the hobbit: the battle of the five armies
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: (Fantasy/Adventure): 69 out of 100: The final installment in "The Hobbit" trilogy has some impressive battle scenes involving one on one combat but is weighed down by excessive storytelling that isn't always particularly engaging. It starts off brilliantly with Smaug from the second chapter wreaking havoc but then slips into a talkfest for about 45 minutes where numerous characters pad out the story.
After having reclaimed their homeland from the dragon Smaug, the company of dwarves has unwitting unleashed a deadly force into the world. Thorin sacrifices friendship and honour to hoard the treasure but Bilbo tries to reason with him. While all this is playing out, the great enemy Sauron sends forth legions of Orcs to attack the Company. It is here where the Dwarves, Elves and men must decide to unite or be destroyed. If you can keep up with this, there are also several other sub plots to pay attention to.
As one would expect with all these sub plots, there are many characters to keep track of. Because of this, the character development doesn't really take full flight. Some of these characters only appear in one or two scenes. If you are not a huge fan of this series, you might be bored with all the dialogue.
On the other hand, Peter Jackson has delivered the goods when it comes to the action scenes. Admittedly a lot of it is CGI but it has been utilised brilliantly to provide the audience with a full scope of the battle sequences. Some of the one on one combat scenes will have you on the edge of your seat.
The film is a visual feast as the cinematography is remarkable just like it was in the previous episodes. The production design is also a sight to behold. Both these features contribute to the sheer spectacle of it all. Not only is it visually impressive but the music score and sound effects contribute to the aural pleasure.
The final installment of "The Hobbit" comes across as more of a technical delight than one that pleases as a characterisation and story achievement. The whole trilogy could have been made as a three hour film but who's to blame Peter Jackson when more money is to be made from making three films?
Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly and Luke Evans
(144 minutes)
Parental advice: Violence
Additional scenes during or after credits: No
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVAgTiBrrDA (Movie trailer)
(Reviewed on Wednesday 24th December, 2014)
