Though Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy hasn’t received nearly as positive reviews as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the first two installments were solid, if overlong, high fantasy adventures, thanks both to Jackson’s sense of visual splendor and the talents of the ensemble cast. An Unexpected Journey was more dull than many expected, though I personally enjoyed it, and The Desolation of Smaug was a big step up from that, accelerating the pace and featuring some truly epic battles. So, will the trilogy-topper, this winter’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, keep that upward momentum going to become the best of the bunch? It’s too early to say, of course, but the first official synopsis for the fantasy film certainly seems promising.
Courtesy of Warner Bros., the synopsis reads as follows:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.
Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron 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 in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will again star Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving and Orlando Bloom. It also stars John Bell, Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Billy Connolly, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Dean O’Gorman, Mikael Persbrandt and Aidan Turner.
The film opens December 17th this year. Are you looking forward to it, or has Jackson’s decision to split The Hobbit into three massive movies ended up alienating you? Let us know below!
