Rating: Summary: One of the best movies of all times!!! Review: This movie was a perfect ending to the first two movies. It followed the book very closely!! Simply the Best!!!!
Rating: Summary: Best yet, by far! Review: This movie is as good as the first two combined!
Rating: Summary: More Than Just Big Battles and CGI Fun Review: The thing that is interesting about the block-buster Lord Of The Rings trilogy is that the films are filled with battles, both huge and one-on-one and amazing special effects shots, yet it never loses the focus on relationships, and people. Nowhere is this more evident than in Return Of The King. The film focuses on the relations between various characters. Sam and Frodo's relationship is jeopardized by Gollum, who wants to be rid of Sam because "the stupid fat hobbit knows" of his plan to take back the ring. When he does drive a wedge between the two, Sam is sent back home while Frodo attempts to finish his quest. The emotions are churning at this point, and the sadness and betrayal on Sam's face are heartbreaking. Sam does realize that Frodo needs him when he discovers proof of Gollum's treachery, and comes back just in time to prevent tragedy. When Sauron's plot to attack Minas Tirith is uncovered by the rest of the fellowship, Gandalf and Pippin head to Gondor's capital, Minas Tirith. Here we see that the Steward has learned of Boromir's death, and his grief causes his other son, Faramir to observe that his father wish the two sons' places had been reversed. This leads to another heartrending scene, in which Faramir's attempt to prove his worth to his father results in tragedy. Rohan's army is called for to assist in the defense of Gondor, and we discover that Eowyn's love of Aragorn is unrequited She elects to go to battle, disguised as a man. When her uncle, King Theoden, is attacked by the Witch King and his fell beast, Eowyn is the one to come between them. Due to a prophesy that no man may kill this wraith, Eowyn is the only one who can destroy him. It was a thrill when she whips off her helmet to say "I am no man!" and plunges her sword into his face. Total girl-power moment. Of course there are many other thrilling moments that I could describe, but this review is dragging on too long. Suffice it to say that the battle scenes are exciting, but the story is really about people, not special effects. And for those who have heard the end drags on too long, ignore those who tell you that. They have no taste, and must have expecting "Terminator 4: Rise of the Orcs" or "2 Fast 2 Hobbity" instead of a real cinema treat.
Rating: Summary: LotR-The Return of the King, and how i liked it Review: I give it between 4 and 4.75 stars. To begin I would like to say that this is one of my favorite movies, but I didn't think it was all that it was worked up to be(I somehow had the impression that it was going to be breath-takingly amazingly extremely awesome).Whoa! Don't get me wrong here-it was an excellent move, it was just a little slow in the end. I DEFINITELY think it could have been made a little better. I noticed some sorta big difference in the movie than in the book. The whole "Arwen is dying because her fate is bound to the ring's fate" hahaha-it's nonsense. I thought this movie had a bunch of fun and exciting scenes, as well as funny ones. Among my favorite scenes/lines is Legolas'-"A diversion." I love Arwen's character because she wasn't just a helpless princess-she was a warrior and stood up for what she believed in. She didn't need her"Daddy" to make her own choices for her etc... The one thing this movie could have had more of is...LEGOLAS-ORLANDO!!! He is the greatest character-wise,athletic,good fighter(GREAT with bows & arrows), MOST GOOD-LOOKING...DO I NEED TO CONTINUE? Well, back on subject. I would tell anyone and everyone to see this movie BUT only if they watch the first two movies first. I hope you have enjoyed my opinions-GO SEE THE MOVIE!!!
Rating: Summary: opium for the masses Review: The true Lord Of The Rings is a book. This is a CGI driven marketing tool. If you really must watch tv, watch the original Solaris.
