The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies | Review

As a lover of all things Tolkien I anticipated the final instalment of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, almost as much as I dreaded the whole franchise ending with no chance of renewal. This thought aside, I saw Battle Of The Five Armies the day it came out, ready to brace whatever was in store. With the last of the epic prequel fantasy adventure there were certain expectations that needed to be withheld in comparison to the earlier films (Lord Of The Rings) however - it pains me to say - I don’t think my high hopes were fulfilled.

In the beginning of the final film we find ourselves back in Laketown, Middle Earth. Continuing straight from where we left off in the previous movie, Smaug setting out to reduce Laketown and the citizens that reside there to smouldering ash. You could say the full on action of Bard taking on the dragon and the touching moments with his son first thing grabs the audience’s attention… however from there the film’s plot wavers from tepid to lukewarm.
After this, the film focuses on the dwarves and in particular Thorin; consumed by the 
obsession and greed that came with the companies reclaiming of Erebor. Then of course the inevitably dragged out ‘battle of the 5 armies’ which replaced the original ending ‘there and back again’, which may have been more suited for the ending to the final movie.

The acting was admirable but at the same time it is what you naturally expect, however it is clear that the - so called - main character, Bilbo, was overshadowed by the other endless amount of characters and weak plot lines. I felt that the person who received most screen time was Tauriel, an impossible character, who was not intended to be in the story by Tolkien. Bringing her into the trilogy, in order to create a ridiculous love interest, still proves to be a stupid judgement call made by Jackson, whereas important characters like the dwarves were handed a one line each basis, while Beorn got barely 15 seconds. All the other actors worked well with the script given, however the ‘dark’ movie that was expected, laced with war… as the title suggests, was replaced with cheap laughs, brought from the pantomimic character that is the snivelling, mono brow adorning, Alfrid. It cant be explained how imprudently out of place this character is, this character, created by the minds of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, surely not.

Possibly the saddest thing about this film is the CGI effects, that were exceptional in the better of the two trilogies. The fighting stunts are now false and unbelievably, somehow the bloodcurdling orcs have become almost good-looking to some extent, in the way that they are no longer disgusting and repellent… what we all loved about the initial orcs. Nonetheless, I cannot fault the scenery or wardrobe, which still feels realistic - as it has always been in middle earth.

You can infer from the film, that the moral story trying to be put across is about greed and the madness driven by gold and luxury. However as you watch a dwarf being metaphorically engulfed by molten gold, all you can think of is the actual voracity of the film makers. There was no need three movies made from one book smaller than any LOTR book. There was no need for warping of story lines. There was no need for senile characters that lack the ability to add anything to the story. It’s as simple as that, and this is what the final film sums up.

If you enjoyed the last two Hobbit films, there is a chance you’ll also agree with the send off. However from a devoted watcher and reader’s point of view, it could be seen as enough to convert you against the whole Hobbit escapade; wishing it didn't happen in the first place. It wasn’t a complete flop of a film, however there was a certain amount of emotion that lacked from death scenes, fond farewells and the overall ending- leaving viewers disappointed with the send off, which was meant to symbolise the ending of the beloved stories.

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The Spy Who Came In From The Cold | Review

The spy who came in from the cold was written by John Le Carré and published in 1963. The book falls into the genre of a thriller of the spy persuasion, I would say.  All the same it is interesting to read for historical purposes, as it addresses both sides of the cold war, giving insight into spy morality and cynicism.

I first picked up this book because I was interested by the author; being a former worker for MI6 and MI5 himself, it would be a truthful representation of the world of espionage. This was my first spy novel to date, and certainly not my last. I enjoyed the ever-changing plot and the human conscience it addresses. 

One of the things most noteworthy about this book is the detailed plot; which is the basis of any good book. It follows a washed up British spy ‘Alec Lemas’, who is called in and asked to falsely defect in order to frame the infamous ‘Mundt’. However he falls in love with a naive Communist and suspects he is in a bigger double cross in the spy world. Although the plot is quite confusing, so if you aren’t an avid reader, I wouldn't recommend.

Mundt, himself is one of the most complex and paramount characters, as he is one of the ‘big men’ in the Albteilung- one of Germany’s intelligence agencies. His ultimate assignment is to protect the Communist East Germany, from the West. The fact that he is an ex-nazi makes his ambitions clear and unwavering throughout- creating a head to be reckoned with.

Lemas, the main character works for ‘The Circus’, which is a fictional representation of MI6. He is prideful, and apart from society- in the way he acts towards people. Furthermore he is also self-destructive and isolated, as he is seen as a drunk and ‘washout’ by his colleagues.

Control - the head of the circus - calls in Alec tell him about the other spies who have been brutally murdered by Mundt. From there they come to think of a plan of action, this consists of supplying Fiedler, Mundt's deputy and an intelligent advocate of Communism, with evidence that Mundt is a double agent, actually working for the British Intelligence in order for Alec to ‘come back in from the cold’.

As the plan unravels the clear morals of the spies are uncovered, as not seem to have a sense of right and wrong- as a spy should. 

I won’t tell anymore, or spoil it in anyway, but I will say that I highly recommend it. The book offers more clarity and closure than most books I’ve read, as the end really is the end, as horrifying and abrupt it is. In conclusion I would rate this book 9/10, for the sublime plot and lack of ‘goodies and baddies’; making it a more interesting and well thought out book. The work - I would say - definitely makes it into my top 50 and I suggest picking it up as well.

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