The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

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The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Released December 17 2014

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Chez Wombat View member profile	Aug 4 2014, 10:43 AM Post #1
The owls are not what they seem Pronouns: He/him Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,107 User: 9,232	Official trailer out now: Egvg4w7VaU4 'Smaug' was a big improvement on '...Journey' and set it up to be pretty huge so hopefully this one can lead the franchise to 'amazing' territory for the finish. Indeed, anything less I feel would be a bit of a disappointment looking at how much they've been building up to it. This post has been edited by Chez Wombat: Aug 4 2014, 10:44 AM


Iz 🌟 View member profile	Aug 4 2014, 01:24 PM Post #2
I'm a paragon so don't perceive me Joined: 3 February 2011 Posts: 37,409 User: 12,929	I hope to see 50-odd more obscure references from the depths of Tolkien's scrapbooks. . Using 'The Edge Of Night' again for the trailer feels a little lazy and possibly an attempt to compare it to Return Of The King (so probably the worst trailer of the 6), but I'm very excited for this naturally. Most importantly though, we'll finally be able to see how the actual battle plays out in any medium.


richie View member profile	Aug 5 2014, 06:55 AM Post #3
Poet and Storyteller Joined: 11 March 2006 Posts: 6,753 User: 166	I'm in two minds about this. I liked the first Hobbit film, even if the set-piece action scenes were a real drag, but the second film was excruciating. Part of me says I should watch the third to see how Jackson thinks it should end, but another part is wondering how boring it will be. In LOTR terms, the first and third were far better than the second, so there is hope. One 2.5 hour film was what this needed though - I don't buy all that "doing it justice", this was all about the revenue. Even Ian McKellan joked about wondering how they got three films out of such a short book.


Iz 🌟 View member profile	Dec 18 2014, 12:34 AM Post #4
I'm a paragon so don't perceive me Joined: 3 February 2011 Posts: 37,409 User: 12,929	Just been to see this, and it was a very very satisfying finish to the Tolkien franchise. A lot of it was indeed one huge battle but that was pretty much the point of this film, and the vista for the battle was suitably epic. I was pleased with how many characters they managed to balance too, from Bard's son Bane to Dain to Beorn even matching his (late) book cameo, a very faithful final part. My only complaint was that I felt they could have made more from Sauron's return, especially at the end of the film. The White Council vs Nazgul fight was one of the best parts of the film and I'd have liked more of that; it just disappeared later on and Sauron's threat felt a bit less overarching. And just more Tolkien tidbits in general would have been nice. Hopefully it there will be less people saying it was too long and unnecessary though as personally, it felt remarkably compact for a Jackson film.


365 View member profile	Dec 18 2014, 11:42 AM Post #5
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 11 October 2013 Posts: 31,023 User: 19,931	I loved this. I was so disappointed by the first two that I went in with little expectation. But I was very surprised at how good it was. It felt a lot more like LOTR than the first two. The battle was as epic as you'd hope for, the opening section with the dragon was fantastic and as Eyes said, the battle with Sauron was great, I am happy they left that there, it wasn't part of the Hobbit as it is, but was a great little intro to Lord Of The Rings. . The Legolas/Turial/Drag Queen Elf/hot dwarf storyline was rich and engrossing. It was also actually quite thrilling, tense and shocking in parts, which I did not expect. Though it was 10 minutes overlong, in true Peter Jackson style, I didn't like the part when he returned to the Shire, though I'm sure that part is in the book, so they wanted to stay somewhat faithful. One of the other reasons I enjoyed it so much was because there was less Bilbo screen-time. I really don't think Martin Freeman made a good hobbit, sadly. The Leglas/Tural/Drag Queen Elf/hot dwarf storyline was rich and engrossing. This post has been edited by MistleJoe.: Dec 18 2014, 11:08 PM


