Director Peter Jackson captured the imagination of millions of people with The Lord of the Rings trilogy by making films that were equal parts brain, brawn and emotion. When he finally decided to make J.R.R. Tolkien’s other Middle-Earth book, The Hobbit, there was little reason to think that he couldn’t bring the same level of excellence to that story as well.
The first mistake Jackson made, though, was to split the book, which clocks in at around 300 pages, into three films. The Lord of the Rings was already a trilogy, but trying to squeeze three nearly three-hour films out of such a slim novel seemed wishful at best, foolhardy at worst.
Now that the final film, The Battle of the Five Armies, is upon us, the answer is clear: Jackson overestimated the long-lasting appeal of the story. The Hobbit could’ve stood being split into two films, but making it into three robbed it of any chance it had to rival the original LOTR trilogy.
Now that the final film is upon us, it’s clear that director Peter Jackson overestimated the long-lasting appeal of the story.
For what it’s worth, Five Armies picks up right where The Desolation of Smaug left off, with the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) out for revenge on the village of Laketown. The epic (but, at 144 minutes, shortest) Hobbit film follows that up with an all-out war between five factions — dwarves, men, elves, orcs and goblins — over the treasure that lies beneath the Lonely Mountain Smaug has abandoned.
Despite the action-heavy plot of this film, Jackson and co-writers Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro once again have to make much out of relatively insignificant characters or details to justify the film’s length.
One particularly egregious example is the repeated focus on Alfrid (Ryan Gage), the sniveling sidekick to the master of Laketown. His wormy ways only should have comprised a handful of scenes, but instead he’s treated like one of the movie’s grand villains, with the film’s returning to him time and again.
Jackson and his team, after failing to earn it with the previous two films, try to artificially manufacture emotion this time around — first with a questionable attraction between dwarf Kili (Aidan Turner) and elf Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), then with a family from Laketown in constant peril. The reason there were tears at the end of TheReturn of the King was because we felt we had been through the same journey as the members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Here, none of that feels true.
As for The Hobbit’s main group, it seems like Bilbo (Martin Freeman) and the dwarves are mostly just standing around, waiting for something to happen. By the time the war finally starts, it’s not so much a release of tension as it is a thankfulness that something meaningful is taking place.
Of course, what the five groups are actually fighting about is unclear. Sure, the elves and men want their piece of the treasure, but the level of enmity never seems to be battle-worthy. It’s not until the orcs and goblins, who seem like they fight just to fight, arrive that swords get unsheathed.
The actual war — the last 45 minutes of the film — is suitably grand, but it lacks the depth of similar sequences in the LOTR trilogy. With the stakes muddled, it’s little more than the rehashing of now-familiar Jackson tropes, such as orcs being beheaded, dwarves humorously offing foes and multiple enemies being dispatched with a seemingly innocuous swipe of a sword.
Although nothing can take away the brilliance that was the LOTR trilogy, the finale of The Hobbit proves that it’s extremely difficult to replicate previous success, especially when the project was handicapped from the beginning.
A dwarf riding a pig is one of the highlights of the movie-ending battle in Battle of the Five Armies.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
A dwarf riding a pig is one of the highlights of the movie-ending battle in Battle of the Five Armies.
The Burkman Holiday Home of Frisco will be shining bright on December 1.
Dallas homes and neighborhoods sparkle and shine through the holidays, with dazzling coordinated displays, choreographed shows, and Christmas lights so merry and bright that Santa can see them from the North Pole.
Below is a roundup of the best neighborhoods and homes for a holiday-light pilgrimage in 2024. Many of them are plugging in Thanksgiving weekend; check back often, as the list will grow and grow as the season goes on.
For a longer list of marvelous Christmas lights around Dallas - including drive-thru attractions, immersive experiences, commercial displays and more, head to this story.
Neighborhoods and subdivisions with special displays
Deerfield Holiday Lights, Plano, December 1-30 The Deerfield subdivision of northwest Plano hosts a magical winter wonderland you can walk or drive through. You can even book carriage rides in advance to see dancing Santas, millions of twinkling lights, and larger-than-life displays. Deerfield is located between Preston Road and Coit Road. Check the website for maps and important information about traffic flow and parking. The free event runs 7 pm-10 pm on weekdays and 7 pm-11 pm on weekends.
Interlochen Lights, Arlington, December 14-26 The Interlochen neighborhood in northwest Arlington annually presents Interlochen Lights, more than 200 homes decked out in lights and holiday-themed displays. The event allows guests to drive through the neighborhood and pick out favorite displays while they tune into holiday music in the car. The route map is here. This year, the lights will be on from 6-11 pm December 14-26; free to drive through. Watch for updates on their website and Facebook page.
Glenbrook Christmas, Bedford, December 1-31 The Bedford neighborhood lights up nightly to tell the story of “The Night Before Christmas - In Texas That Is” - along with other festive displays. The entrance to Glenbrook is on Brookside Drive located between Cummings and Forest Ridge. The displays will be on daily, 6-10 pm. Follow the Facebook page for updates.
