The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventure of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.
As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honor in search for the legendary Arkenstone. Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice, not knowing that even greater perils lie ahead. An ancient enemy has returned to Middle-earth. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.
As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends as five great armies go to war.
The Battle of the Five Armies is a thrilling finish to the Hobbit trilogy of films. Peter Jackson and the folks at Weta deliver an all out assault of the senses for at least half of the films run time of 2 &1/2 hours. We begin right where The Desolation of Smaug left off with Smaug destroying Lake Town and the brave Bard taking action. There is a bout a half hour slowdown after that shows the dragon sickness for gold and treasure that has overtaken the heart and mind of Thorin. Friends and enemies arrive to claim Erebor and the ensuing battle between Orcs, Men, Dwarves, Elves and one very brave Hobbit is a stunner that hardly lets up for well over an hour. The only downtime is the struggle that is going on within Thorin's mind and once he breaks free and rekindles bond with his kin it is non stop action with the consequences being an end to the epic battle and the loss of some important characters. The cgi on display is fluid and breathtaking.
The best sequence in the entire film and save for the Gollum scene in The Unexpected Journey the best in the trilogy is a 4 minute scene that takes place in Dol Guldur. Gandalf is saved by Galadriel, Lord Elrond and Saruman. They are confronted by the ghosts of the 9 who become the Ringwraiths in the LOTR. The battle between good and evil is brilliant and then we get a glimpse of the Dark Lord Sauron who threatens the East will fall and Angmar will rise again. Galadriel thankfully is able to banish them for the time being but we all know decades later that Sauron's powere will build and rise again, this time in Mordor. It is an effective and haunting scene of what is to come in Middle-earth.
The cast is perfect in their roles and I really can't imagine anyone else as Gandalf other than Ian McKellen. Martin Freeman was the standout of the trilogy for me, he is at the start a homebody who would rather stare at his books then venture outdoors but once he begins his journey as a "burgular" for the company of Thorin he becomes a much braver Hobbit who in comparison to Frodo is much less whiney and more ready to take the initiative. The films ends with Bilbo on his 111th birthday going over maps when a very dear friend knocks on the door.
Extended Edition Review - The new footage helps greatly filling in the missing pieces of the epic battle including quite a bit more with Dain Ironfoot. The best new scene is a thrilling and bloody chase down a trench with Thorin and his Dwarf brothers riding on battle carriage pulled by wild boars. In something reminiscent of Gladiator there are sharp blades on the outside wheels that slice through the Orcs like butter, removing limbs and guts easily. That is certainly why the Extended Edition got the R rating. There are over 20 minutes of new scenes and extended moments that only enhance the final film of The Hobbit Trilogy. 9.5/10
The Battle of the Five Armies arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 2.40:1 - The look of the final chapter completes the darker tone of the second film but don't let that fool you. Colors range from cold whites and grays to brilliant gold tones and fiery deep oranges and reds from the hell that the dragon Smaug unleashes. The final minutes of the film pops off the screen with lush greens of the Shire, earth tones in dresses and velvet coats and almost every color in the rainbow during the auction of Bilbo's possessions. Black levels were inky deep with excellent shadow delineation in the halls of Erebor. The fine craftsmanship and fine details in armor and weaponry is stunning to look at. The image is basically flawless in it's clarity and depth. No signs of edge enhancement or noise. This is a treasure for fans. The Extended footage is matched perfectly into this cut and looks just as brilliant as rest of the movie. 10/10
Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. - Just as perfect as the video presentation the audio is one big moment after another of demo worthy material. Dialogue was consistently clear and intelligible , even during battle voices are clearly defined. Surrounds provide a sense of immersion that is realistic and help the viewer feel like they are on the battlefield. LFE performance is epic. Precise and deep , low bass will rattle you to the core when the foul creatures of Gundabad are unleashed. Buildings and rock walls crumble and crash down with a furious presence. Driving all the action on screen is the beautiful score by Howard Shore. The music breathes through all 7 channels and is never drowned out of the mix by some of the more intense sound effects. I couldn't find a fault in this presentation with the theatrical cut and the extended edition scenes include some excellent new effects with the sound of Orc flesh tearing and bodies being crushed by the brutal weaponry. 10/10.
We come to Journey's end with over ten hours of video features that conclude what has been in my opinion the greatest collection of special features ever included for the home video format. Between this trilogy of Extended Editions and The Lord of the Rings Extended Trilogy the wealth of information and candid behind-the-scenes moments is spectacular and the folks who have worked so hard to bring these to fans should be applauded. Below is the descriptions and run time from each disc.
* Audio Commentary - Peter Jackson, Director/Producer/Screenwriter and Philippa Boyens, Co-Producer/Screenwriter
* New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth, Part 3 (HD, 6min7sec) - From Lake Pukaki to Mt. Crawford, the cast and crew introduce the epic film locations of New Zealand, transformed by the filmmakers into Middle-earth.
