Once again we're on the same page growl. I enjoyed DOS but it definitely had some pacing issues particularly the Lake Town scenes.
I loved Tauriel (what a badass!) but the love triangle seems 100% extraneous. I don't know why Jackson decided to split the group up at the end. I'm assuming it will become more cogent once we see the final film. He's most likely setting it up so some of our heroes are in Lake Town when Smaug attacks.
The Good:
I thought Lee Pace was excellent and is exactly how I always pictured that character from the novel.
The barrel chase is, to me, the best action sequence (barring the major battle scenes) in the series.
And Smaug was brilliantly realized.
The Not-So-Good:
The aforementioned love triangle.
The spiders, which was my favorite scene as a kid, disappointed. And for the first time there was a huge continuity issue. I thought it was clever the way Jackson had them speak i.e. that Bilbo could only hear them when he wore the ring. But the most significant line spoken (and really the only reason they needed to speak at all) is "It stings! It stings!"
If you go back and watch it, Bilbo hears the spider say this as soon as he takes OFF the ring.
Pacing and padding. Why send Gandalf to the Witch King's tomb? We already established he was released in the previous film. It felt like just wanted to give Radagast some screen time. Gandalf should have just gone to Dol Goldur to begin with.
All in all though I love this world and delight in getting lost in it. I think once the entire saga is completed all these quibbles will be gone as they get woven into the complete extended tapestry.
Also, and this is STRICTLY RUMOR, I heard that Gollum will indeed be back in the final film.
....but the world goes 'round
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