It definitely felt like a slight step up from the first film. Not that there was much wrong with the first film, but I watched it again in advance of Part 2, and watching the two together definitely helped with the issues I had with Part 1. I'd felt it was bit workmanlike in places on first viewing, but I didn't feel that when watching the them as a whole.

I agree with your points, but in the grand scheme of things (and hooboy is it a grand scheme), they didn't bother me much. All in all, definitely a film worth seeing on the biggest screen possible.