Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Edits, The

An absolute BANGER from my boy Stromboli! He cut out all the parts that really slowed down the hobbit series and really just made the movie more captivating by transitioning the scenes very well!

As a newbie sometimes I'm a bit daunted at the range of edits of particular films, so it's difficult to know where to start! For anyone in my position, I'd like to point out this serial version of The Hobbit. Having just finished it, its a fantastic example of what can be achieved and could easily be viewed as being a part of the original Jackson franchise. Hats off to all involved for the time and effort. My kids are Tolkein fanatics and all loved this version in-spite of initial hesitation!

Admittedly, I haven't checked out any other fanedits of The Hobbit, but this particular one is a phenomenal retelling of the film trilogy. I also haven't had the pleasure of reading the source material, so proceed knowing this review has been written from the perspective of the filthiest of casuals.

The Necromancer subplot has been separated into its own bonus episode (I've yet to experience it, but it's available for those who are interested), and its sacrifice enabled Stromboli to create an absolutely breathtaking & flawless adventure narrative. Changing the overall format into five episodes at one hour each makes for easier watching (and easier binging) over the stretched thinness of the original three movies.

Each of the scenes have been edited superbly, and clearly with care & consideration. The actual Battle of the Five Armies in front of Erebor is no longer an acrobatics & CGI clown festival, but an immense war between four races, to name but one example of how Five Edits retells Tolkien's masterpiece and redeems Jackson's adaptation into an unexpected journey reminiscent to the brilliance of the original Lord of the Rings.

Absolutely watch this if you're looking to reignite a passion for fantasy on the big screen.

Best edit I’ve watched. It took the best part of several other good edits and created a fun and flowing adventure that keeps the idea of the original book without losing the changes of the new movie. Changing it to several shorter episodes helps make it more manageable when watching.

This format really serves The Hobbit movies well. In an age of streaming and enjoying epic stories in 50-minute chunks, treating a bloated film trilogy that was blown out of proportion this way makes a lot of sense. In this format, I found myself feeling more accepting of some of the material that was not derived from the immediate source material. Overall an excellent way to get through The Hobbit, and rather seamless overall. Very good work.