A disappointing end to a disappointing series.

Rating: 3/10 (25 February 2015)

I didn't know whether to review this film as a fantasy film or a book film adaptation, it wasn't easy. As an adaptation it failed on all levels. The basic outline of the third part of the book was there but all the content had been changed. Characters who weren't mentioned in the book (Legolas, Frodo, Radagast) characters who weren't even in the Middle Earth mythology (Alfrid, Tauriel) scenes that weren't in the book (Galadriel, Saruman and Elrond Freeing Gandalf and Radagast)I could go on. The stupid love story between an Elf and a Dwarf. The conflict between just about everyone. (Thranduil was a proud elf but this film made him out to be an all time bastard. He and Bard joined forces willingly not grudgingly and no Elf King would banish someone just for having feelings.) Thorin accusing his kin of betraying him. It was as if Jackson had taken a two minute pop song and made a full blown symphony out of it. So, to the fantasy film aspect. What a let down. The cgi (and there was far too much of it) was slapdash and not at all convincing. The battle scenes looked like fan fiction copies of the Two Towers battles, the final confrontation of Thorin and Azog was predictable, the worm things were preposterous and of course we have the daft sliding down rooftops, mudslides and whatever ludicrous ninja moves Jackson could throw at us. Also, for two people who weren't even in the book, there was an awful lot of Tauriel and Legolas. The most annoying character, however, was Alfrid. What was Jackson thinking, did he think we wanted a Jar Jar Binks? There is no doubt that Jackson did a marvellous job with the Lord Of The Rings but he should hang his head in shame for this mess, it's an insult to every true Tolkien fan.