Decent Ending to a Bloated Epic

Rating: 7/10 (3 February 2015)

I agree now with most critics of the Hobbit trilogy that this story went on far longer than needed. The fights seem dull and interminable rather than gripping and exciting. There doesn't seem to be any decisiveness to the conflict presented until the very end. The same problems with the battles with Smaug from the previous film are evident, on a much larger scale, in this film. This movie also leaves many loose ends unresolved, particularly with regards to the Arkenstone and the corrupt rulers of Lake Town. There is also much in this film that seems hastily concluded or unfinished. I am not saying the film is completely unsatisfactory, but it is far from being a perfect ending.
That said, there are positive aspects to the film. Bilbo Baggins remains the likable, sensible character holding this movie together. He represents the hobbit race perfectly: plain, humble, unprejudiced, unpretentious, and without the greed and lust for power that poisons the minds of the dwarfs, elves, humans, and orcs surrounding him. Bilbo is a credible audience surrogate, and remains the bright shining jewel of humanity (a metaphor for the baser Arkenstone, if you will) that keeps this film worth watching.
The other races of Middle Earth (whether "good" or "evil") are comparatively unlikeable, particularly the elves and dwarfs. Thorin Oakenshield, the dwarf leader, is especially poisoned by greed. This film does a wonderful job showing the dangers of greed and power, and how Throin resolves these issues *by himself*. There is a vague hint that Thorin is not inherently greedy, but is manipulated by some supernatural power left by Smaug--I didn't like that aspect of it, as it did not ring true to me; having Thorin resolve a conflict that is entirely within himself seems more true to life. The elves, the "good" analogues to the repulsive orcs, don't come off much better than the dwarfs. Their leader Thranduil is moved by a strange sort of racism and cold-heartedness (his pale hair and flat effect reflect this coldness), which does the elves little good. Balin the Dwarf and Tauriel the Elf seem the most positive representatives of their respective races, and counterbalance the coldness of their leaders. As for the orcs, it's hard to feel true hatred towards them because there is no conflict within them: they are inherently, innately "evil", and that's that. They're ugly monsters with no complexity to their characterization. It's therefore easy to root for the good guys to kill the whole lot of them.
In all, the film could have been much shorter; ninety minutes would have been enough. I don't fault Jackson for expanding "The Hobbit" beyond the book into the appendices of "The Lord of the Rings" and the greater mythos of Middle Earth. His main flaw with the trilogy was that he focused way too much on fighting and action, and did not focus enough on the story as presented by Tolkien. The final film's greatest flaw was its failure to resolve loose ends from the previous film. Beyond that and the action, the movie is actually good, and worth watching. If you buy the trilogy on DVD, be ready to fast forward through large portions. The film may actually seem better that way.