More action-packed than the first installment

Rating: 7/10 (21 September 2018)

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug is more action-packed than the first installment, but this movie suffers because it can't stand on its own. The events of this film are all building up to a climax that isn't resolved, which leaves the audience feeling unsatisfied. The visual effects are spectacular, though. Smaug, in particular, looks (and sounds) fantastic. I look forward to seeing how this trilogy wraps up, but I still don't think Peter Jackson needed to divide the book into three movies.