3. Visual Effects
Though the general visual effects in the Lord of the Rings trilogy were well-implemented, it was clear that not everything looked as sharp as it could have; even mere days after the release of Return of the King, people complained about the renderings of the Mumakils during the chaotic stampede sequence, as well as the very poor animation quality of Legolas when he jumps atop one to fell it. Thankfully, no such complaints are likely to abound in The Hobbit, which is on the whole a slicker, more visually luxurious experience, taking full advantage of the advancements in technology that have taken place in the interceding 9 years. The expansive locales are visually stunning, but it's the creature work that truly impresses; characters such as the Goblin King and Azog the Defiler are brilliantly rendered antagonists who are truly terrifying as a result. Also, Jackson fully indulges in the trippiness of the Hobbit universe, using CGI to create some insanely inventive sequences, chiefly when one character uses a rabbit-driven sled to escape.