Klaus View member profile	Dec 18 2014, 03:41 PM Post #6
❤️❤️➕🟦 Joined: 3 June 2012 Posts: 22,246 User: 17,160	mild spoilers alert I guess The visuals were superb as expected and the battle scenes were really enthralling, which I kind of wasn't expecting to be fair. It's the usual complaints but I still disagree with this being split into three films. It's good for the Tolkien fans I know but, to the average viewer, there is not enough story there to make three equally entertaining films. The part with Smaug at the beginning of this film just didn't fit with me and felt like it should have belonged with the second film if they were so determined to spilt the films. Considering what a huge focus Smaug is in the the second film, for him to be destroyed within the first 10 minutes or so was underwhelming and it felt like he didn't fit within the film. I know this third film was all about 'now Smaug is dead who can claim the treasure' but it just felt like he was easily killed as if he was a boss in a video game - hit the weak spot and you'll kill him. QUOTE(MistleJoe. @ Dec 18 2014, 11:42 AM) I really don't think Martin Freeman made a good hobbit, sadly. I've found it strange throughout the three films. I'm so used to seeing him play the sensible voice of reason, sort of average human being as it were and all of those things is what Bilbo is but it doesn't feel right because it's now in this massive fantasy world where he's the main character. QUOTE(MistleJoe. @ Dec 18 2014, 11:42 AM) Drag Queen Elf


Iz 🌟 View member profile	Dec 18 2014, 04:24 PM Post #7
I'm a paragon so don't perceive me Joined: 3 February 2011 Posts: 37,409 User: 12,929	Oh Thranduil. He really came off as a bit of an asshole, which is a shame as he's one of the most intriguing Middle Earth characters for my money. And as I've not watched Sherlock (crime, I know) or seen Martin Freeman in anything else I really bought him as a hobbit because he did come across as just an average guy thrust into a weird world, in general hobbits are the real Tolkien stand-in for ordinary people rather than the humans. I saw a lot of this film as being how they would kill Fili, Kili and Thorin, so I spent the entire film waiting to see how it would happen and it was as sad as I was expecting. I understand where you're coming from Rabbit, but I think had Smaug been killed at the end of the second film, audiences who didn't know the book would have wondered why a third film was needed, cliffhanger and all. He could have lasted longer but anyone who knew the story would have spent the first 10 minutes of that film just waiting for Smaug to die and get the story moving (although for other people it may have seemed rushed), because that's how the story goes. They did a similar thing with Saruman in LOTR, in fact, to an extent, all 4 of the continuing films of these 6 has had a previous plot thread from the last film to be quickly tied up before moving on to the main body, helps with continuity. In the book, no-one actually knows about Smaug's weakness until Bilbo discovers it, he has gemstones stuck in his flesh everywhere through sleeping on the treasure except one vulnerable spot, a sentient thrush overhears Bilbo telling the dwarves about it and that thrush relays the message to Bard in the battle, and it's only because Bard and his family are all such good bowman that he's able to hit. I guess that's to show it's not a sure thing by any means that Smaug was defeated but we're all so used to villains having one weakness to exploit that it doesn't feel particularly original anymore.


Mart!n View member profile	Dec 18 2014, 05:00 PM Post #8
Infamy Infamy they all got it in for me Joined: 5 March 2006 Posts: 129,134 User: 2	I thorougly enjoyed it, the village battle scene at the start was mind blowing, it had me transfixed, and probably set the whole film up right to the end. I can't remember much from the book as I haven't read it for a while, so I don't know what's missing. The length of the film was pretty much spot not too long like the previous one, I still think Desolation of Smaug is the best one out of the three. Peter Jackson next movie project effort is Krull Island apparently its a prequel to King Kong.


