Wonderfully entertaining & cinematic, state of the art storytelling for the ages.

Rating: 9/10 (14 December 2013)

I've watched over 8,000 movies and actually work at a film archive. I remember seeing some early Peter Jackson movies decades ago and thinking this guy is some kind of a genius. But then he faded away until the Lord Of The Rings gave him a platform that matched his larger than Hollywood abilities. But he has not stopped there, after tackling King Kong he's gone back to The Hobbit and poured not only his skills, and craft abilities but tons of money and talent into utilizing HFR (High Frame Rate)!
Now I have to be honest, I've never read the books and I'm glad fans of the books are mostly approving what he's done. But, speaking as a film history buff – I like the way he uses all the tools in his box to really entertain and amaze us and it works especially in HFR.
It takes plenty of bravado to ratchet up the frame rate to 48 frames per second and double the focus and depth of 3-D. Most folks don't begin to realize that the make-up, costumes, sets, cinematography, lighting also have to double in clarity or the details will smack of cheap phoniness and ruin the effect.
I can't wait to see where Peter Jackson and his army of film loving story tellers will take us next.
After watching this second chapter of The Hobbit the day after it premiered at an 11am showing with a packed audience I had to write this review. And mention I loved listening to the crowd laugh, cheer, gasp and finally groan when it all ended too soon. The scene with the fat dwarf bouncing in a barrel down along the riverside, bouncing and killing the enemy as he rolled along was hilarious!
Thanks again to Sir Peter Jackson & his New Zealand team!