely want to know about from the first LOTR film, but it stands out so much from the other scenes that it will likely make some people groan. However this scene is only 2 minutes long so it really does not harm the overall film.
My main criticism of this film looking back is the needless love story between Tauriel and dwarf Kili. It seemed to gain an acceptable amount of momentum in film 2, but it really doesn't go anywhere in this film and becomes a cliche very quickly, featuring one of my least favourite romance lines of dialogue 'I can't turn away from how I feel, you make me feel alive'. While the film overall thankfully leaves this love-fest to a minimum, the short amount of screen time it is given still merits a point deduction.
Overall this is, by a long way, the tightest Middle Earth film ever made. Jackson literally wastes no time getting to the heart of this film and pays it off big time with a phenomenal, emotional and explosive battle with Elves, Dwarves and Men against Orcs and Goblins (5 armies see?) with some surprise appearances too. Bilbo remains at the heart of the story with Martin Freeman owning the screen every time he's on it. Every character gets a fitting send off and while there is some unnecessary throwing back to LOTR and a poorly concluded romance, this film, by a clear mile, is the best chapter in the Hobbit Trilogy. If you haven't seen the previous 2 chapters, I really wouldn't recommend starting here. To those who really enjoyed the first two Hobbit films, and once again don't mind the liberties taken with the story, this is pure escapism at its finest and a finale that you will not soon forget.
Unexpectedly this film becomes the Richard Armitage show very quickly, with Thorin swiftly becoming seduced by the treasure of Erebor (this sickness is mentioned though out the 3 films, but there is only so much writing a reviewer can do). Now that the dwarves are alone in the mountain, Thorin becomes increasingly obsessed with finding the Arkenstone to the point where he does not seem to care at all for the lives of others. Armitage plays this emotional confusion with great fervour and he sinks his teeth into every line. Jackson also introduces a subliminal relationship between Thorin's obsession with the treasure and the soon-to-be apparent power of Bilbo's ring. This creates a wonderfully offset and uneasy connection between the once close Bilbo and Thorin.
Gandalf's story immediately follows the opening with yet another fantastic sequence involving the White Council in Dol Guldur. This is a hugely satisfying but once again a very short scene. Jackson has clearly realised that this film requires a lot of quick plot movement (even quicker than part 2!) and he delivers this in spades with little to no fat on the meat that is this film! The funny thing is, while this film is actually the shortest of any Middle Earth film, you wouldn't know it. There is so much content in this film that, while it flies by, you very quickly forget how long you've been watching.
As other characters head toward the mountain, all with claims to the treasure inside, the anticipation for the upcoming titular battle becomes almost unbearable. When Azog arrives leading the Necromancer's army from the fortress, what ensues is one of the most entertaining on screen battles in recent memory. At 49 minutes in length, this is an immense and emotionally draining finale. There is so much development though out this battle that it is almost impossible to keep track of everything; from Bard fending off Orcs so the woman and children can escape, to Thorin conflicting with himself over his treasure horde and the lives of his kin, there is a lot of weight to this battle and it is an absolute roller-coaster of a fight. All of this inevitably leads to the much anticipated collision between Thorin and Azog. This fight is a brawl of epic proportions, a slugfest of fist, sword and mace. You feel every blow and this really does feel like the payoff we have wanted through all three films. Unfortunately if you have read the books you know that not all of this ends in smiles, but fear not; these scenes are handled with great emotional power and it will be very hard not to tear up.
The connection to Lord of the Rings that comes at the very end is beautifully realised with Ian Holm returning as the aged Bilbo to close the film in the best possible way, which I will not spoil. It's emotional and really ties all the films together in a brilliantly neat little package. One scene stood out negatively however; this was a scene involving Thranduil and Legolas with an unnecessary reference to another unseen Lord of the Rings character. It does fill in a gap that some people would likely want to know about from the first LOTR film, but it stands out so much from the other scenes that it will likely make some people groan. However this scene is only 2 minutes long so it really does not harm the overall film.
My main criticism of this film looking back is the needless love story between Tauriel and dwarf Kili. It seemed to gain an acceptable amount of momentum in film 2, but it really doesn't go anywhere in this film and becomes a cliche very quickly, featuring one of my least favourite romance lines of dialogue 'I can't turn away from how I feel, you make me feel alive'. While the film overall thankfully leaves this love-fest to a minimum, the short amount of screen time it is given still merits a point deduction.
Overall this is, by a long way, the tightest Middle Earth film ever made. Jackson literally wastes no time getting to the heart of this film and pays it off big time with a phenomenal, emotional and explosive battle with Elves, Dwarves and Men against Orcs and Goblins (5 armies see?) with some surprise appearances too. Bilbo remains at the heart of the story with Martin Freeman owning the screen every time he's on it. Every character gets a fitting send off and while there is some unnecessary throwing back to LOTR and a poorly concluded romance, this film, by a clear mile, is the best chapter in the Hobbit Trilogy. If you haven't seen the previous 2 chapters, I really wouldn't recommend starting here. To those who really enjoyed the first two Hobbit films, and once again don't mind the liberties taken with the story, this is pure escapism at its finest and a finale that you will not soon forget.
IMO - 9/10
In Closing
As I stated at the top, this was very difficult to look at it objectively without becoming a pure fanboy. This was a great challenge and I would highly recommend the Hobbit trilogy, but only if you enjoyed the Lord of the Rings films as well. If you thought LOTR was ok but maybe wanted something lighter, there is still much to enjoy here, and I will say that this is among the best examples of a trilogy I've ever seen. The first chapter focuses on the characters and their relationships, the second gives the characters enemies and serious decisions to make, whereas the third gives you the emotional payoff with a huge confrontation. I watched all 3 Hobbit films as part of an IMAX 3D triple bill with one of the first UK showings of the final chapter. You really do get a good sense of the story when all 3 are watched back to back.
To honour Peter Jackson's decision to split one book into three films, I've decided to split my final score into three separate categories. Enjoy!
To honour Peter Jackson's decision to split one book into three films, I've decided to split my final score into three separate categories. Enjoy!