Thranduil leads an army to reclaim ancestral heirlooms.
Unlike the slow-burn openings of An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug , begins with a fiery bang. We pick up milliseconds after the previous film’s cliffhanger: the dragon Smaug, enraged by the dwarves, flies toward the unsuspecting citizens of Lake-town.
: Thorin Oakenshield, after reclaiming the Lonely Mountain (Erebor), becomes obsessed with gold. The Turning Point
The film's centerpiece is a large-scale war. Jackson uses CGI to depict the conflict between different groups: The Dwarves of the Iron Hills, led by Daín Ironfoot. The Elves of Mirkwood, commanded by Thranduil.
Critics hated the inclusion, but within the context of this specific film, it works. The elves are immortal, frozen in time. The dwarves live fiery, short lives. In a movie about races refusing to cooperate (Dwarves won't give gold, Elves won't give aid), Tauriel’s love is an act of rebellion. When Kíli dies defending her, Tauriel breaks down. "Why does it hurt so much?" she asks Thranduil. "Because it was real," the Elvenking replies. It is the only moment of pure romantic tragedy in the entire trilogy, offering a soft counterpoint to the hard steel of the battlefield.
Yet, the film smartly intercuts the massive CGI battles with intimate duels. Thorin’s final confrontation with the goblin king Bolg on the frozen waterfall of Ravenhill is a poignant, snowy ballet. It lacks the spectacle of the Helm’s Deep, but it carries the weight of a tragic hero’s last stand.
The film begins with Smaug's descent upon Lake-town, a reminder of the stakes, ending with Bard the Bowman's heroic stand. The dragon's death is a catalyst for war. As word spreads about the treasure of Erebor, several factions move toward the Lonely Mountain: