The film picks up immediately where the previous installment left off, with the dragon Smaug attacking the Lake-town. Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans) manages to kill Smaug, but the destruction prompts a power struggle for the vast wealth within the Lonely Mountain.
Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), now possessed by dragon sickness, refuses to share the treasure with the other races. This leads to tensions among the various factions: the Elves, the Dwarves, the Men of Lake-town, and the Orcs, who are converging on the Lonely Mountain.
In the climax, the Battle of the Five Armies unfolds. Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), and the Elven army join forces with the Dwarves, Men, and the Eagles to face the Orcs led by Azog. The battle is intense, with various characters facing personal challenges and sacrifices.
Thorin, in a moment of clarity, overcomes his madness and joins the battle. He faces off against Azog, resulting in both their deaths. Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) tries to negotiate peace among the warring factions, emphasizing the need to unite against a common enemy.
The film concludes with Thorin’s funeral and Bilbo returning home to the Shire with a portion of the treasure. The narrative hints at the growing darkness in Middle-earth, setting the stage for the events of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” received mixed reviews, with praise for its visual effects and action sequences, but criticism for the extended adaptation of a relatively short novel. It serves as the conclusion to both “The Hobbit” trilogy and Peter Jackson’s broader cinematic Middle-earth saga.