Review of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) by Rob H — 31 Aug 2015

While there was plenty great action and effects, decent 3D but I could not tell the point of the big battle. Left me thinking things like: were there just 5 armies? Felt more like either 4 or just 6. And better yet what we're they all fighting for exactly?

I have made it no secret that I was not for it being three films, while some added subplots did serve a purpose for better character development it never really felt needed. And well they had focused more on Bilbo, Drawfes and build up for Lord of the Rings you would essentially have gotten the two film version it should have been.

Although I can't help but feel and this may be the only argument for 3 films, if we had gotten a more to the point second film that ended the series... It might not have been easy to follow and/ or felt like Return of the King in terms of run time all over again.

As a film this was just ok, it has it's superb moments and does somehow make for a good ending to the series. Now that the trilogy is now completed I think how well of a job it did is debatable. The pace of the first was good enough to keep me engaged, you can tell they left it alone after they decided to make 3 instead of 2 and was a great set up for what followed.

Overall the trilogy is a mixed bag of a adaptation, there are plenty of moments it got right at least while others it didn't. The parts that were actually in the book were done for the most part well, the ground breaking 3D truly was something. I was only see the first (possibly second can't say for sure looking back on it) in the HFR 3D format but it's still something to behold.

I guess in all I liked The Hobbit as a series, but this wasn't that great of a ending you'd hope. The point to the most important part of film (which it was named after) almost got lost somewhere and can be distracting in itself. But it was at least great to return to middle earth for what may be the last time and as a Tolkien fan I can't fault that.