Not as good as "Unexpected Journey"

Rating: 7/10 (1 January 2014)

It's impossible to deny that Jackson's team have produced another fast-paced, action-filled adventure movie that is visually astonishing because of its CGI effects. The scene in the treasure room with the dragon was particularly remarkable. The elf king was an interesting character. I was pleasantly surprised to see Fry in the movie, and I enjoyed his portrayal as the Lord of Lakeland.
However, I didn't particularly enjoy this 2nd Hobbit movie. I certainly didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first one.
The orcs were suitably vicious-looking, but it soon became clear that this movie was like a video game where the main point was to kill as many orcs as possible in two minutes. They certainly seem easy to kill.
It was just three hours of chasing and noble speeches really. Most of Jackson's movies are like that, although "Unexpected Journey" transcended it.
Let me disclose that, although I am a science fiction fan, I am not into fantasy fiction and LotR. When I was younger, I tried several times to get into LotR, but without success. (I did read "The Hobbit" in high school because it was mandatory.) I find the LotR universe tedious and overly complicated. I did not really enjoy Jackon's LotR trilogy, although I sat through all three movies. I'd like to see a movie about the real medieval world for a change, rather than one filled with imaginary creatures. I'm tired of dwarfs and orcs.
However, unlike many of the reviewers here apparently, I very much enjoyed the first slower-paced more character-driven Hobbit movie. That was a movie that came close to reproducing the slower feel of the Original book. I was hoping this one would be as good as that...but it wasn't.