[Huck]

Ebert is trying to play both sides of this one. He wants to be different. I mean, the world is GUSHING over this movie. Maybe he felt compelled to be contrarian, and this is the best he could do. He was obviously motivated. Heck, he hit the books for this one!

[Wm Bach]

He was obviously motivated. Heck, he hit the books for this one!

Sometimes critics play to the audience, and sometimes to their peers. I think in this case, it's the latter, or maybe he sees himself as a jolly little hobbit, and didn't feel vicariously heroic enough in the first installment.