Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

I checked in with Hobbit Part 2 today after hearing I really needed to see if in theatres vs. at home. I was pretty skittish after the first one, which was pretty childish and boring for the most part. This movie has a couple childish moments, but it's a lot better and worth watching at the cheap seats for $3.00 if you have one around. I can certainly see where having it in 3D would have been phenomenal, but the big screen was also a treat. Smaug is finally introduced like two hours in, but it's a treat. He's a real mastery of 3D and Benedict Cumberbatch, though his voice is a little over-indulged/out-tuned sadly. You already had a great product, why mess with it? In any case the story progresses nicely, especially with the addition of the elves to the fighting mix. This is much closer to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy than the first one. My recommendation is to check this one out, even if you didn't like the first one. Bottom Line: 8.1 out of 10. This is really a great blend of CGI and acting that's a much better effort than the first one. Check it out while it's still in some theatres if possible.