THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

New Zealand, 2014, 144 minutes, Colour.
Ian Mc Kellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Stephen Fry, Billy Connolly, Ian Holm, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Ryan Gage, Graham Mc Tavish, Dean O’ Gorman, voice of Benedict Cumberbatch.
Directed by Peter Jackson.

It had to come eventually, the completion of Peter Jackson’s vision and energy in bringing J.R.R.Tolkien’s characters, world, adventures to a cinematic end.

While The Lord of Thorins had a vast scope, The Hobbit has a much narrower focus. But, in the tradition of dividing up the final chapters of various franchises, like Harry Potter, like The Hunger Games, like the Twilight series, as well as Divergent and The Maze Runner, The Hobbit was broke up into three films.

For the fans, allowing for the differences of the amplification of the action, the first of The Hobbit trilogy was a welcome re-immersing of audiences in the world of Middle Earth, 60 years before The Lord of Thorins. Here was a younger Bilbo (with an appearance of Ian Holm as the older Bilbo). While Bilbo has a comfortable life in the Shire, Gandalf visits and reveals that there is another quest he should undertake. And then the dwarves invaded his home, not a stroke of etiquette between them, and off of reluctant Bilbo goes. There were a lot of complications with the various monsters, with the Orcs, and a series of adventures that resemble much of the quest of Frodo in the original films. For those who were not fans of these films, although there was now a very effective 3-D, they were complicated which made them less interesting.

However, the second film was more straightforward in the storytelling, and, so, easier to follow for everyone, focusing on Bilbo, but also focusing on the dwarves and their quest to get back their traditional home, finding the cave full of gold that would re-establish their kingdom. We were also introduce to the inhabitants of Laketown, and their troubles – all being combined in the menace of the giant dragon, Smaug, fighting the dwarves, confronting Bilbo, threatening the town.

And this is where the third film takes up, the dragon, unconquered, swooping mercilessly over Laketown and setting the various districts on fire, and not just fire, immense fire. The action is quite spectacular as the inhabitants try to flee, the Master of Laketown (Stephen Fry) ransacking the Treasury, pushing his mealy-mouthed assistant, Alfrid, over the side of the boat to lessen the weight. But the hero is Bard, imprisoned but escaping and hurrying to the tower to shoot down the dragon. It takes his son coming and a vast metal arrow-weapon to defeat the dragon. The inhabitants, led by Bard, take refuge in the town on the side of the mountain.

Meanwhile, Bilbo, (the ever-welcome Martin Freeman) is watching the destruction of Laketown with the dwarves. With Smaug gone, the leader of the dwarves, Thorin (Richard Armitage displaying a strong dramatic capacity for greed, madness, repentance and warrior skills) is overwhelmed by the vast wealth, coins and gold, and clutching to power, destroying his relationship with Bilbo and the other dwarves.

The King to whom the dwarves had given their word that they would repay when they found the gold, comes to claim what he is owed. Even when Bilbo tries to arrange a deal between the King and Thorin, Thorin prefers war.

And war there is, long battle sequences, close-up fighting, the arrival of the Orcs and their monstrous clashing with the army of the Elves, Thorin’s cousin (played by Billy Connolly, Scottish accent and swearing and all) also brings his army. Huge birds sweep through the sky and while there is death and slaughter on the battlefield, there is an invasion of the mountainside town, huge characters built of stone bashing through the walls. It is Bard (Luke Evans, a strong presence) who is the leader in the town, the hero leader of the film.

At one stage, less for the plot than for a touch of nostalgia, Cate Blanchett, Galadriel, arrives to rescue Gandalf (Ian McKellen? just the same as always). Also turning up is Hugo Weaving as the Elf King and a wonderful cameo, deep voice and all, by Christopher Lee as Suriman and, as might be expected, when Bilbo returns home there is a glimpse of Ian Holm as the older Bilbo.

There is a great deal of pathos, especially with Bilbo and his relationship to the dwarves, concealing the precious stone that Thorin was desperately trying to find. And there is a moving death scene with Thorin. There is Bard, always trying to protect his children as well as lead the people in battle and to safety. Legolas re-appeared in the previous film and continues his heroics, Orlando Bloom deserving a special award for athletic gymnastics, especially in the final fights, balancing over holes in bridges, leaping up a staircase which is continually breaking up. And Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) who fell in love with the dwarf, Fili (Dean O’Gorman) discovers that her love for him is real.

