There already have been plenty of discussions whether or not Tolkien's novel The Hobbit is worth spreading over 3 long films. Much of your enjoyment of the first part, as well as this one depends on whether you instead view the film as "Bilbo's extended adventures in Middle Earth" or if you prefer to be a purist about new characters and details that may have been different in the book.

The second part tunes down some of the silliness and has a somewhat gloomier tone, without abandoning its sense of humor altogether, mind. We also learn more about a few of the dwarves, with quite a few parts during which Bilbo almost becomes a minor character.
The film finds the right timing between calm scenes and action sequences, some of which have the same jump and run character you found in the orc mines of part one. That may be a bit too much for some, but it makes for the kind of outrageously spectacular action you pay to see on a big screen.

What makes this film appear fresher and more interesting than its predecessor are the new locations, breathtakingly beautiful and stunningly designed. Where the first act of the story relied a little too much on conjuring up nostalgia from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this part finds the right mix of new places and characters you'd love to see more of while still visiting old friends.

Ultimately, the final act of the film belongs to the dragon. While the trailers tricked you into believing he might end up a tad underwhelming, Benedict Cumberbatch's voice and the flawless animation make Smaug one of the greatest creatures ever put on film, menacing, majestic, evil. That's when the film really finds its momentum and delivers one breathless sequence after another. And then decides to end on a truly mean cliffhanger. Bring on next Christmas!

9 out of 10 wine barrels