The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Tags

2010's, Aidan Turner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Billy Connolly, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Dean O'Gorman, Evangeline Lilly, Fantasy, Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Ken Stott, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Film Title

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Director

Peter Jackson

Starring

• Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
• Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf
• Orlando Bloom as Legolas
• Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel
• Lee Pace as Thranduil
• Luke Evans as Bard
• Aidan Turner as Kíli
• Dean O’Gorman as Fíli
• Ken Stott as Balin
• Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug
• Billy Connolly as Dáin
• Hugo Weaving as Elrond
• Christopher Lee as Saruman
• Ian Holm as Old Bilbo
• Cate Blanchett as Galadriel

As the concluding part of The Hobbit trilogy, The Battle of the Five Armies is a successful last chapter and in my view the best of the Hobbit movies. Exciting, tense yet human in many ways, it’s a rousing finale that definitely captures the attention.

We begin this final slice of Middle Earth adventure were the last one left off. Having reaching the Lonely Mountain, Bilbo and the dwarf crew accidentally woke the vicious dragon Smaug from slumber. The fire-breathing creature leafs the confines of the kingdom and angrily heads to the adjoining Laketown, which he sets about destroying. What is left of the people flee the desolated town, but Bard sets about ridding the place of Smaug and succeeds by firing a makeshift arrow that ultimately kills the dragon. Yet even though Smaug is gone, there is still unrest and panic as the people look to the dwarves for help because of a promise made by Thorin to share in some of the gold within the mountain. The Woodland Elves, lead by the ruthless Thranduil, also have business with the dwarves as there is a collection of jewels he wishes to acquire. But Thorin is in no mind to listen Ashe slowly succumbs to dragon sickness, which clouds his judgement and eats himself up with greed. Bilbo begins to see how this is going to be a tough time as Thranduil declares war along with men on the dwarves for going back on their promise. Plans for war among them are quickly questioned when Gandalf returns after discovering that the spirit of the dark lord Sauron has returned and that an Orc army is heading their way. It is then left to the elves, dwarves and men to decide whether to unite or be divided. They’ll have to make a choice soon as word, thanks to elves Legolas and Tauriel filters through that it isn’t just one army of orcs, but two that are heading to spread darkness across Middle Earth. For Bilbo and the others, it is time to face the ultimate battle of their lives.

What is immediately striking about The Battle of the Five Armies is the efficient running time. Often with last parts of trilogies or Film series, there is a temptation to make things very long-winded and drawn out. Thankfully, Peter Jackson and his stunning direction keep events ticking over nicely and wrap things up with style, not allowing any loose ends or flab to drag the movie down into boredom. On a visual level and an excitement one, The Battle of the Five Armies is the best of the Hobbit movies. The battles are orchestrated with such precision and depth that gives it something else that the other two movies lack, which is a heart. Emotions run very high and the movie alternates between fun, tense and tragic in the space of mere minutes, which is excellent. And thank goodness for the decision to use CGI wisely and not overindulge in it. Set pieces are of a particularly high standard, with special mention to Smaug destroying Laketown and the two battles that form the backbone of the movie. It’s fantasy with a sense of emotion and passion that comes off remarkably well thanks to the wonderful direction and imagery. I liked how the films wrapped up the saga of Middle Earth and helped events come full circle in the end. A thundering Howard Shore score is the perfect sonic companion to the film, peaking with epic scope and emotional heights.

