Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Story: The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies concludes the epic journey of Bilbo Baggins of the Shire and his legion of Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield, under the guidance of Gandalf the Wizard, with a powerful, emotional finish. It begins right where part II left off, and wastes little time building towards the incredible war that is about to take place for the treasures of the Lonely Mountain. Thorin must decide if he should live in his Grandfather's footsteps and horde all of the gold that is rightfully his, or listen to his solemn friends at the end of their dangerous journey to reclaim their home. The Bard and his townsfolk want only enough of the treasure to rebuild their fire scorned town, while the Elves want their cut of the diamonds, and yet the Orcs and Goblins, led by Azog the Defiler, wish to claim this Mountain fortress for its strategic position in the land, under their master Sauron, who is confronted by Galadriel, Gandalf, Elrond and Saruman. When the Dwarf army enters the fray, war becomes inevitable despite the pleas of the burglar Hobbit, Bilbo and his golden ring of invisibility. Tamriel (smoothly weaved into the story and an original character not in the J.R.R. Tolkien Book) lends her support along with the expert marksman Legolas, as she must decide if Kili, the Dwarf she is taken with, will be worth pursuing during this great war. The expertly filmed battle endures through most of the film, yet keeps the audience compelled as we fight alongside our heroes and villains, while their stories unfold one last time. 3D: The experience of the 3D itself adds to the immersion into the film's world, matched with the high frame rate technology that increases the sense of being there, watching these characters battle for their very lives in smoother real time it seems. Throughout each sequence, the 3D remains consistent, with an average but effective depth of three dimensionality to enhance the spacing between objects beyond what a 2D film can do. There are occasional pop outs that add to the excitement, coupled with key shots of increased 3D depth and form. This is perhaps the most effective use of 3D in the trilogy, thanks largely to the overwhelming battle scenes that takes place, and all the layers of troops involved.