The epic conclusion to the adventure of Bilbo Baggins finds the Dwarves of Erebor having reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but at a terrible price. Having unleashed the terrifying dragon Smaug upon the defenseless men, women, and children of Lake-town, Thorin Oakenshield sacrifices friendship and honor in his search for the legendary Arkenstone. As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, a massive army of Orcs led by the pale orc Azog descends upon the Lonely Mountain, forcing Dwarves, Elves, and Men to decide: unite or be destroyed.
Information |
|
|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States New Zealand |
Premiere date |
December 17, 2014 |
Running time |
144 minutes |
Genre |
Fantasy Adventure Action |
Budget |
$250,000,000 |
Box Office |
$962,201,338 |
Crew |
|
Directed by |
Peter Jackson |
Produced by |
Carolynne Cunningham Zane Weiner Fran Walsh Peter Jackson |
Written by |
Fran Walsh Philippa Boyens Peter Jackson Guillermo del Toro |
Music by |
Howard Shore |
Cinematography |
Andrew Lesnie |
Edited by |
Jabez Olssen |
Production Co. |
New Line Cinema Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) WingNut Films |
Distributed by |
Warner Bros. Pictures |
Top Cast |
|
|
|
Official Trailer |
|
Movie Collection |
Movie Order: #03 in The Hobbit Collection
|
The Plot
Fire and Shadow
From the vantage point of the Lonely Mountain, Bilbo Baggins and the company of Dwarves watch in horror as the dragon Smaug descends upon Lake-town, unleashing a torrent of fire that incinerates the wooden settlement. Amidst the chaos and destruction, Bard manages to break out of his prison cell. Scrambling to a makeshift tower, he confronts the beast and, with steady aim, slays Smaug using the legendary black arrow. The dragon's lifeless body plummets from the sky, crashing directly onto the boat of the fleeing Master of Lake-town, crushing him and his cronies instantly.
With their town reduced to ash, the survivors look to Bard as their new leader. Seeking shelter and safety, he guides the people of Lake-town to the ruins of Dale in the shadow of the mountain. Meanwhile, the elf Tauriel departs to investigate Mount Gundabad, accompanied by Legolas. Back at Erebor, the atmosphere grows heavy. Upon entering the mountain, FÃli, KÃli, Bofur, and Óin are reunited with the company, only to be informed by a worried Bilbo that Thorin Oakenshield has been afflicted with "dragon sickness." Consumed by greed, Thorin obsessively searches for the Arkenstone. Bilbo, having actually stolen the King's Jewel from Smaug during their encounter, keeps it hidden, realizing that its discovery would only worsen Thorin's madness. Paranoid and desperate to protect his gold, Thorin orders the entrance of the Lonely Mountain to be sealed off with a massive stone wall.
The White Council at Dol Guldur
Far away in the fortress of Dol Guldur, Gandalf the Grey lies imprisoned and defeated. His rescue comes in the form of Galadriel, who carries the unconscious Wizard to a more open clearing. However, they are not alone; the Necromancer mocks them from the shadows. Suddenly, the Ringwraiths surround them, but Elrond and Saruman arrive just in time to aid the Lady of Lórien. While Radagast the Brown tends to Gandalf, Elrond and Saruman engage the nine Nazgûl in a fierce spectral duel.
The conflict escalates when the Necromancer reveals his true form: Sauron. He manifests before them with the Nine at his side, threatening to overwhelm the White Council. Summoning the power of Nenya, her Elven Ring of Power, Galadriel confronts the Dark Lord. Unleashing a blinding light, she banishes Sauron and his Ringwraiths from the fortress, casting them far into the East. The effort leaves her drained, and she collapses into Elrond’s arms. Elrond urges that they must warn the Free Peoples and set a watch on Mordor, but Saruman overrules him. He instructs Elrond to take the weakened Galadriel to safety, ominously declaring that he will deal with Sauron himself.
The Gathering Storm
Safe from the fortress, Radagast gives Gandalf his own staff and a horse, allowing the Grey Wizard to ride swiftly toward Dale to warn of the coming war. Meanwhile, the Orc chieftain Azog the Defiler marches his vast army toward the Lonely Mountain. During the march, he learns from his son, Bolg, that an Elf army led by Thranduil is also converging on the mountain. Seizing the tactical advantage, Azog commands Bolg to travel to Gundabad to ready a second, reserve army.
Following Bolg to the northern fortress of Gundabad, Legolas and Tauriel witness the massive mobilization of forces. They see Bolg commanding not just another army of Orcs, but also swarms of giant, war-bred bats. Realizing the scale of the trap being laid, they immediately turn back toward Lake-town to warn the others of the pincer movement.
A Thief in the Night
Thranduil’s massive Elven army arrives in the ruins of Dale, bringing food and aid to the starving humans. The Elven King forms an alliance with Bard, seeking to claim a necklace of white gems from the mountain's hoard—heirlooms of his people. Bard attempts to reason with Thorin through the barricade to avoid bloodshed, asking for a fair settlement for the people of Lake-town. However, Thorin, now fully consumed by the dragon's sickness, refuses to listen. To the dismay of his own company, he rejects all diplomacy. As the Dwarves prepare for a siege, Thorin gifts Bilbo a vest made of mithril rings. In a chilling moment, Thorin begins to speak with the cadence of Smaug, confessing to Bilbo that he will not part with a single coin, betraying his honor.
