What can I say about this extended version? Hmmm, it is not the best of the three already launched. I was hoping to see more character moments, but unfortunaly we almost only got some battle scenes.
Review
There are some disappointments about this extended edition. I remember back, in 2014, when The Desolation of Smaug's Extended Edition came out, and I was very happy by what I had. But now, this one seems to be very incomplete.
We don't see the windlance being destroyed by Smaug, instead, we have an unncessary moment of Bard jumping through the clifftops of the houses. In my opinion, the prologue was perfect and did not need of any alteration or addition. Anyway, is a good scene.
And, there's Dol Guldor. In my opinion, this was also a good and complete scene, did not need of any addition. But Peter Jackson has not the same vision! We do see an orc interrogating Gandalf about the Ring of Fire, and where is it. Then the orc, which is the original design of Bolg, realize it is on Gandalf's hand, and try to cut out it, but then Galadriel come and kill him, in a very violent way!
This extended edition was rated R. And it really deserved! There are a lot of gore moments during the Battle of the Five Armies, and also a lot of blood. It is weird to look at BOTFA:EE and then to AUJ and compare the two films, because there is no violence in the first movie (quite childish, actually).
Some new shots of Elrond and Saruman fighting the Nazgul, but nothing else. Yeah, it was okay to me, I did not miss more of Sauron. Bleh.
But after that, there's a very cool scene of Radagast giving his staff to Gandalf - yes, he does that, and it is very funny!
There's a new between Bofur and Bilbo, just before the hobbit leaves Erebor. Actually, he was preparing to leave the moutain to deliver the Arkenstone to Thranduil and Bain, and then Bofur apperead. It is a nice scene, remind me of Bofur and Bilbo scene at the cave in An Unexpected Journey.
And the battle beggins! Now, Thorin is more violent, and even yells "I will kill you all" to Thranduil and Bard. Unfortunaly, we did not get to see Gandalf telling about Thrain, Thorin's father. Such a pity, I was hoping to see that. But now, we finnally see Balin saying "We can not win this fight" line.
Dain's arrival was redone. Now, there are chariots, also known as war machines, and there are battle goats. The dwarven army even shot the elves using some ballistas. The elves also shot, but dwarven arrows stops the attack. It is very cool to watch! And Dain sends the goats to fight the elves, and there's a real fight between the two armies before the arrival of the were wormies.
Some new moments in the battle. Do you guys remember of the ogres? Bard even killed one of them to save his children. Yeah, there are a lot of them in this edition. We see them at the battle field, Azog command them to destroy the chariots (war machines).
After the dwarven charge, there are the dwarven hero moments promised by Peter Jackson. Oh, this was my greatest disappointment! The dwarven hero moments are basicly about Bofur, Bifur and Bombur. Bofur even rides a troll! I really missed Dori, Oin and Gloin in the battle field, a shame!
Now, in this version, Balin, Dwalin, Fili and Kili commands a great chariot to get to Ravenhill and kill Azog. It is a very cool scene, although desnecessary and too gore. The original version is perfect to me.
Alfrid Lickspittle dies at this version. Yeah, that's true. He was hidden in a catapult, but a gold fell from his bra and activated the machine and launched him to a troll's mounth, killing Alfrid. Also, Hilda Bianco leads the women and injuried to the battle, just after the Alfrid drag antic (before his death, of course). Beorn gained some new moments destroying Gundabad's army, and we did see a more violent confront between Legolas and Bolg.
But we saw the funeral, yes, we did! It is great and very sad. It is the funeral of Fili, Kili and Thorin. All the dwarves are there, and their faces are very breathtaking. Beorn and Radagast are also there. At the final, we see Gandalf saying "The King is dead!" and then the dwarves rise their weapongs says "Long live the king!" and we see a crowned Dain Ironfoot. It was the best new scene to me.
Unfortunaly, there are no new scenes after this.
This extended edition, to me, should have been the theatrical movie. Anyway, I liked it, because I like anything in relation to The Hobbit!
