Film: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

by Shellie Daintry

“Will you follow me, one last time?”

I did, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I can’t believe it’s actually over! This was our final journey to Middle Earth on the Big Screen and Peter Jackson let his epic adaptations finish on a high. I knew I would love it, when you are a big of a fan as I am of all things LotR or The Hobbit, it would have to have been drastically horrendous for me not to love it! Though what’s surprising is I think it might have made me love it even more than I do Return of the King, which was my favourite of the whole 6 film franchise. (I know, what a shocker!)

The beginning was epic, Smaug is a work of CGI genius (but I’d expect nothing less from the team at Weta) and Benedict Cumberbatch was the perfect voice actor for the dragon. I’d seen a film review on the TV that complained that Smaug was defeated too quickly (I know that’s a bit of a spoiler, sorry, but I won’t spoil much more), and this very same review hated that the battle of the five armies itself took too long. I don’t know what he was watching because I didn’t feel that way at all. Granted I think that the Smaug scenes could have been done in the last film, because that had a somewhat unfinished quality to it’s ending, but I do think it makes for a high impact,exciting opening.

The whole cast was a treat to watch but special mention must go to Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Richard Armitage as Thorin and the wonderful Martin Freeman as Bilbo. I don’t think anyone could have played the characters as well as they did. I think Evangeline Lily’s character, Tauriel, came into her own in this film as well, and although I wasn’t entirely convinced of her reason for being there the first time I’d heard about her in the last film, this time I loved having a strong female character to follow in a largely male cast. (Tauriel wasn’t the only girl, however, we did have the fabulous Galadriel doing her bit for feminine power as well.)

The story was played out in a way that kept you on your toes and surprised you even if (like me) you already knew the original story. The beauty of creating the LotR films before The Hobbit films, is that the audience already knows what happens after The Hobbit finishes, so it can foreshadow events, like Sauron’s return beautifully. I love how it sets up so many threads that I know eventually pay-off in The Lord of the Rings.

I won’t spoil the story if you haven’t ever read it (but I’m thoroughly surprised if you never have!) but it is a tear-jerker! I was moved by how it played out and I think that is down once more to the quality of the actors and the director. There are other reviews out there that believe it’s an anti-climax to the trilogy and they are generally mean to the film. Miserable sods. They must have been watching a different movie! I think it did what it needed to do, and it did it well. More than well, it did it spectacularly.

A fitting end to the wondrous journey into the most grand of fantasy worlds. Though for me it won’t be my final journey into Middle Earth. I have the books waiting on my shelf and because of this film it has made me want to dive back in and fall in love all over again.

Why I Love The Hobbit Films

by Shellie Daintry

In an earlier post I mentioned that JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit was one of the books I adored when I was a child. I’d say it was what inspired me to start writing fantasy. I’ve been making up fantasy worlds since I’ve been a child and judging by my stories now I’ve never grown up. Naturally, I then followed through and read all three of The Lord of the Rings when I was 12 years old and subsequently became obsessed with it. Not helped by the film that came out around that time.

I love the book, but I was surprised that it had somehow been stretched into not 1 but 3 full sized movies. If any other film maker had taken on the project I’m not sure it would have been possible – nor would I have liked it I don’t think – but Peter Jackson is perfect because he is a true fan and stays faithful to the world that Tolkien created.

That is one of the reasons that I love The Hobbit films. Secondly, I love how they have incorporated all the stuff with the Necromancer, which rightfully occurs at the same time as the events recorded in The Hobbit. I love that Benedict Cumberbatch is Smaug…AND the Necromancer (why not be both baddies eh?). I adore that they brought back Legolas (enter excited fan-girl scream), again I think that was a wise choice – I mean he would have been there, Mirkwood is his home. I’m amazed how they managed to make Dwarves sexy…and I give a big thumbs up for the Dwarf women, beards and all.

I think I might have annoyed my sister when I got over excited by them starting The Hobbit trilogy with the same opening sequence as The Lord of the Rings. (Elijah Wood obviously doesn’t age.) But that is a stroke of genius.

I could go on and on. As you can tell, it is one of my favourite tales. Unusually, I think the films don’t detract from the original books but instead I think the film franchise adds to the books. I even think they encourage those who may not have tried to read them before to pick them up and give them a go.

So that is a small selection of the reasons why I love The Hobbit films.

The final installment of the franchise is out today! I am super excited and have my ticket booked for this Tuesday (expect my review of the film the day after). So if you get a chance try and catch it at the cinemas, and even better – if you get the time, revisit the original book because it’s a tale worth reading again and again.

That’s it for now. I’ll be back on Sunday with my review of Ian Ingram’s Old Secrets.

Happy Reading!

Childhood Memories

I saw something on the television today that sent me straight back to my childhood – well more specifically it got me thinking about the books I loved as a child. What put me in such a reminiscent mood? I saw the advert for the BBC’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot. You don’t understand how happy that advert made me! Esio Trot was one of my favourite books when I was much younger than I am now. I remember how much I adored my little hardback version and I think it marked the beginning of my unending obsession with all things bookish.

As you know, I am a writer and one day I’d love to be a successfully published author and since I was little it has been my greatest dream. If I was asked who inspired me to be a story teller then I would say hands down it was Roald Dahl. I read book after book of his and the way he crafted characters and the enchanting stories he created set my tender young imagination alight.

I can’t wait to see how the BBC brings the story to life and I pray to God they do it well, because that story has a special place in my heart.

Another book that had a profound effect on my childhood mind was JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Whilst Roald Dahl first inspired me to start telling stories (which I did in abundance on the playground – even scaring the year below me with ghostly tales) it was The Hobbit which inspired me to create fantasy worlds. That opened up my eyes and I can say it is probably responsible for the things I write now. I love writing about magic and creating whole new worlds – fantasy is what I love to read and write. It all started when I was very young and was introduced to these fantastic books.

As you well know, the final installment of Peter Jackson’s massive adaptation of this beloved book is out very soon. So I will be able to revisit my childhood (sort of) all over the Christmas period. I’ll be watching The Hobbit on the 16th (so expect a post about that then) and Esio Trot will be on TV on New Year’s Day so I will be watching that for sure.

I have an urge to dig out my copies of both these books and treat myself to another trip down memory lane – so that’s what I will do! (If I can find them in that bookcase…)

Happy Reading!

Shellie