Martin Freeman has really grown into the role of Bilbo and is once again excellent in an understated way. He never overplays his scenes, instead relying on subtlety to show us the brave heart and occasional wrestling with conscience that he must endure. As good as Freeman is, this movie belongs to Richard Armitage. Portraying Thorin as blinded by his sickness and full of tragic greed, he brings out the fact that he is a good king underneath it all and it is really good when he snaps out of his sickness and leads his crew into battle with inspiration. Ian McKellen is reliably wonderful as the powerful and sagacious Gandalf, who knows of the dark tide beginning to turn. Orlando Bloom imbues Legolas with a gracefulness that belies his capacity for battle and stands him in good stead when he takes part. Evangeline Lilly is tough yet very luminous Tauriel, whose heart belongs to Kíli and who can more than handle herself when confronted with the violence unleashed on Middle Earth. I liked how Lee Pace as Thranduil, remote king of the elves expanded upon his character to show why he is so cold and unfeeling towards others. Luke Evans has that every man quality about him that makes him the voice of the people portraying the proud Bard, while Aidan Turner is touching as the stout-hearted dwarf Kíli. Dean O’Gorman and Ken Stott flesh out the parts of two of the more prominent members of Thorin’s company. Benedict Cumberbatch utilizes his commanding voice to give life to the fierce and very dangerous Smaug, whose opening attack on Laketown is a killer set piece. Some comic relief comes from Billy Connolly as Dáin,Thorin’s irascible cousin who comes to his aid in the epic battle sweeping the lands. Cameos come from Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm and Cate Blanchett and suffice to say, they’re all very good as characters we are familiar with within the landscapes of the movies. Plus they all take part in an exhilarating conflict with the forces of Sauron which is a very good part of the movie.

With emotional heft and magical prowess, The Battle of the Five Armies is a well crafted last entry to the saga that is wholly satisfying from beginning to end.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Tags

2010's, Aidan Turner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dean O'Gorman, Evangeline Lilly, Fantasy, Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Film Title

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Director

Peter Jackson

Starring

• Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf
• Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield
• Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug
• Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel
• Luke Evans as Bard
• James Nesbitt as Bofur
• Ken Stott as Balin
• Aidan Turner as Kíli
• Dean O’Gorman as Fíli
• Lee Pace as Thranduil
• Orlando Bloom as Legolas

The Desolation of Smaug presents the second entry into the Hobbit trilogy and it emerges as a much more confident and enjoyable film than An Unexpected Journey thanks to some cracking visuals, good cast and a genuine sense of tense excitement running through it. If it is fantasy and adventure you crave, The Desolation of Smaug is the answer.

We catch up with Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf and the band of dwarves as they flee from by the vicious orcs. They find refuge in the home of a skin changer Beorn, before moving on in their journey to reclaim The Lonely Mountain from fire-breathing dragon Smaug. Gandalf for a while leaves the group as he tries to find out more about a brewing sense of evil elsewhere in Middle Earth. Continuing on, the more confident Bilbo comes to see that the ring he found in the goblin cave may be able to help in some ways but also corrupt in others that he can’t possibly imagine. Coming across the woodland elves, headed by the cold Thranduil and also consisting of his son Legolas and Tauriel, a she elf with a fierce sense of defiance, they are captured and questioned on the nature of their quest. Thranduil offers Thorin a deal, but the vengeful and headstrong dwarf king who resents the elves refuses it. After escaping the woods, the company travel far and wide, encountering various creatures such as enormous spiders, before eventually being smuggled into Lake Town by the mysterious Bard. A growing sense of immense danger begins to linger as they get ever closer to the mountain and the task at hand becomes perilous in every single way as war starts to brew. When they reach the mountain, it is no simple task of reclaiming the kingdom and there is no way that the cunning Smaug is going to let his iron grip of the place go to anyone. Can Bilbo and the dwarves reclaim what is theirs before all hell breaks loose?

Straight off the bat, The Desolation of Smaug has an immediacy that thrusts you into the adventure at hand and flows very well, unlike the predecessor that took a while to get going. Peter Jackson wonderfully constructs this tale of dangerous peril and determined quests to spectacular fashion and meticulous skill. Nervous tension is generated in some thrilling set pieces that really make you jump at times and wonder how the group is going to hack their way out of oncoming trouble. Arresting locations are a plenty, filled with beauty and The pace is well-handled and only drags on the rare occasion, making the film all the more enjoyable as we are swept into a world of fantasy. And thankfully there isn’t an overuse of CGI, which seemed to be the case during the first installment. Out of the effects used to create the creatures of Middle Earth, Smaug is one of the most majestic and technically well designed ones that really lingers in the memory for its visual power. Swathed in gold treasures, massive in movements and enormous in size, he is a dragon you won’t forget. A stirring score from Howard Shore further propels the film into magical enchantment and otherworldly brilliance.

