What happened to Gandalf?

Rating: 8/10 (16 April 2014)

I must admit, Jackson did a great job with special effects and the majestic NZ alpine scenery. But I would have appreciated a forward or recap from when the first movie left off and this one began. I have to give it an 8 anyway. Maybe it is me, but I found the continuity and plot a bit disjointed. What happened to Gandalf the wizard? Nice to see Orlando back though.
My adult son loved it, and asked me If I had read the Hobbit. Yes I had forty years ago, but I wasn't impressed like many others were, calling it an adult fairy tale. But I loved the Lord of the Rings, and the first of this trilogy. Maybe I will hire the DVD again and it might inspire and make more sense to me.
I don't think it was as good as the first movie. But that is my opinion.