The Hobbit: The battle of the five armies -- Battle has begun in style

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
Staring: Ian Mckellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom
Rated: 5.5/10
Hobbit this time is less picturesque and more combative, rather unnecesarily you might say. And your heroes are felled out here, except of course for the hobbit Bilbo Baggins and the pointed cap wizard you have seen in movies of all hues, be it Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings series, of which this is perhaps the final edition.
Having said that, one has to admit that the canvas is large, the cinematography stylish and the fights perfectly choreographed. My personal heartbreak? King of dwarfs Thorin Oakenshield (played to perfection by Richard Armitage) is killed by the marauding Orcs leader. Once that happens, there is nothing much left to savour though the film ambles on for close to 15 more minutes after that, ending 101 years later with a reunion they don’t show.
But then, the film if nothing else, is true to its title and concentrates for a major part on the clash of the five armies — the Smaug, the monstrous Orcs, the elves, the dwarfs and of course the common men, women and children of Lake-town where all the mayhem starts. Dragon Smaug, since his desolation days, swoops on the unsuspecting town in revenge for leading the dwarfs to mount Erebor where all the gold has been stacked and guarded by Smaug over the years. The comprehensive scene of utmost destruction caused by the fire spewing dragon is the most happening part of the film and sets the tone for the five armies to eventually clash.
Director Peter Jackson has beautifully woven in human emotions in the world of elves and dwarfs, turning the proceedings into a compelling drama. However, howsoever true to the title his film may be, the prolonged fight sequences spoil the fun because Jackson forgets to punctuate them with anything that should have broken the monotony of computerised fights.
Cate Blanchett as the queen of elves visits the canvas like a meteor and holds you in thrall with a brief but tugging performance. Benedict Cumberbatch as the dragon voice makes you go beyond the mighty figure of Smaug who falls to his death majestically, spreading his unending wings and falling over Lake-town to douse all the fire he created in his fury. With all this and nothing more, the film is worth a watch, especially if you areLord of the Rings kind.

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 14 December, 2014

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