Martin Freeman impresses once more as Bilbo, who has grown into a stronger character than before. I liked the way he portrayed Bilbo’s fascination with the ring and the way he sees that it does have a side to it that is very dark and powerful. He also nails the curiosity and humour of Bilbo very well. Ian McKellen may have had less scree time in this movie, but he still owns the part of Gandalf through his clear professionalism and dedication to the character. Richard Armitage gives Thorin a hotheaded temper, somewhat self-centered goal but also a certain desperation to take back his home that really fleshes out the character of Thorin. Making a huge impact on the film is Benedict Cumberbatch, who supplies the voice for the almighty Smaug. Letting his voice boom and echo, he lends the creature a fear-inducing quality and sense of dark things to come. The beautiful Evangeline Lilly makes her mark on the series portraying the elf Tauriel, who is a dab hand at doing battle with enemies and not one for following the rules of her king. I liked her character and thought that the attraction between her and Kíli was a nice touch, adding depth to both characters and making Aidan Turner’s Kíli even more likable. Luke Evans made for great casting as the mysterious Bard, who knows a lot more about the quest and the history of it that he lets on to the travelling adventurers. James Nesbitt, Ken Stott and Luke O’Gorman continue to shine as the dwarves that stand out of the group. Lee Pace, with his fixed gaze and authoritative demeanor, is excellent as the elf king Thranduil who isn’t really interested in helping anyone and just wants to sit in his ivory tower away from trouble. It was a good touch bringing skilled archer Legolas back and Orlando Bloom is great as he was in the Lord of the Rings movies.

The Desolation of Smaug is a definite step up from An Unexpected Journey and leaves us wanting more and excited for the final chapter.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Tags

2010's, Aidan Turner, Andy Serkis, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Dean O'Gorman, Elijah Wood, Fantasy, Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Martin Freeman, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage, Sylvester McCoy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Film Title

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Director

Peter Jackson

Starring

• Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins
• Ian McKellen as Gandalf
• Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield
• James Nesbitt as Bofur
• Ken Stott as Balin
• Aidan Turner as Kíli
• Dean O’Gorman as Fíli
• Sylvester McCoy as Radagast
• Cate Blanchett as Galadriel
• Hugo Weaving as Elrond
• Andy Serkis as Gollum
• Christopher Lee as Saruman
• Ian Holm as Older Bilbo
• Elijah Wood as Frodo

Peter Jackson takes us back to Middle Earth after directing the hugely successful and critically praised Lord of the Rings trilogy for another adventure. And while it doesn’t quite live up to the sheer majesty of the Lord of the Rings, An Unexpected Journey is still a welcome return to the magical world of fantasy and adventure that takes us back to the beginning to bring the other stories full circle.

Returning to the bucolic Shire region of the vast lands of Middle Earth, we are introduced to a young Bilbo Baggins. He is an organised Hobbit who never wants any trouble to speak of and goes about his life as peacefully as he can. This doesn’t go exactly to plan when the wise wizard Gandalf turns up on his doorstep with an offer of adventure and peril. Gandalf tries to convince Bilbo to help Thorin Oakenshield, a king of the dwarves whose homeland, mainly the Lonely Mountain is inhabited by the fierce dragon Smaug, that closely guards their gold. Along with twelve dwarves for company as well as Gandalf, Thorin plans to reclaim what is his by birth. Bilbo is very reluctant to join this dangerous quest even though Gandalf believes in him, but ultimately changes his mind and travels with the company over Middle Earth. Yet this journey is going to be far from easy with the likes of orcs, wargs, goblins, shadowy figures and the creature Gollum haunting every step of the way as caves, dales and kingdoms come into view. As the journey continues and the band of heroes are further aided by elves(much to the chagrin of Thorin, who resents them for leaving his kingdom to fall when he believes they could have been of aid), Bilbo begins to discover a courage and strength within himself that he never knew was there as the group travels through peril and turmoil.