Gandalf arrives in Dale, attempting to warn Thranduil and Bard of the Orc army, but they are focused on the mountain. Determined to force a peaceful resolution, Bilbo sneaks out of Erebor under the cover of night. He enters the camp of men and elves and presents the Arkenstone to Thranduil and Bard, hoping they can trade it for peace. Inside the tent, Thranduil coldly reminds Gandalf that the wizard started this quest, and now the Elf King intends to finish it.
The Battle of the Five Armies
The following morning, the combined forces of Elves and Men gather at the gates of Erebor. Thranduil and Bard ride to the front, where Thorin threatens to kill them if they approach. Bard produces the Arkenstone, offering to trade it. Thorin, believing it to be a bluff, is stunned when Bilbo reveals he was the one who gave it to them. The Hobbit admits he intended to give it to Thorin but chastises the Dwarf King for allowing greed to cloud his judgment and corrupt his soul. Enraged, Thorin orders the other Dwarves to throw Bilbo from the ramparts. When they refuse, Thorin grabs Bilbo, intending to kill him personally. Gandalf intervenes, his voice commanding Thorin to release the Hobbit. Taking advantage of the distraction provided by the company holding their leader back, Bilbo escapes down the wall to Gandalf’s side.
Just as the tension peaks, a new player enters the field: Dáin Ironfoot, Thorin's cousin, arrives with a heavily armed Dwarf army from the Iron Hills. Dáin prepares to attack the Elves, but the ground begins to rumble. Were-worms burst from the earth, paving the way for Azog’s army. Azog signals the attack, sending one branch of his forces to engage Dáin. Thranduil, seeing the Dwarves outnumbered, leads his Elves into the fray to assist them. Azog then unleashes the rest of his legion upon the city of Dale, trapping Bilbo, Gandalf, Bard, and the remaining defenders. The battle rages on two fronts. Gandalf, Thranduil, Bard, and Dáin fight desperately as wave after wave of Orcs pour onto the battlefield. Amidst the slaughter, the cowardly Alfrid gathers a pile of treasure and flees, with Bard watching him go with disgust but allowing him to leave.
The King Under the Mountain
Inside the sealed mountain, Thorin wanders the Hall of Kings. After a lengthy, hallucinatory struggle with his own psyche, he finally casts off the dragon sickness, throwing down his crown. Regaining his honor, Thorin rallies his kin. The barricade is shattered, and Thorin’s company bursts forth from Erebor, charging into the fray. Their arrival reinvigorates Dáin’s forces and turns the tide momentarily. Leaving the main battle to Dáin, Thorin takes Dwalin, FÃli, and KÃli and rides towards Ravenhill on giant mountain goats, intending to cut off the head of the snake by killing Azog in his command post.
Simultaneously, Legolas and Tauriel arrive at Ravenhill. Despite being banished by Thranduil for her disobedience, Tauriel remains to fight. They realize the second army from Gundabad is approaching. Bilbo, having followed the Dwarves using his Ring, arrives to warn Thorin of the incoming flank. Thorin, unaware of the trap, sends FÃli and KÃli to scout the towers.
Tragedy on Ravenhill
The trap springs too late. Azog captures FÃli and drags him into view atop a ruined tower. Before Thorin’s horrified eyes, Azog stabs FÃli and throws his lifeless body from the heights. As Thorin engages Azog in a brutal duel to avenge his nephew, Bolg arrives to lead the second wave. KÃli, seeing Tauriel fighting for her life against Bolg, rushes to her aid. In a tragic turn, KÃli is struck down and dies protecting her. Legolas intervenes, engaging Bolg in a gravity-defying duel on a crumbling bridge, eventually killing the Orc chieftain. Just as the Free Peoples seem overwhelmed, the Great Eagles arrive, led by Radagast and the skin-changer Beorn. They swoop down upon the battlefield, decimating the Orc ranks and shattering Azog’s army.
The Return Journey
On the frozen ice of a frozen waterfall, Thorin and Azog fight their final battle. Thorin allows himself to be mortally wounded by Azog’s blade in order to pin the Orc in place and deliver a killing thrust. When Bilbo regains consciousness and finds them, Azog is dead, but Thorin lies dying. In his final moments, Thorin makes peace with the Hobbit, retracting his harsh words and valuing simple cheer above hoarded gold. He dies as Bilbo weeps over him.
In the aftermath, a disillusioned Legolas decides not to return to the Woodland Realm. Thranduil advises him to seek out a young Dúnedan ranger in the North known as "Strider." Nearby, Thranduil sees Tauriel weeping over KÃli’s body. Finally understanding the depth of her emotion, he acknowledges that her love was real. Bilbo bids a heartfelt farewell to the surviving members of the company, telling them they are always welcome in the Shire for tea. He begins the long journey home with Gandalf. On the outskirts of the Shire, Gandalf reveals he is aware of the magic ring Bilbo found in the Goblin tunnels, though he does not yet know it is the One Ring. They part on good terms.
The End of the Story
Bilbo returns to Bag End only to find his home in chaos; the Sackville-Bagginses, presuming him dead, are auctioning off his belongings. He halts the auction and reclaims his home, though his reputation among the respectable Hobbits is forever altered. The years pass, and the scene transitions to an elderly Bilbo on the day of his 111th birthday. He sits in his study, finishing his memoir, when a knock comes at the door. "No thank you! We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers, or distant relations!" he shouts. But when the voice replies, "And what about very old friends?", Bilbo opens the door to find Gandalf the Grey, bringing the story full circle to the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring.