Chez Wombat View member profile	Dec 18 2014, 05:33 PM Post #9
The owls are not what they seem Pronouns: He/him Joined: 11 July 2009 Posts: 37,107 User: 9,232	May contain spoilers but really, you shouldn't be reading this thread if you don't want any~ I enjoyed this a lot, think I preferred The Desolation of Smaug overall but this was a suitable way to end the franchise I think. Having not actually finished the book (though I may have at a younger age but I remember none of it) I was surprised that Smaug was killed so quickly after the cliffhanger at the end of the film, as it seemed like the film was heading towards that being a focal point. I would've liked to see a bit more of that (also, it did seem far too easy a kill for one man to do considering how powerful he was meant to be) The battle was visually spectacular as ever and it had enough emotion/pauses between the fighting to make it not seem tiresome. Though, there was a tendency to have too many 'good guy facing death by one of the orcs, arrow comes from nowhere and kills it dead, another army appears' scenes and the Orc leader waking up below the water was kinda predictable and I don't like how it was used as an 'is he dead' suspense, water of that temperature would kill you instantly no?! slight nitpick I know As for length, I thought it was much shorter than I expected, the last one being 2 hours 45 minutes, I was expecting even longer, but I'm glad it wasn't as the last two films dragged a lot at times. This post has been edited by FrostytheWallaby: Dec 18 2014, 05:34 PM


365 View member profile	Dec 18 2014, 11:16 PM Post #10
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 11 October 2013 Posts: 31,023 User: 19,931	Mild spoilers - I thought the opening and how the dealt with the dragon was perfect. A really great, thrilling opening to the film and didn't feel dragged out at all. The issue was, it had been a year since I saw the last one and it took me a little while to remember everything that was happening. I couldn't remember why certain characters were where they were etc. I adore the extended versions of each of the Lord Of the Rings trilogy, but haven't bothered with either of the Hobbits, this is the first time I'd be interested to see an extended cut, as there was lots of intriguing aspects of the film. I thought it was odd Frodo wasn't used at the end the way he was at the start?


Frank! View member profile	Dec 28 2014, 12:30 PM Post #11
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 14 June 2006 Posts: 21,557 User: 761	I expected a bit more from this. The opening scene with the dragon was so exciting and a great thrill. The rest of the film didn't live up to that for me. It was all a bit too much about the visuals and the battle, with no interesting story.


Insomnio View member profile	Jan 23 2015, 07:49 PM Post #12
BuzzJack Gold Member Joined: 4 March 2010 Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742	"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" is the last film of the trilogy based on the novel "The Hobbit" by the English author J.R.R. Tolkien. It was released in my country a week before Christmas, and it was the second most successful movie of the last year. Having seen the previous two films, I can say that they had very good directing, spectacular photography, stunning scenery and remarkable soundtrack! So going to see the last part of the trilogy, I had high expectations for its content. However, "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" was very exciting but certainly only in the final battle. The movie starts directly with the attack of the dragon Smaug to destroy Laketown since it ended this way in "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug". Of course, the producers and the director Peter Jackson could have added that particular scene in the previous film so as to initiate with a more relaxed way the third part. They preferred, however, to start with intensity the last movie, something that I did not find visually pleasing. Then there were some scenes that were necessary for the story and finally it concluded with the epic battle between goblins (Orcs) and the Wargs of Moria, Gundabad and the Misty Mountains against the Men of the Long Lake, the Dwarves on and near the Lonely Mountain, the Elves of Mirkwood, and the great Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Right there the film had too much action, amazing battle scenes (Legolas against Bolg, Thorin against Azog), elaborate montage and very loud sound effects! The Academy totally appreciated the latter and "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" has been nominated for "Best Sound Editing". I wouldn't say that its visuals effects satisfied me all over the course of the film, but the battle of the five armies were quite spectacular! Definitely "The Hobbit" can not be compared to the "Lord of the Rings" but that does not mean that it shouldn't have been adapted on the the big screen. Instead it was an apt choice of the producers to turn the "prequel" of "The Lord of the Rings". Moreover, as we all know there is no inspiration anymore in Hollywood after nobody supports fresh/original stories. At least, seeing those that already exist and have millions of fans worldwide. And "The Hobbit" was a great production that managed to become very profitable throughout this period. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" was one of the most costly productions of last year. It has managed to triple its total budget in receipts ($250.000.000 - $806.000.000) but it ended up to be the least successful part of the trilogy. Nevertheless, it has a high average score on IMDb (7,7) and it was one of the most hype films of 2014. It is obvious that viewers can't stand the harsh reality that this world has and they choose to see fairytales or fantasy stories in cinema to escape from the daily routine. Moreover, they need to see that the good always wins in the end, something that doesn't often happen outside the cinema.