As you can discern from the title, there’s a lot of action in this concluding installment: humans, dwarves, elves and one little hobbit face the evil Orcs in a massive fight for Middle-earth. Director Peter Jackson is a master storyteller, able to deftly weave massive spectacle with moments of personal sentiment. Martin Freeman (in the title role) charms with his whimsical personality. The fantasy world is visually dazzling and the pacing seldom lags, although the battles and the concluding drama go on too long. If you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll be thrilled with this grand finale.
(3.5 / 5)