To commemorate the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies film in theatres today, LEGO featured a couple of really nice poster on their Facebook page, highlighting all of the heroes of the film. 🙂
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is the last of the three The Hobbit movies directed by Peter Jackson based on the original The Hobbit book by Tolkien. Having reclaimed Erebor and vast treasure from the dragon Smaug, Thorin Oakenshield sacrifices friendship and honor in seeking the Arkenstone, despite Smaug’s fiery wrath and desperate attempts by the Hobbit Bilbo to make him see reason. Meanwhile, Sauron sends legions of Orcs in a sneak attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As the fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance, the races of Men, Elves and Dwarves must decide whether to unite and prevail… or all die…
Whether you agree with Peter Jackson’s interpretation of Tolkien’s books, I highly recommend watching the movie at least once. It is big, epic, full of adventure, and looks great on the big screen. Sadly, this is the end of this epic saga, and also very likely the end of the LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit line (although some LEGO fans still hope against hope that there will be more). So if you are interested in any of the sets, I recommend you check them out before they get retired.
There are still some LEGO Lord of the Rings sets left from previous releases, with the #10237 LEGO The Lord of the Rings The Tower of Orthanc being the largest. There is also some nice selection of smaller sets. Although there has been complaints from LEGO fans the LEGO Lord of the Rings sets are too small compared to the epic scale depicted in the movies, this is understandable due to logistic and price constraints. However LEGO did an excellent job with the minifigures in this line; they are accurate, highly detailed and beautiful. You can check out all the still available LEGO Lord of the Rings sets at the Online LEGO Shop.
As far as the LEGO The Hobbit sets, there has been a brand new wave released just recently to be in line with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies film. The largest of these sets is the #79018 LEGO The Hobbit The Lonely Mountain with an awesomely large Smaug. There are also some great sets depicting other scenes from the films like the Dol Guldur battle, the activities in Lake Town, and the Mirkwood elves. I highly recommend you check out the sets and get the ones you would really like before they get retired. All the LEGO The Hobbit sets are available at the Online LEGO Shop.
So what do you think? Have you seen The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies film yet? How did you like it? And what do you think of the latest wave of LEGO The Hobbit sets? Are you planning to get some? Which one is your favorite? Feel free to share in the comment section below! 😉
And you might also like to check out the LEGO Lord of the Rings section for more news, reviews and discussions, or select from these recent posts:
- LEGO The Hobbit New Sets Now Available!
- LEGO The Hobbit 2014 Sets Video-Reviews
- Save LEGO Lord of the Rings – A Petition
- LEGO The Hobbit – Revelation of Smaug
- LEGO The Hobbit Video-Game Update
- 2014 LEGO The Hobbit Sets Now Available!
- LEGO Lord of the Rings Website New Features!
- LEGO Lord of the Rings – Video Reviews
Going to get tickets…….NOW!
I was the movie on Monday.
I liked it, but unfortunately it feels too chopped up, I guess we’ll have to wait until the extended edition to see the complete movie (when the movie is already 3 hours, I see the point of leaving some material off the theatrical release, but this one is only 2h30, why not include everything?)
Concerning the Lego sets, I’m very sad that they’re most likely be discontinued. However, while I own most of the minifigures (thank you bricklink) and they are some of the best that Lego has ever made, I feel that most of the sets could have been much better.
Sure there’s the issue of scale, but also, I don’t like the sets that are just a few walls and accessories. I wish we’d have had more real buildings, like Bag-end and Orthanc (definitely the best two sets), and less let downs like the Council of Elrond. I would have paid the extra $20 to get some sort of mini-Rivendell in form of a building or something.
What makes the force of series like Star Wars is the vehicles, I believe that Hobbit/Lord of the Rings should have based itself on buildings more than just scenes from the movie. Things like Beorn’s House, Meduseld, the Green Dragon (or the Prancing Pony), and so on.
David, totally agree with everything you said. LEGO really could have done better on the LOTR sets. They pretty much just focused on the minifigs, but they could have in fact created a fantastic line like Star Wars – but with buildings – as you said.
