The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies Grade/Discuss (Spoilers)

[The Old Mixer]

Whatever Bilbo's role in the plot, the book is told very much from his perspective. That's completely lost in these films.

The trouble with Bilbo is that his arc in the book amounts to going from a homebody who doesn't think about anything outside the Shirt to becoming more cosmopolitan when he discovers the joy in adventure.

I try to think outside the shirt just long enough to get into my pants.

 

[Mach5]

The Valar brought about the Elves at the same time as men,

I don't think so, Elves are often referred to as "firstborn", and LOTR wiki says they "awoke" three ages before men.

 

[JarodRussell]

I never felt that Bilbo got shoved out of the story. He is an integral part of each of the films, and has the best scenes. It's just that he, in contrast to Frodo, is only a bystander in huge events that unfold. Frodo single handedly destroys Sauron, and gets the citizens of Rohan and Gondor bow before him, and everyone in Middle-Earth knows him. All Bilbo gets is a treasure chest and the thank you of a company of dwarves, and he isn't becoming a celebrity.

Bilbo and Gollum, and Bilbo and Smaug, those two sequences are my favorite sequences of all 6 movies now. The Extended Edition of Desolation is really good.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I never felt that Bilbo got shoved out of the story. He is an integral part of each of the films, and has the best scenes. It's just that he, in contrast to Frodo, is only a bystander in huge events that unfold. Frodo single handedly destroys Sauron, and gets the citizens of Rohan and Gondor bow before him, and everyone in Middle-Earth knows him. All Bilbo gets is a treasure chest and the thank you of a company of dwarves, and he isn't becoming a celebrity.

Samwise Gamgee would like a word with you!

 

[marillion]

^ Yeah, the Strider reference bugged me too. Totally unnecessary.

If I recall the books correctly (been a LONG time since I've read them), at one point in time, Aragorn was living under an assumed name to protect his true identity as the future king. So that's probably what the sly reference was about. We're decades away from the events of the LOTR at this point, so it makes sense.

But you have to really know your books to get the reference.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ I knew who Strider was and that he had been living under an assumed name. It was the very mention of him which I found unnecessary. I just don't like that sort of retrospective foreshadowing in prequel films.

 

[Relayer1]

I'd like two extra versions when it's released to buy.

The extended version with ALL of the extra stuff that was filmed put back in, regardless of flow and pacing considerations.

And

A cut to the bone version of the whole trilogy resulting in one 3 to 4 hour movie with all of the extraneous stuff excised, the over the top fight scenes/acrobatics trimmed and the focus on what was actually in the novel.

We'll only get the first one - maybe we'll get a fan edit to deliver the second.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

I'd like two extra versions when it's released to buy.

The extended version with ALL of the extra stuff that was filmed put back in, regardless of flow and pacing considerations.

And

A cut to the bone version of the whole trilogy resulting in one 3 to 4 hour movie with all of the extraneous stuff excised, the over the top fight scenes/acrobatics trimmed and the focus on what was actually in the novel.

We'll only get the first one - maybe we'll get a fan edit to deliver the second.

That would reduce the 3rd movie to maybe about 5 minutes!

 

[OmahaStar]

The extended version with ALL of the extra stuff that was filmed put back in, regardless of flow and pacing considerations.

That's what I'm waiting for. Based on the experience I had with Lord of the Rings, I knew it would be best to wait. Sure, there are extended editions available now, but after the third film has hit home video, they will release a box set of the extended editions of the trilogy with even more extras, footage, etc. It made waiting a whole lot easier.

 

[Kemaiku]

The Valar brought about the Elves at the same time as men,

I don't think so, Elves are often referred to as "firstborn", and LOTR wiki says they "awoke" three ages before men.

Hmm, the Silmarillion account of the "music" they created that brought about the universe and life that Melkor interfered with only mentions it bringing them into being, it doesn't give a better idea of how far between. But alright, must be somewhere.

 

[marillion]

^ I knew who Strider was and that he had been living under an assumed name. It was the very mention of him which I found unnecessary. I just don't like that sort of retrospective foreshadowing in prequel films.

Ahhh... Gotcha... I understand where you're coming from now.

 

[mswood]

For those complaining about Alfrid... this is a very dark and humorless movie. I just watched the first movie last night and I couldn't believe how light and silly it was compared to this one. They needed to have SOME comic relief in there. .

Comic relief is fine. Problem is Alfrid was the opposite of that. He was obnoxious, superfluous and a waste of time.

Actually I liked him up to the point where Bard is picked to lead them. Nor did I mind him as a goffer for Gandalf. Now outside of those two bits I disliked him considerable.

But in each of the three times I have seen the movie him in drag gets the loudest positive reaction from the audience of the movie outside of Smaug crushing the master.

I groaned at the drag scene the audience roared.

 

[Mr Light]

I saw it twice and both audiences loved Alfrid in drag.

What I like about it is that he was completely unapologetic about it. He wasn't acting like a doofus or having a comedic whoops I'm caught moment. He was deadly serious about avoiding battle.

I'm quite shocked they didn't show him getting stuck by an Orc while he was escaping with the gold.

 

[1001001]

Saw it today in Glorious IMAX 3D with the kids.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved seeing Galadriel take on Sauron. Cried when Thorin and Kili died...


A

 

[Mr Light]

I saw it my THIRD time today

I always tear up a) when the White Council attacks Dol Guldor and b) when Thranduil comforts Legolas and Tauriel.

My biggest surprise with the last film is what they did with Thranduil. He went from a generic asshole in the second film to an interesting and textured character in this one with a tragic backstory explaining his actions. Also, he was a badass fighter.

I feel like there was a missing scene with Legolas in the opening that we'll see in the Extended Edition. We last see him charging after Bolg out of Laketown, then he reappears on the show saying Bolg's going to Gundabad with some Wargs. Why isn't he chasing him anymore? I want to see that scene.

 

[1001001]

I didn't realize until we were driving home today that Thranduil was the guy from Halt and Catch Fire. I knew I recognized the voice but he looks so different!!

 

[Mr Light]

He's the star of Pushing Daisies and The Fall as well. And he was Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy. But he'll always be the pie maker to me.

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

He's the star of Pushing Daisies and The Fall as well. And he was Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy. But he'll always be the pie maker to me.

For my family, as well. We've watched Pushing Daisies at least three times, both seasons, first to last.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I love Pushing Daisies. Nice to see him getting some big screen work, even if he's fairly unrecognisable and it doesn't avail of his Jimmy Stewart-esque charm.

 

[Saul]

I never felt that Bilbo got shoved out of the story. He is an integral part of each of the films, and has the best scenes. It's just that he, in contrast to Frodo, is only a bystander in huge events that unfold. Frodo single handedly destroys Sauron, and gets the citizens of Rohan and Gondor bow before him, and everyone in Middle-Earth knows him. All Bilbo gets is a treasure chest and the thank you of a company of dwarves, and he isn't becoming a celebrity.

Samwise Gamgee would like a word with you!

Yes, thank you!

I think it's supposed to be "walk on this rice paper without leaving a trace" with an added dose of fantasy.

And computer game music.