Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ---- ***** (out of 5) (2003)
Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin
Director(s): Peter Jackson
Screenwriter(s): Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh
Released on: December 17, 2003
Reviewed on: December 28, 2003
Rated: PG-13 - for intense epic battle sequences and frightening images
With 2003 drawing to a close, the world was still unsatisfied in the realm of cinema, knowing in its heart that there was still one enormous movie yet to be released. Finally, on December 17, LOTR: THE RETURN OF THE KING hit theatres. This was by far one of the most anticipated films in history and one of the most epic saga-enders I've ever seen.
The duo, Frodo and Sam, grow closer and closer to Mordor and to their goal of destroying the One Ring. Their demented sidekick, Gollum, begins to have second thoughts about befriending them and develops a plot to betray them with. Meanwhile, the remainder of the warriors, including the newly discovered king of Gondor, Aragorn, make their way to Minas Tirith where they continue to gain the alliance of more armies to fight the enemy with. The most colossal battle of all time is finally set to take place in the presence of the fiery volcano, Mt. Doom.
Everything about RETURN OF THE KING is mind-boggling. There's still majestic landscapes and endless scenery for us to feast our eyes on. On top of that, we get perfectly suitable costumes, splendid camerawork, and intense fight sequences. The creatures in this film are so real, it's sometimes creepy.
This is also the longest film in the trilogy with a running length of about 210 minutes. It didn't come as much of a surprise to me when I found that it was, on the other hand, the easiest to sit through. Almost every scene was necessary to the film as a whole with literally no filler. This will likely be one of the few films that I'll give a 5-star rating to that's been made in the past 2 or 3 years. Many of the great masterpieces in cinematic history came very early on or in the 50's and 60's. RETURN OF THE KING is of a rare breed of films that deserves a full 5 stars that's actually come out in modern times. The reality of filmmaking isn't what it used to be. It used to be about making great pieces of art and entertainment. It seems nowadays that it's all about making a buck. RETURN OF THE KING was a breath of fresh air for someone like me who's had to sit through dissatisfying action pieces in the past like Timeline and Die Another Day.
I'd be surprised to see a critic say anything negative about this film other than the fact that it was somewhat exhausting towards the end. Although, how else could you end a film like this? I admit I was getting tired once it hit the 3-hour mark, but I fully appreciated the way Jackson finished up the trilogy with multiple scenes/endings of varying satisfaction. They all fit the mood, and Pete did tie up things in what I think to be the best way possible.
The special effects were insane, the battle sequences were colossal, and the climax with the scene at Mt. Doom and the fall of Sauron's empire was earth-shattering and truly unforgettable. If there are any other filmmakers out there looking for a good way to end a saga or trilogy, they should turn to RETURN OF THE KING. Peter Jackson has undoubtedly achieved grand directorial status with his massive, adventurous trilogy, THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
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