The last installment of Middle Earth, this one centers primarily upon a single chapter of the Hobbit, expanding it into a two and a half hour epic battle. In fact, Smaug dies before the opening titles (though to be fair, the opening title doesn't occur until about 20 minutes into the movie). Everything is there, including the parts in the book that took place off-camera with Gandalf and the Necromancer. Big battles, Thorin going insane with greed, and plenty of lead-ins to LOTR. A must-see for all Tolkein fans, in what is probably the last trip to Middle Earth unless Peter jackson gets the rites to The Silmarilion.