The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
 Dir. Peter Jackson
 Writ. Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
 Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
 Rated PG-13
 144 mins.
 Fantasy
 IMDB: 7.8

Ah, The Battle of the Five Armies. The final movie of the Middle Earth saga. It’s just emotional to think it’s all OVER!

The Battle of the Five Armies begins with Smaug, awake and pissed off because of Bilbo and the dwarves, basically really taking out his frustrations on Laketown. This leads to Bard (played by Luke Evans) blowing the viewers MINDS with his amazing acting as he tries to defend his town. It’s amazing! Bard FLOORED me here. This movie started off with such an amazing performance that it really sets you up for what’s to come.

… and what’s to come is pain. Lots and lots of pain. Thorin falling apart due to the same mental sickness that befell his forefathers, Balin (Ken Stott) watching as his hopes for his peoples’ future falls apart, the people of Laketown (the ones that survived anyhow) trying to pick up the pieces left behind by Smaug’s attack, a beautifully emotional little scene between Kili (Aiden Turner) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) that I loved even if some people hated, Thranduil (Lee Pace) being a total badass and showing his emotions (especially an emotional conflict with his son Legolas – played by Orlando Bloom), and eventually this whole giant battle (as the name The Battle of the Five Armies suggests) that really, really kills tons of people.

It’s not as happy of a movie as the first two were. It’s a lot darker of a film. There’s really nothing lighthearted at all about the third movie, but it’s makes up for it with more intense action sequences, more intense acting, and some very emotional moments. I’m not ashamed to say I cried over this one.  It’s such an amazing finish to a wonderful trilogy and I can’t say much more without spoilering it, but let’s just say nobody can walk away from this movie disappointed.

My Rating: 8/10