Thanks.
(but sorry for all the typos, I reread myself, I should have done it before posting, whoops)
No worries, I’m bad checking for typos too. It interrupts the flow of thought. Besides, who says there is only one way to spell something? 🙄
At first, I passed over the Lord of the Rings sets – Sure, I’m a fan, but when they came out, I was just returning to Lego as an AFOL. I’m sure kicking myself now – Really wished I had grabbed the series, as the prices on the aftermarket are steadily climbing.
I think the same thing will happen with the Hobbit Lego sets, too. I just picked up Dol Guldur Ambush, and the Battle of the 5 armies, and will be doing a write up on them after the first of the year, as I can squeeze them into my schedule.
Love the detail on the posters, and of course the minifigs are very accurate.
I wouldn’t expect retailers like Target and Walmart to increase prices.
It’s the same with me – I only became really interested in Tolkien around when the Desolation of Smaug sets were leaving the shelves, so I have been scrambling trying to order as many sets as I can online. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen many of the new Battle of Five Armies sets in local stores; I hope that I at least have a chance to buy them locally!
Shea, I was just at Toys’R’Us yesterday and they had all the Battle of the Five Armies sets. And of course the Online LEGO Shop carries them as well. They do have a minimum of $75 for free shipping though, but if you get a couple of the medium-ish sets, you should meet the threshold.
Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, there are no Toys R Us stores in Tasmania, where I live, and the Australian S@H requires $150 minimum for free shipping. Plus, I’d rather not buy them at RRP as the Australian retail prices are quite high.
Fortunately, I discovered the three smaller sets on the Big W website earlier today, and they provide free store pickup. Even though there is no 20% off sale, they are all at Big W’s excellent pricing with Witch-king Battle at $20 AUD (instead of $23), Attack on Lake-town at $50 (regular price $60) and Battle of Five Armies at $89 (instead of $100). So I’m happy 🙂
Shea, yeah, I have heard that in your part of the world LEGO is quite expensive. I feel for you guys. I’m glad you found a store that works for you! 🙂
Hi, I’m from Australia too, QLD actually and I was wondering if the sets are still in Big W, I’d really like to get some but I haven’t looked in the lego department for a while and when I did until recently with the recent movie, I’d always skip over every lego set other than Star Wars, Creator or City lol
I’m sorry I can’t help you with this as I’m in the USA. We do have some readers here from Australia, so hopefully they will see your question and respond. Good luck finding the sets you are looking for! 🙂
I just recently heard about a new local secondhand Lego store in my city that I’m going to check out this weekend. It’d be great if they had parts and bulk parts available for purchase. I’m very excited to check it out.
Wow! What a great find! I would love to have a store like that in my town! Keep us posted on how you like it! 😀
I am interested. May I inquire the name of this store? (what’s it called)
Bricks 4 Kidz. However, I am now sad to report that I don’t think it’s an actual store. I think it’s an afterschool program, which is cool, but not what I’m quite looking for. Man I wish lived in Oregon. There’s a company that has Lego secondhand store franchise opportunities that are based out of Oregon, though I could start one in California. I wish I lived up there or had the money for the startup. I might start my own if I did.
Would you have the self-control not to raid your own store? That would be my biggest problem! 🙄
Ha ha probably not. I don’t even have self control with my own money. I got my Christmas bonus at work today and was going to hold on to it but I hopped on Amazon and found a discontinued Creator set that was only a couple dollars more than its original price and I couldn’t help myself. It was the house with the light brick.
I see myself as an old man with a store, where I’ve built all my sets, and have them on display – sort of like a model railroad, but instead it’s a complete Lego City. Of course, I’ll have a small store where I sell 2nd hand lego sets that I’ve collected duplicates of over the years. Maybe even a picnic area for kids to have parties in, too. Nothing too big, sort of like a comic book store/model railroad, but all LEGO!
There was a small toy store like that in the suburbs of Chicago when I lived there. It was tiny, run by one person, but it was full of LEGO and Playmobil displays. Loved the place! Sadly, most independent toy-stores like this are now out of business. But they were great little places for treasure-hunting.
