Moved things along with plenty of action

Rating: 8/10 (2 January 2018)

If you've liked the other four Lord of the Rings/Hobbit films, you'll like this one, simple. I found it highly enjoyable and well-paced - not as meandering as 'The Fellowship of the Ring' or 'An Unexpected Journey'. It's not as good as 'The Two Towers', but does an good job of moving the story and characters forward.
It also has a great score - every time you hear that motif, you think of Sauron and the ring's temptation - and plenty of great visuals. It's pretty amazing how just watching a film can make you feel comfortable, as you recognize parts of Middle Earth/New Zealand. But most of all, it's fun - there's a bear, plenty of 'catch-me-if-you-can', a waterfall/rapids chase, some spelunking, some gold mining - oh, and a dragon!
It's good to see Legolas and some Elves, as well as men, helping out the Hobbit & the Dwarves. Gandalf has some good moments, but this is definitely Bilbo's film - and it's left on a nice cliff-hanger.