The Story Of Bilbo Continues And Is Told Excellently Here

Rating: 7/10 (17 January 2015)

After successfully passing through the Misty Mountains, Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions must seek aid from a powerful stranger before taking on the dangers of Mirkwood Forest...unfortunately without Gandalf. If they reach the human settlement of Laketown it will be time for Bilbo Baggins to fulfill his contract. The party must complete the journey to Lonely Mountain and find out how to open the Secret Door which will give them access to the vast hoarde inside along with the Arkenstone that the dwarfs all seek. There's just one tiny problem...the great dragon, Smaug, has claimed the treasures inside as his own.
Everything that is in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - the cinematography, the occasional dry humour, the massive scale, the great fight scenes, and the absolutely amazing special & visual effects - can be seen in this next installment. Unfortunately, one thing that is here that wasn't in An Unexpected Journey is the slower pace because the first 1½ hours of the film does seem to drag on a touch. Thankfully it picked up much more in the last hour which bumped up the rating for me.
While I feel the the majority of the film was made fantastically and looked great, I think that some of the fight scenes between Legolas and the orcs, lead by the Necromancer, was a touch over the top i.e. Legolas balancing on two dwarfs heads, travelling at speed down a river, while fighting orcs with his bow and arrow. I know that the elven community are graceful warriors in these films, but I just felt that some of the fighting was too much.
Other than that, this is still a must-see film, and for those moaning that the film is different from the book...it's a film ADAPTATION, folks! Plus, the films are beefed out, so to speak, because The Hobbit, unlike Lord Of The Rings, is not a trilogy.
This may be not as good as the 1st part, but still an enjoyable ride nonetheless. Looking forward to The Battle of the Five Armies now.