I’ll start this analysis of the movie with what didn’t work for me as it was in some parts a flawed movie. I’ll be sure to move on to the numerous positives once I’ve spoken of the negatives. Firstly, I found the pace of the film to be an issue, especially with the first half that really took a while to get going. I get that it is an epic film, but for the beginning it felt like a long slog. Thankfully, once the quest was underway, the pace picked up and it started to flow smoothly again. I think this issue of the movie taking a while to get going stems from the decision to split one book into three adaptations and this one being the first. Hopefully, with the next two the story can run smoother. As much as I don’t mind CGI(I mean it’s a fantasy film so it’s got to have some in it), An Unexpected Journey overuses it and it sometimes takes you out of the film, unlike with Lord of the Rings which did use CGI, but made it seamless and not excessive. That’s not to say some of the effects aren’t good,it just feels a bit too much for my liking. And the final negative is that while the ensemble cast is great, when it comes to the dwarves their personalities seem to merge because there is so many of them. Only Thorin and a few others are really given distinct characteristics and things to do.

Moving on, we have the positives of An Unexpected Journey of which there are many. Peter Jackson is back and knows exactly how to capture the attention with his eye for stunning detail. Once more, the locations are out of this world in their glorious splendour, capturing a sense of adventure and expansive mythology that is hard to shake. There’s something very thrilling and comforting about returning to some of the locations and also reinstating many well-known characters that Rings fans will be familiar with, as well as introducing other ones that take on significance as the story goes on. And when An Unexpected Journey hits its stride in terms of the pace, the results are stunning to behold as Bilbo joins the band of dwarves on their dangerous quest. Some astounding set pieces are shown throughout this movie, from the cave of Goblins to the chase from the wargs which are both highlights. Howard Shore, who is one of my favourite composers, contributes a wonderfully exciting and dynamic score that brings a brimming sense of fun and danger.

As the hobbit of the title, Martin Freeman is a joy to watch as Bilbo. Starting out as rigid and not in the least bit interested in adventure, he amusingly and professionally charts Bilbo’s transformation into a spirited member of the team and one with depths he didn’t know were there. The ever impressive Ian McKellen is also on fine form as the extremely wise and mighty wizard Gandalf, returning to the Middle Earth movies. Exuding sagacious behaviour, inspiring confidence and a little twinkle in his eye, McKellen is nothing short of wonderful. I was really pleased with the performance from Richard Armitage as the vengeful dwarf king Thorin. He plays him exceedingly well with the right mix of stubborn pride, anger and ferocity all needed for the character. From the many dwarves involved in the film, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Aidan Turner and Dean O’Gorman stand out with their quirky idiosyncrasies and abundance of charm. Sylvester McCoy plays the part of the unusual wizard Radagast, who is at one with nature and takes care of it whenever it is under threat. McCoy imbues the part with a strange sense of humour and eccentric tics that allow him to steal many scenes along the way. Returning once more are Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving as the elves Galadriel and Elrond. These two once again bring effortless poise, grace and stunning wisdom to these ethereal beings. The highly talented Andy Serkis also returns as the demented and suffering creature Gollum. With the right blend of believable CGI and the unusual delivery from Serkis, Gollum comes alive once more with frightening intensity and a sense of sheer torment that everyone knows the cause of. Christopher Lee is imperious as ever playing Saruman, who feels that the journey could well be in vain and that it is a foolish undertaking. The two cameos from Ian Holm as older Bilbo and Elijah Wood as Frodo are a very nice touch.

There are flaws along the way, mainly from the slow beginning that stretches the plot a bit thin and an overload of CGI, but The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a more the welcome return back to a world of magic and wonder. I mean any journey back to the immersive lands of Middle Earth is better than no journey at all, isn’t it?

