The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies Review

**Minor Spoilers Ahead**

     I just got back from seeing this movie tonight (12/19). We saw it in 3D and it was well worth the extra money! Having re-read the book recently, I knew what to expect in terms of story-lines and character deaths. I was not disappointed at all in how the book was portrayed. I felt that it was fairly accurate, minus the stuff that they had changed in the previous movies. 

    The movie started off with the death of Smaug, which in my opinion, really should have been the ending of the second movie. It was called The Desolation of Smaug after all. Oh well, still an awesome part of the movie. Seeing it in 3D just made it all the more real. Bard is extremely sexy too ;) thank you Luke Evans!

     

     I think that my biggest issue with these last two Hobbit movies was the love story. Everyone who has read the books knows the Kili is going to die at the end. To have a love story featuring a character that doesn't even exist in the books was annoying. I do really like Tauriel, a strong female character was needed. Galadrial fits that role but she is not featured nearly enough in either trilogy. Now my favorite character of all time is Legolas. Yes, he isn't supposed to be in the Hobbit either but he is just such a great character. His reason for being in the movie makes way more sense in BOTFA. 

     I really liked the ending to this movie. It ends with Bilbo coming back home to the Shire, I'm not going to share many details as to not ruin it for anyone. It ends almost the exact way LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring begins. It truly brought all 6 movies together in the very last couple of minutes. 

     I am pretty sad that these movies are over. I really don't see any more Tolkien adaptations happening. I really hope that they do not ever re-boot these movies. I don't think it will happen, just like how I doubt Harry Potter will ever be re-booted. The LOTR movies/books really started to kick off my love of all action movies and nerdy things. Now after watching the Hobbit so many years later, I am glad that this was one of the first fandoms (before it was called a fandom) that I became a part of. Thank you Peter Jackson for brings these amazing books to life!