‘It’s compelling stuff, reaping rewards of characters built-up over two movies, all flawed and with an agenda’

Bard teacher

Yet despite the warmongering title, focusing on the action would be doing The Battle Of The Five Armies a disservice. Even at its most talky, it’s compelling stuff, reaping the rewards of characters built-up over two movies, all of them flawed and with a convincing agenda. With Martin Freeman’s ever-excellent Bilbo more of a bit-part player this time, the stage is set for others to stand out: Luke Evans, as Bard, becomes a reluctant leader of men, whose desire to protect his kids makes him one of the most human characters ever to grace Middleearth, while Kili (Aidan Turner) and Tauriel’s (Evangeline Lilly) romance is touching.

However, it’s Thorin’s movie, as Richard Armitage takes his Dwarf-king character to the edge of madness. With the Dragon Sickness taking hold, Thorin is a danger to everyone under his rule, yet Armitage never allows him to become a monster, as glimpses of the good man he was shine through.

While you’re always conscious that bridges with TLOTR are being built, this trilogy closer is less preoccupied with being a prequel than it could have been. Yes, come the end Bilbo has his Mithril shirt and all the key players are where they need to be, but only one moment – a mention of one of TLOTR’s leading lights – feels crowbarred in.

As for the ending, there’s more restraint than The Return Of The King, wrapping up with a suitably low-key return to the Shire that effectively brings the saga full circle. As a farewell to Middle-earth, it’s pitched perfectly – bad things are happening in Mordor, but we don’t have to worry about that. Not yet, anyway...

THE VERDICT The debate will continue to rage over whether The Hobbit needed to be split into three movies, but Peter Jackson has completed his six-film Middle-earth cycle without dropping the ball – one of the great cinematic achievements.

› Certificate 12A Director Peter Jackson Starring Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly Screenplay Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Guillermo del Toro Distributor Warner Bros Running time 144 mins