Rating: Summary: Jackson let me down. Review: I may be in the minority, but I personally feel Peter Jackson made two major mistakes with this movie and let his viewers down. I still think it's a great movie and probably should get the rewards it will get (and you should see it), but it is not The Return of the King that Tolkien wrote and you need to read the book to fully understand why. Here are the reasons: First, the Scouring of the Shire was completely omitted from the movie. Peter Jackson's claim that this is anticlimactic is far, far from the truth. In fact, it is climatic and that's why Tolkien put it in. There are three basic needs for a man: an adventure to go on, a battle to fight, and a pursuit (of the woman). You see all three of these in movies such as Braveheart. A young man needs to hear from his father that he has strength for the adventure, battle, and pursuit. Without this, a man is serverely wounded. Instead of being a stallion, he becomes a gelding, and one of the key problems of the church today is we have these geldings instead of stallions, and geldings cannot bear fruit. Frodo has these same needs. In the Scouring (the book), we see Frodo returning to his "Place" (Hobbiton) after it has been destroyed by Saruman. Frodo is in a massive depression. He essentially failed his mission (he didn't put the ring in the volcano) and is burdened by his guilt, failure, and physical infirmitiess. On his return to "Place", however, he takes on his masculinity and leads the hobbits in restoring their community ("Place"). Frodo leaves the story as a true hero. That's climatic, not anticlimactic. Second, the Houses of Healing incident was completely omitted from the movie. In the book story Eowyn, Faramir, and Merry lie dying in the houses of healing. Ioreth, the lady attending them, says their healing is beyond her power. "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer," she says, " And so shall the rightful king be known." It is Aragorn, the coming king, that enters and leads all three to their healing. Tolkien pulls a little psychological trick here in the book. After the healing Ioreth repeats the sentence again, acknowledging her perception of Aragorn as the coming king because he can heal. She seems to repeat this line again and again until Aragorn is crowned as king. She tries to repeat the line again, but fails as the trumpet drowns out her voice. By this time, however, the reader is completing the line; that is, the reader is being forced to take ownership on that statement. Now Tolkien was a devout Christian (Catholic), and was the man that led C.S. Lewis to the Lord. Tolkien is not talking about any earthly king or kingdom here. When I read this in Tolkien's book I wept. I think it's the most important quote in the book, but it's not even in the movie. It is a great movie, but it is not The Return of the King if you can't see why he is king. My guess is that Peter Jackson probably didn't understand the spiritual significance of either of these parts of Tolkien's novel. That's unfortunate, as both are the highest points of Tolkien's story. In all fairness, I think Peter did a more than remarkable job with The Two Towers. I see King Theoden, as he first appears, as the majority of the Church today, captured and powerless and not even knowing what is going on. Our heroes heal him and release his bondage, and his people rejoice to have their king again. Aragorn, knowing war has already started and Theoden's son has died in a battle, tries to encourage him to get ready. Theoden: I will not risk open war. Aragorn: Open war is upon you, whether you risk it or not. That is exactly where the Church is today. Christ said he gave his followers authority and power. To do what? That is what the Gospels are all about. There is a war going on, whether we risk it or not.
Rating: Summary: I don't understand?70's version is WAY better!!! Review: I really think that these films are incredible feats of cinematic magic. The special effects are great and the whole fantastic world of Narnia jumps right out of the screen and surrounds the viewer in sheer movie magic! I really like the part where the children jump through thier wardrobe and meet a lion in a magical land! The part where Harry potter floats around was just plain amazing! The only reason that I didn't enjoy this movie more was because I'm not ten years old and I don't have a fort made of blankets built under the stairs.
Rating: Summary: The Epic to End All Epics Review: Box office expectations are not the only thing that the Lord of the Rings trilogy has broken. Lowered expectations, set so high by the genius of J.R.R Tolkien, have been shattered as well. Doubt that a movie series could properly translate the majesty of the trilogy must have been rampant, but those doubts have been systematically torn down by the brilliance of director Peter Jackson. In the astonishingly fantastic final installment of the Rings screen trilogy, Jackson and his wonderfully well suited cast translate to the audience a finale of powerful meaning and consequence, in which the challenges laid out in the prior films come to an amazing prescient conclusion. The Return of the King takes off right after the second installment. While Sauron and his dark horde have suffered a temporary defeat, the dark lord's thirst for absolute power continues unquenched as his orc army approach the last stronghold of the kingdom of men. The movie is split into two main storylines at this point. One centers on the journey of Frodo and his friend Sam, as they attempt to bring the final ring to Mount Doom. They are led by the broken being known as Gollum, a Hobbit who has seen the horror of the ring first hand. The other storyline centers around the journey of Aragorn, as he attempts to regain his throne that has fallen into the hands of pretenders and fanatics. He is accompanied by the loyal fellowship and the powerful wizard Gandalf. The race of man is direct danger of being overrun, and the consequences for all middle Earth would be disastrous were this to occur. The fellowship has to save the last bastion of men, while guarding itself against the political intrigue that threatens them. While it would be impossible to really further summarize the movie effectively at this point, it is fair to say that almost every character of the entire series makes some kind of appearance. The dynamic between Gollum, Sam, and Frodo begins to take a more sinister turn as the ring begins to work its way into the psyche of the young Hobbit. As the small dysfunctional party approaches their main target, the battle for Minas Tirith begins. In its frantic and desperate struggle, the forces of light must meet the challenge, all the while hoping that the lone keeper of the ring can help them overcome the impossible odds arrayed against them. It is hard to even begin when speaking of this movies quality. Let us start with the acting. All around, it is absolutely awe-inspiring. There is really no need to highlight one performance, as the cast delivers an almost uniform brilliance. The one standout for me in this installment was Sean Astin as Sam. He projects the themes of friendship and loyalty extremely effectively. The story is almost flawless in its utility and sharpness, never becoming dull or droning on in literary minutiae. At the same time, Jackson's story stays true to the spirit of the books, never betraying its source for extreme visual gain. Visually, this is really one of the best movies you may ever see. Every detail seems to be almost lovingly painted by some Renaissance master, and the fantasy architecture is just shocking in its specificity. The computer generated character of Gollum is freakish in its authenticity and its ability to interact with its human co-stars. And, of course, there is the battle. I am not even going to really bring it up, suffice to say it represents one of the most impressive visual movie experiences one can ever see in theaters. There are raging scenes of hand to hand conflict that just force the viewer to hold his or her breath. Absolutely amazing.