Oh that sounds like an awesome store! I love Playmobil too. I wish I hadn’t sold mine and wish I could start up collecting again.
I also love Playmobil. The thing about it though that it takes up so much space, so I have resolved not to get into it as an adult – of course I said that about LEGO too. 🙄
Resistance is futile. It is your subconscious helping you make wise choices. That house with the light-brick is a sound and prudent investment.
I have to remember to get my mom to add it to our Netfilx queue box…hopefully we’ll be able to see it before next July. 😕 I still think the movies are a terrible representation of the book (but I won’t get into that now), and the LEGO sets are suffering because of it. 🙁 Still, the minifigs are great, and I’d like to get 79017 Battle of 5 Armies for them. Particularly Dain. The posters are pretty well done as well. 🙂
Also, @admin, did you get my email containing my article? I sent it to you yesterday.
And lastly, can someone inform Huw on Brickset to add #70756 Dojo Showdown to the database? The set has had images out for a while now. 😕
As far as your article, yes, I wrote you back that I should be able to post it early next week. You could probably ask Huw yourself about the Ninjago sets. He almost always reads new comments on the newest posts. I could email him, but this is a relatively minor matter that shouldn’t require me having to contact him. We usually discuss more crucial stuff. 😉
Huh, I haven’t received your email. I wonder why that is; did you just reply to my email, or write a new message? As for asking Huw, I don’t have a Brickset account yet, so I can’t comment. I really should get one. Also, while on the topic of Brickset:
http://brickset.com/article/13480/elves-teaser-site-live-at-lego-com It’s too bad, the theme was just starting to grow on me, but after watching the video I am rather repulsed. I note the resemblance to Mixels: the characters b/w cartoon and sets look nothing alike. 😐
I just replied to your email. Maybe it went into your junk-folder? I would really recommend to sign up for the Brickset. It is a great place to keep track of your sets and minifigs, and the conversations are also nice to participate in. There is no age-limit for the main site. You seem to visit them daily already, so yeah, I would suggest that you sign up.:)
Let’s talk about Elves a bit later. I’m thinking of writing an updated post soon, where we can discuss the teaser site as well. I’m thinking of scheduling your post to Monday, then maybe talk about Elves on Tuesday. 😉
I don’t technically have a “junk folder.” I have a spam section, but it is completely empty; I have to actually move something from the inbox into the section for anything to be inside. I asked my dad to see if anything is wrong, and I got his test email almost immediately. Maybe yours just got lost or something. 😕 But next Monday sounds fine. 🙂
I meant to sign up to Brickset over a month ago, but never got the chance to do it. And I’m almost too busy now to worry about it. 😐 If only I could finish that science report…. 🙁
Yeah, sometimes things get lots in cyberspace. It have happened to me before as well. Even just sending email from my one account to the other. Anyhow, that’s all I was saying, that I will be posting your article early next week. Monday is what I’m thinking of, unless something super urgent comes up. 🙂
I agree, the book is definitely better, but the sets are still really cool.
The movie and the book are two completely different things. I have read The Hobbit many times, but I also respect Peter Jackson for what he has done. This story has been brought to an audience that would never get it otherwise. Also, the reason the ridiculous additions are there (like the Witch-king being RESURRECTED) is that PJ is trying to make it seem more like LOTR. The book was made for children specifically, and is very lighthearted. These movies, however hard Jackson tries to darken the story, always still have a bit of lightheartedness. That’s why many people prefer the The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy who haven’t read the book; it’s less childish. And, in Christopher Tolkien’s own words, “They eviscerated the book by making it an action movie for young people aged 15 to 25.”
Very interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing that.
The movie was awesome!
*SPOILER*
Taruiel doesn’t die! 🙁
*END OF SPOILER*
Awww…I was counting on that. Now there’s no point in watching the movie 😉
I am not sure if I am breaking any rules but I can buy the Lonely mountain 79018 for $105. If there is anyone interested let me know and we can work something out.
That’s a good price, although probably not so good if the set has to be shipped, as shipping such a large box could easily bring the set back to the normal price of $130 and even more.