* The Appendices Part 11 The Gathering Storm The Chronicles of the Hobbit - Part 3 (HD, Play All 4:52:49)
* Opening (HD, 03:46)
* In the dungeon of the Necromancer (HD, 30:08) - Ian Mckellen and Cate Blanchett form a special bond on set, the Gandalf dummy gets a star turn, Benedict Cumberbatch puts a unique spin on Black Speech, and producer Zane Weiner unveils his "Wacky Wheel of Wonders".
* Fire and Water (HD, 30:02) - Peter outs Luke Evans through his paces on Lake-town rooftops, Weta Workshop and John Howe create the iconic black arrow, Weta digital kills Smaug, and it snows in Wellington for the first time in 40 years.
* Under the Shadow of the Mountain (HD, 18:03) - While on location, cast and crew helicopter to the South Island's remote Rock and Pillar range; but when clouds and fog unexpectedly roll in, they quickly realize that getting off the mountain is going to be a real challenge.
* In the Wake of the Dragon (HD, 27:28) - While filming at Lake Pukaki on the South Island, the rugged local extras get a bit too enthusiastic, Ryan Gage has a wardrobe malfunction, and Luke Evans earns the first Victoria's Cross, and award given for "Continuity Under Fire".
* The Gathering of the Clouds (HD, 30:10) - As filing nears its end, the Dwarf actors play a practical joke on William Kircher, Lee Paces's horse upstages his performances, Peter has a "golden" epiphany, and almost every department finds itself in an inevitable time crunch.
* Many Partings (HD, 30:02) - Bilbo's farewell leaves the Dwarf actors in tears, filming the funeral scene is surprisingly irreverent, Peter presents a very special gift, and after 266 days of filming, principal photography wraps.
* The Clouds Burst (HD, 29:49) - As 2013 pick-ups begin, Luke Evans gets his Orcs mixed up, local senior citizens are enlisted, Evangeline Lily and Orlando Bloom mount up, Peter directs an unused payoff to the "Acorn Scene", and a fire interrupts shooting.
* A Last Desperate Stand (HD, 30:12) - Peter surprises Orlando on his last shot, Evangeline commemorates her team and almost gets KO'd by an Orc, Richard Armitage shoots the scene he's been waiting for, and Ian McKellen gives his final performance as Gandalf.
* Out from the Gate (HD, 30:10) - The Dwarf actors are encased in regal armour and get psyched up to charge out of Erebor, Bifur and Bombur finally speak, Weta Workshop creates a "Dwarven hot rod", and Martin Freeman says goodbye to Middle-earth.
* The Lat Stage (HD, 34:05) - The final day of pick-ups 2013 sees Peter blogging on Facebook, Richard Armitage fighting on an oscillating platform, a race to the finish between Main and Splinter Units, an an appropriately quirky and heartfelt wrap ceremony.
* Credits (HD, 04:03)
* The Appendices Part 12 Here at Journey's End (HD, Play All 05:00:14)
* Beneath the Thunder: Forging a Battle of the Five Armies (HD, Play All 01:30:00) - Chronicles the creation of Peter's final battle in Middle-earth, from the designing of armies and military strategies, to the groundbreaking advances in digital filmmaking utilized by Peter and his team to bring the battle to life.
- 1. A Master Plan, Long in the Making (HD, 30:18)
- 2. On the Front Lines of a Virtual Battlefield (HD, 30:08)
- 3. Turning the Tide (HD, 29:49)
* The Peoples and Denizens of Middle-earth (HD, Play All 01:28:08) - Focuses on the design, casting and creation of three major characters who personify the Woodland Elves and the Dwarves of the Iron Hills.
- 1. Tauriel: Daughter of the Forest (HD, 27:55)
- 2. Thranduil: The King of Wood and Stone (HD, 30:17)
- 3. Dain Ironfoot: Lord of the Iron Hills (HD, 30:16)
* Realms of the Third Age: From the City of Dale to the Halls of Erebor (HD, Play All 01:30:28) - Follows the completion of the creative journey to bring Middle-earth to life as the Art Department and Weta Digital design and build three of The Hobbit Trilogy's most important locations.
- 1. Dale: The City of Men (HD, 30:18)
- 2. Dol Guldur: The Hill of Sorcery (HD, 30:14)
- 3. Erebor: The Lonely Mountain (HD, 30:16)
* Farewell, Friends! (HD, 32:56) - The fifteen-year journey of the Appendices editions concludes with what it means to come to the end of our fellowship, and bid farewell to Middle-earth at last.
* Bonus Features
-1. Butt-Numb-A-Thon 2011 Greeting (HD, 11:43) - On location in 2011, Peter, Gandalf and Ain't It Cool News on-set reporter Eric "Quint" Vespe put together a surprise video for Harry Knowles, host of the annual Butt-Numb-A-Thon film festival held in Austin, Texas.
- 2. "Rivers of Gold" Music Video (HD, 04:32) - From the mind of Jed "Nori" Brophy comes this original song and music video featuring the Dwarves of the Company of Thorin.
-3. The Real Adam Brown (HD, 05:25) - An unflinching, uncompromising, hard-hitting, provocative, no-holds-barred expose on The Hobbit's "Ori" actor Adam Brown.
* Andrew Lesnie Remembered (HD, 05:47)
* Credits (HD, 05:09)