Love Actually

Tags

2000's, Alan Rickman, Andrew Lincoln, Bill Nighy, Billy Bob Thornton, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Joanna Page, Keira Knightley, Kris Marshall, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Love Actually, Martin Freeman, Martine McCutcheon, Richard Curtis, Romantic Comedy, Rowan Atkinson, Thomas Sangster

Film Title

Love Actually

Director

Richard Curtis

Starring

• Alan Rickman as Harry
• Bill Nighy as Billy Mack
• Colin Firth as Jamie
• Emma Thompson as Karen
• Hugh Grant as David
• Martine McCutcheon as Natalie
• Laura Linney as Sarah
• Liam Neeson as Daniel
• Thomas Sangster as Sam
• Keira Knightley as Juliet
• Andrew Lincoln as Mark
• Martin Freeman as John
• Joanna Page as Judy
• Kris Marshall as Colin
• Rowan Atkinson as Rufus
• Billy Bob Thornton as US President

Over the Christmas period, I only got chance to see a couple of movies. Love Actually happened to be one of them. I’m not the biggest fan of romantic comedies but decided to watch it because of the all-star cast. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Sure there were parts that were clunky and lagged in terms of pacing, but for the most part, I enjoyed it for its cosy look at romance.

Love Actually focuses on various people in the run up to Christmas in London and how love affects them in different ways. We have Billy Mack, an ageing rock star trying to make a comeback with the help of his put upon manager. Harry, the manager of a designing agency who has his head turned by his provocative secretary  and whose wife Karen begins to suspect something. Jamie, a writer who vacations in a French cottage after catching his wife cheating on him. He begins to fall for his Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia, although he can’t profess his feelings as he doesn’t speak Portuguese. David, the newly elected Prime Minister begins to develop feelings for Natalie, a junior member of staff in 10 Downing Street. Sarah, a worker at Harry’s agency is left with the difficult decision as to whether she make a move on an enigmatic worker or care for her mentally ill brother. Daniel is grieving for his late wife while finding out about his stepson Sam’s crush on a girl in school. Mark records the wedding of his best friend to the stunning Juliet, who he has always adored but has never spoke. And the stories just keep on coming as love changes the lives of the characters in the seasonal time of year.

Writer and director Richard Curtis creates a film that is unabashedly sentimental but this does add some charm to it. With so many stories, Curtis manages to keep most of them interesting. Although some fall flat and don’t engage as much as the others. The whole segment with the character Colin, who travels to America in the hopes of attracting woman, could have been cut as it is funny in parts but a little needless in comparison to the rest of the tales on show. Also, some of the actors are not really used in effective ways to make them interesting to the audience. Martin Freeman and Joanna Page are both talented but their story of two body doubles falling in love never really goes anywhere.

Now, on to the positives of Love Actually. Despite being saccharine, it does have a bittersweet tone to various chapters. Mark’s pining for Juliet, who finds out when she watches the wedding video he recorded and finds it is composed of footage solely of her, is a bittersweet tale . This story may have its limitations in terms of character development, but is still an enjoyable segment none the less.  Out of the star-studded cast, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson and Laura Linney are the standout performers. Bill Nighy is absolutely hysterical as the washed up rocker attempting to reach Christmas number one. Emma Thompson is natural and moving as Karen, the wife of Harry who feels sadness for the fact her husband is attracted to his secretary. The scene in which she stands in her room, tears falling from her eyes after expecting to get a necklace as a present ( it is in fact for the secretary) , but instead receiving a CD is touching and melancholy to say the least. Laura Linney is luminous as the conflicted Sarah, caught between her caring side that wants to help her ill brother and her lonely side that wants love from someone. That isn’t to say the rest of the cast isn’t good, but these three stars are the ones you will most remember. Colin Firth is excellently suited to the role of Jamie, who is enchanted by his housekeeper. Liam Neeson managed to be warm and caring as the grieving father, helping his son as he feels the neglect love can inflict and he tries to impress his crush at school. Thomas Sangster excels as the pining Sam, head over heels for the most popular girl in school. Andrew Lincoln and Keira Knightley rise above the limitations of their tale to give us the now memorable scene of him professing his love for her through cue cards. Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon are good as the lovestruck PM and the junior member of staff who are drawn to each other in a reversal of the Notting Hill formula. Fun cameos are provided by Rowan Atkinson and Billy Bob Thornton.

It may be sentimental and cloying, but Love Actually does manage to warm the heart and doesn’t fall into the same old convention of everyone ending up happy. The fact that some of the relationships in the film don’t work makes it more interesting and not as clichéd as many a romantic comedy. Not for everyone, but cosy and festive viewing for romantics.