After all the fights, after all the tragic happenings and the increasing number of deaths, there is a peacefulness at the end of the film as Bilbo goes home, finds that the inhabitants think he has died and are auctioning his house and making off with all the furniture and goods, but re-establishes himself and all is at peace in Middle Earth.

1. The popularity of The Lord of The Rings and of The Hobbit? The end of six films, satisfying ending and resolution?

2. The work of Peter Jackson, co-writers? His direction? His interpretation? His vision?

3. The work of J.R.R.Tolkien and his popularity? The film versions? Introducing his writings to a wide range of audience?

4. The three Hobbit films, enlarging the story? The scope, characters, action? The presuppositions from The Lord of The Rings? The place of Bilbo, the dwarfs, Gandalf, the mission, the adventure, the many battles, magic and wizardry, the monsters? The kingdom, the heroes, Smaug?

5. The New Zealand locations, Middle earth, Laketown, the spectacle of the burning town? The mountain, the vast caves, the gold? The plains for the battle? The shire and its peacefulness? The musical score?

6. The special effects, the action sequences?

7. Laketown, the inhabitants, the dangers, Smaug, flying through the air, breathing fire, the destruction? The revenge on the town? The people, the escape? Tauriel and the children? Bard, imprisoned, getting out, his heroism, in the tower, his son coming, the arrows, the confrontation with Smaug, killing the dragon? The head of the town and his stealing the money, on the boat, pushing his associate overboard? Alfrid, survival, greed? The dead on the shore, the people escaped, Bard leading them to the mountain? The need for shelter?

8. The dwarfs, inside the cave? Thorin as leader, his past, his strengths, his changing because of the money, the internal change, brooding, his kingdom, the crown, mad, exulting with the gold? Despotic, getting the dwarfs to search for the stone, his sense of betrayal, growing harsher, threatening other dwarves with death? The dwarves searching, Bilbo and his pretending to search?

9. Visitors from the past, Galadriel, Gandalf, the Elf King, Saruman?

10. The King, cold-hearted, Legolas and Tauriel? Attitude towards Bilbo? Coming to the mountain with his cold heart? Hard, risking war, wanting the fulfilment of Thorin’s word? The deal, Bilbo and his having the stone, as his share of wealth? Going to the King, with Bard, trying to reach a bargain? Letting himself down the wall, his final confession to Thorin and his reasons?

11. The appearance of the Orcs, their vast army, the monstrous leader, the associates? marching to war?

12. Legolas, with Tauriel, their going to the mountain, returning to help?

13. Thorin’s cousin, Billy Connolly and his accent and vocabulary, the touches of Scottish humour?

14. Thorin, becoming harsher, his vision of himself, drowning in the gold? His change of heart, apologies to the dwarves, going into action, the fighting skills, going to the mountain, the picked group, and the fights, the trap by the Orc leader, the confrontation on the ice, stabbing the Orc, his lying on the ice and the Orc stabbing him? Bilbo, try to comfort Thorin, his death? The death of the other dwarves? Fili, his courage and death and Tauriel seeing him, love, the pathos of his death?

15. Legolas, his character, his heroics, on the eagle, the leaping, the fights, the stone steps and their breaking up? Firing the arrows?

16. The fighting the town, Alfred supposedly helping women and children, his greed for gold? Hiding in the great hall? The monsters in the town, bashing down walls, the deaths of the citizens, Bard and his children, their safety, Bard leading the victory?

17. Gandalf, his collapse, Galadriel rescuing him, his return, involved in the fighting, the end with his pipe and sitting with Bilbo? Helping Bilbo return home?

18. The collapse of the mountain, victory achieved?

19. Tauriel grieving at the death, and the King making her realise that she had experienced real love?

20. Bilbo’s journey, the farewell to the dwarves, the auction of his goods, his home? Proving himself? Enjoying being home? The reappearance of Ian Holm as the old Bilbo?

21. Peace in Middle Earth?