MOVIE REVIEW: “The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies”

December 26, 2014
by
3 mins read

[box type=”shadow” ]Release Date: December 17, 2014
Running Time: 2 hours and 24 minutes
Rated PG-13
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Grade:
B+[/box]

Starring:

[one_half]Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins

Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel

Richard Armitage as Thorin

Orlando Bloom as Legolas

Ken Stott as Balin

Lee Pace as Thranduil

Graham McTavish as Dwalin

Cate Blanchett as Galadriel

William Kircher as Bifur

Hugo Weaving as Elrond

James Nesbitt as Bofur

Christopher Lee as Saruman

Stephen Hunter as Bombur Ia

Ian Holm as Old Bilbo

[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Dean O’Gorman as Fili

Sylvester McCoy as Radagast

Aidan Turner as Kili

Luke Evans as Bard

John Callen as Oin

Ryan Gage as Alfrid

Peter Hambleton as Gloin

Manu Bennett as Azog

Mark Hadlow as Dori

Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug

Adam Brown as Ori

Billy Connolly as Dain

and Ian McKellen as Gandalf[/one_half_last]

This is the last move in a master plan.

A plan long in the making.

Bilbo Baggins and Thorin’s company of dwarves sit upon the Lonely Mountain while Smaug desolates Laketown. While the townfolk scramble to safety, Bard attempts to end the torment before the entire town is ruined. Meanwhile, Bilbo notices that Thorin is beginning to change and is concerned that Thorin may have dragon sickness. Thorin is obsessed with finding the Arkenstone and distrusts Bard and the townfolk so he has the dwarves barricade the entrance of Erebor. After receiving word that the dwarves have reclaimed the Lonely Mountain, Thranduil joins Bard and the townfolk in The Dale to claim his necklace of white jewels from the treasure. Bard seeks to reason with Thorin reminding him of his prior oath. When Thorin refuses to share even one coin, Thranduil’s elven army prepares to attack. Thorin’s cousin, Dain, arrives with his dwarf army and the battle is about to begin when Azog’s legion of Orcs arrives. As the peril mounts, the four armies suffer great losses until Thorin and the fifth army join the fight.

You have but one question to answer…

how will this day end!

Peter Jackson‘s epic conclusion to The Hobbit trilogy provides a resounding crescendo to the series especially during the 45 minute battle scene. Jackson’s passion for J.R.R. Tolkien‘s work shines through each and every frame. The embellishments that the screenplay takes with the story are a welcome expansion in that they lend even more depth to the classic story. In addition to the political undertones created by Tolkien, Jackson also drives home the message that even the smallest individual can exude humility, courage, and insight. Pace, Freeman, Bloom, Evans, and Armitage provide outstanding performances and are the backbone of the film. The relentless action and the perfected CGI throughout the shortest running time of the six films resulted in an extremely entertaining experience. The hauntingly beautiful “The Last Goodbye” by Billy Boyd bids a very fond farewell to the cinematic journey. Hobble into the theater to see it!

~ Movie Buffette

Folio is your guide to entertainment and culture around and near Jacksonville, Florida. We cover events, concerts, restaurants, theatre, sports, art, happenings, and all things about living and visiting Jax. Folio serves more than two million readers across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, including St. Augustine, The Beaches, and Fernandina.

Previous Story

CHAMPAGNE TASTE, BOONE’S FARM BUDGET

Next Story

MOVIE REVIEW: “Unbroken”

Latest from Feature

Nancy Wilson: Still Rocking, Still Writing, Still Raising Hell

By Teresa Spencer In a world where music icons are too often frozen in amber, Nancy Wilson remains in motion writing, playing, evolving. And when you speak with her, it’s clear the Hall of Famer hasn’t just survived rock and roll. She’s still breathing fire into it. At

Florida Theatre Ball: All that and a bag of chips

Words by Kerry Speckman The Florida Theatre held its signature fundraising gala last month, and can I just say what a ball it was. Held at the historic Downtown theater, the event was a ’90s-themed party with hundreds of guests donning their splashiest track suits, loudest graphic tees

Loud, Fast and Lifted: Lifted Riffs 

Words by Carmen Macri  “It wasn’t always the dream, you know, I didn’t always want to be a punk or a rockstar, it’s just something that kind of happened through life.”  Jacksonville’s music scene might seem like a thing of the past — if you’re not paying attention.

Are We Losing the 24-Hour City?

Words by Kaili Cochran When COVID hit, everything changed. It felt like the world shut down. Businesses ran on limited hours and most people started working remotely. But even five years after the pandemic ended, some changes haven’t gone away.  One of the most significant shifts is the

Nightlife Tech

Words by Kaili Cochran What does it mean to go out when the dance floor might be virtual, the music silent and your wristband reflects your mood in real time? Nightlife is constantly evolving and so are the ways we socialize and spend our time. Earlier this year
July 5th Cleanup
GoUp

Don't Miss

Players By The Sea Theatre 2017 Pelican Awards

The Pelican Awards, which is ’s version of the Tony

Motown-Inspired “DREAMGIRLS” at the Alhambra

ALHAMBRA THEATRE & DINING REVIEW A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW BY