Regents Park Luminary Event, McKinney, December 14-15 Residents of this Stonebridge Ranch neighborhood hand fold over 2,500 paper bags each year and line the streets and central park area with luminaries for families to enjoy. Grab a cup of hot chocolate or apple cider and drive or walk through streets lined with traditional luminaries and enjoy the Christmas lights that adorn the Craftsman-style homes. For updates, follow the Facebook page (highly recommended as this is a weather dependent event). Runs December 14-15 only.
Homes with over-the-top lights
Miracle on 134th Street, Celina, November 23-December 23 A Celina family has turned their massive property into a holiday amusement park, complete with over 1 million lights, a train, carousel ride, Santa's workshop, Mrs. Claus’ bakery, and much more. Tickets start at $26.99 for adults; $20.99 for kids 3-12, with season passes available and free on-site parking. It runs 5:30-9 pm through December 23. Find it at 10455 County Road 133, Celina, 75009. Follow theFacebook page for updates on special photo ops and more. Here's a preview:
Burkman Holiday Home, Frisco, starts December 1 An alumni of ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight, the Burkmans’ home is one of the most famous Christmas-light attractions in the area. It features nearly 115,000 lights, animatronic figures, special “character” photo nights, and more. They also collect new/unwrapped toys for the The LiyanaStrong Foundation and charitable donations for a scholarship fund. Open nightly beginning December 1, but closed the first two Mondays in December and for inclement weather. Check the Facebook page for updates.
The Movie House, Allen, November 28-January 1 This Allen family home turns into a theater, showing highlights from favorite holiday classics like Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Love Actually, Die Hard and more - all set to music and over 10,000 lights. Guests can also snap a pic in front of a 6-foot star that makes everyone part of the action. The 15-minute show starts on the quarter hour every night from 6-11 pm and runs Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.. 1600 Wagon Wheel Dr., Allen. Preview it here:
Tell Family Lights, Keller, November 28-December 31 The family in this home near Keller Central High School is bigger and better than ever, they say. The choreographed light show features 60 songs, and visitors can now download an app on their phones to listen to the show (or tune in to FM radio in the car). Then vote on a favorite song. (Make sure to not block anyone’s driveway and be careful driving down the street, they advise.) The show runs is on 6-10 pm daily starting Thanksgiving night. Find it at 5016 Keating St., Fort Worth, 76244. Follow their website or Facebook page for more information and updates.
'The Gift of Light' display at Joules-Cornetti home, McKinney, November 28-January 1 This wonderland in McKinney has a little bit of everything: dazzling lights, inflatables, wireframe items, yard art, an entire section devoted to nativities, plus Santas and reindeer, polar bears and penguins, Disney characters, and new for this year - a Buc-cee's inflatable mascot. The "gift" is that they raise money for the American Heart Association, and the story behind their effort is very personal. The lights go on 5-11 pm Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. Find it at 8624 Palermo Way, McKinney.
‘Stay in the Light’ display at Hughes Home, Rockwall, December 1-25 Homeowners Brenda and David Hughes have strung more than 100,000 lights outside their home in a festive display. They call it "Stay in the Light" in memory of their son, Nathaniel, who suffered from depression and passed away in 2019 at the age of 29. The couple is accepting donations for Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County plus blankets, socks, and toys to a local children’s hospital. The lights are on nightly, 6-10 pm. 1655 Plummer Dr., Rockwall, in The Shores neighborhood.
Wisdom Way Lights, Haltom City, November 28-January 1 The Gonzalez family's past choreographed light shows have gone viral for their Selena and Texas Rangers World Series themes. The 2024 presentation will consist of three new shows: Deadpool Wolverine, Bluey, and Wicked. They're also bringing back last year's hit Mario show. Visitors can view the shows from from their cars and listen on radio channel 89.7 FM. Wisdom Way Lights runs nightly from 6-midnight. Find it at 4521 Wisdom Way, Haltom City, and follow Wisdom Way Lights on Facebook and YouTube for show schedule and updates.
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The Burkman Holiday Home of Frisco will be shining bright on December 1.
Neighborhoods with pretty lights
The Park Cities The stately homes in the Park Cities neighborhoods of Dallas dress up with beautiful light displays; pick just about any street where you see houses lit top to bottom in twinkling lights, and there are bound to be a dozen more. Don’t miss Highland Park Village and its 1.5 million lights, and be sure to drive down SMU’s Bishop Boulevard, toward the fountain and back. The annual SMU Celebration of Lights takes place Sunday, December 2.
Kessler Park Historic Kessler Park features twinkling holiday lights on grand old homes and majestic trees against a backdrop of the Dallas skyline. The holiday decorations are coordinated on various traffic islands in the neighborhood each year. From downtown Dallas, go west on Interstate 30. Take the Sylvan exit, turn south on Sylvan, drive about a half a mile, and turn west on Colorado.
Elderoaks Lights, Oak Cliff A Dallas tradition more than 30 years strong, Elderoaks sees 96 percent of its homes participate in an impressive display. Located along three streets just south of the old Oak Cliff Country Club (Elderoaks Lane, Elderleaf Drive, and Elderoaks Place), the neighborhood scenes celebrate Christmas with homemade decorations that span medieval times to present day. Don't miss the streaming show of Christmas carols. There's no fee to watch, and lights go on at dusk each night.
Know of another spectacular lights display in DFW? Email stephanie@culturemap.com. Please include a website or link to social media page with your recommendation.
