Movie Review: The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies (+trailer)

The Hobbit comes to an epic conclusion

What an epic conclusion to the journey we've all been on these past few years.

Our own Sir Peter Jackson brought Bilbo Baggins' (Martin Freeman) story to a fitting ending in a battle to end all battles.

When we left Bilbo at the end of The Desolation of Smaug, the dwarves' effort to kill Smaug had failed, leaving a very angry dragon.

Smaug flies off to exact his vengeance on the people of Lake-town leaving only desolation behind.

With the dwarves now in control of Erebor, word spreads throughout the kingdom of the riches to be found inside the mountain.

And so the hordes descend on the mountain. There are goblins and wargs taking on the dwarves, elves, men and giant eagles in one almighty conflict. And let's not forget the orcs unleashed by the Necromancer.

Meanwhile, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) has been imprisoned at Dol Guldor and needs assistance if he is going to help the dwarves defend the mountain.

The dwarves are facing their own internal battle as gold fever grips Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and he threatens to destroy allegiances to keep all the gold for the dwarves.

It is up to Bilbo to not only help where he can in the battle, but also to show Thorin the error of his ways. Only united will the dwarves triumph and the orcs be defeated.

When Gandalf warns the dwarves that their great enemy, Sauron, has sent forth legions of orcs in a stealth attack, the time has come to fight to the death.

Jackson's final journey into Middle Earth is both fulfilling and sad.

This epic battle was a suitable climax to Bilbo's mission and his return to Bag End showed us just how far he'd come.

The Hobbit brought us an amazing fantasy adventure with characters who traversed the full range of personality and emotion.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
(M), 170 minutes

Rating: 4/5