Another epic conclusion.

Rating: 8/10 (21 December 2014)

After seeing the first two Hobbit films for the past two years, both released around Christmas, it was nice to see the final Middle-Earth adventure. And what a film it was! "The Battle of the Five Armies" was an epic way for Jackson's franchise to end on a grand note. The visuals were all built upon large, open areas, especially in the fighting scenes. I really enjoyed the opening scene with the epic destruction of Lake-Town by Smaug, probably my favorite. The music and constant ringing of the town bell and the fiery visuals made the scene an intense way to begin the film. The various emotional bits in-between the large numbers of armies fighting gave the film a little breathing room. And at the very end, when we return to the Shire with that familiar atmosphere, it lends us back home, as the film comes to its conclusion.
The music in this one was again written by Howard Shore and played by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which did a great job. We again hear several leitmotifs from the first two Hobbit films, such as the violins' creepy theme for Smaug, Bilbo's variation of the Shire theme from the original films, and a heroic piece for Thorin built on brass. Several pieces from the original series return as well, such as music for the Orcs, the famous violin melody for the One Ring, and for the Shire. All of this allows the listener to latch on to musical knowledge from previous, which makes the scene ever more powerful; and as this is the final film, it is imperative that Shore does this. There were several sections with chanting choir, to add to the battle effect, and as Thorin begins his solo battles on the mountain, the choir becomes ever more intense. The music does a good job of flowing with the movie, which aids the transitions. There were some times that felt right omitting music, and some where I felt something more was needed, however. Overall, it was a pretty epic score that did a lot for the film, and I wonder if Shore will do anything more with his music for these films.
Overall, the visuals and everything were of a fantastic quality. The allusions to the original Lord of the Rings in terms of plot were really nice as well. Overall, it was an epic conclusion to finish a six-film collection of The Lord of the Rings.