Rating: Summary: There May Come a Time When the Courage of Men Fails Review: But it will not be this day! I just recently took in this picture long after the fanatic crowds had vanquishged themselves from the theatres leaving a few seats open for me. I was very impressed once again. The movie began with a flashback of what Gollum used to be, before he was corrupted by the ring and how it drove him to murder to be in possession of "his precious." It was a wonderful change from the computer generated (wonderfully done) Gollum and to actually see the (exceptional) actor behind the hobbit. The rest of the movie goes back and forth between the epic battle and Frodo, sam, and Gollum's journey to the crack of doom. Both are exceptional done with excellent acting and just plain eye popping special effects. Something I do want to address is the discrepencies between the book and the movie(s). We must remember that these are movies and movies based on books are more often than not...completely different. And this case is no exception. And there were also things that many believe very important parts, that were unfortunately left out. Examples: Saurumon. He was a large villianous character in the book. His turn against the good made a large impact on middle earth and so did his armies. His fall was never shown (let us hope the extended dvd has it though). The last scene at the Gray Havens failed to mention the Undying LAnds, where they were headed and according to the book, the "last" ship was in fact no the last ship. But that is no big deal (the last ship thing) its only a movie. Also the continued movie involvment with Arwen was...interesting. She was in the book for very little and I don't believe she had *any* connection the the one ring, which would cause he death if not destroyed...what the heck was that all about?! But this was a movie. If I want the book, I will read the book (which I think I will...once again). And this is one movie I cannot wait to get on dvd so I can sit around for 15 hours and dissentigrate my eyes. Woo!
Rating: Summary: THE STUNNING CONCLUSION!!!! HOORAY!!! Review: RETURN OF THE KING finishes the stunning trilogy of Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS. In this tale, Frodo & Sam continue on to foreboding Mordor while the rest of the Fellowship fights the massive armies being sent out by Sauron, the dark lord. From the movie, it would appear Jackson & creative team take some liberties with Denethor (i.e. he was controversial and stuffy but in the movie he's just an idiot), as well as leaving out the Scouring of the Shire (i.e. not enough time and anti-climatic, they say in the extended DVD of Fellowship) and what is happening over the rest of Middle Earth (i.e. in the trilogy the other areas of good are under attack, so, it's not like the other elves, dwarves and humans are sitting back). The final film has the usual elements we have grown to love: (1) snappy, funny replies from Gimli; (2) the usual competitive streak between Gimli and Legolas, which includes one part where Legolas drops an elephant and Gimli says, "That only counts as one!" (3) Sam being the heart of the film. In fact, he steals some of the best lines. Look for one of my favorites in the orc tower as he says, "And that's for me old gaffer!"; (4) Pippin getting into trouble; (5) even more epic scope battles than in TWO TOWERS (yes, even with the extended version); (6) Aragorn using his leadership to create strengh in the ranks of men . .. Gandalf helps a lot, too; (7) Gandalf using his powers to ward off evil, including the Nazgul (i.e. the flying dragons); (8) lots and lots of evil things; (9) a chance to finally see Mordor and the evil which rests within, including the creepy, slimy and chilling Shelob, a giant spider that looks too real; (10) the final erosion of Gollum's mental abilities, including a flashback to how he found the ring and slew his brother for it; (11) a stand off between Eowyn and the Witch King; (12) The charge of Rohan in Gondor, where they decimate orc ranks but then have to deal with massive elephant legions; (13) the lighting of the fires, which goes off all over Middle Earth, it seems, to call Gondor's allies to aid, as waves of orcs and other baddies arrive.; and (14) The bittersweet ending and the sailing of the last White Ship, which includes Frodo, who realizes that the ring has taken its toll on his personage and that he can't go back home again. He is emotionally scarred and after four years in the Shire he leaves on the White Ship with Gandalf, Elrond & Galadriel. The talk around Hollywood is that this film will not only be nominated for best film with the Academys but will also win. Golden Globes has given it several awards already, too. For those who have gotten nostalgiac that the series has ended, cheer up. Peter Jackson has expressed a keen interest in doing THE HOBBIT. That said, with all the money Hollywood made, I'm feeling they're going to try and also do something with THE SILMARALLION, assuming the Tolkien estate doesn't put up a huge fight, that is. Overall, a great epic conclusion to the trilogy. Look to the DVD to fill in rushed or missing slots. Purists of the novels will have their gripes; everyone else will love it.
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