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>> THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, and more ...
Director: Peter Jackson
Genre: Action and Adventure




an absolutely stunning movie from start to finish. peter jackson has outdone himself again! the only think i did not like about this movie is that it is the last one. where i knew there would be quality for the last two years, i have nothing to look forward to next year, save the extended edition of course. do not miss out on this incredible conclusion. i for one will have to see it again to take everything in again, in fact, i made a vow to watch it till i can't take them anymore.. hehhe. it is definitely a visually overwhelming masterpiece!

the amazing thing about the lord of the rings films isn't merely the impressive accomplishment of turning three huge, well-loved books into three films, it's how stunningly great the end result is. with return of the king, peter jackson, his cast and his crew provide an amazing final chapter for one of our time's most operatic, pure cinematic wonders. they've brilliantly combined emotional storytelling and fantastic visions for an unprecedented triumph of modern moviemaking. for all the wizardry and dwarves and wraiths and elves, these films are heartfelt and human, with an iron-strong core of feeling to give a firm foundation to all the fantasy.

peel away the computer-generated war elephants and jaw-dropping battle scenes, and return of the king's plot is simple... a group of people do everything they can to prevent the end of the world. as frodo (elijah wood) and sam (sean astin) take the all-powerful magic "one ring" to the enemy's territory to destroy it in the volcanic fires from which it was forged, aragorn (the oh-so-sexy and beautiful viggo mortensen) and his companions stand against the armies of the all-destroying sauron. each group is trying desperately to buy time for the other. …

   

   

the set-up (characters, plot, players and stakes) was well established in the trilogy's earlier films, so return of the king is essentially a three-and-a-half-hour big finish. and a hell of a finish it is, filled with the breathtaking visual wonder that's made this series so impressive and the careful nuances in jackson, fran walsh and philippa boyen's screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's novels that have grown more and more impressive with each film.

without spoiling the story, i find that many supporting characters in the earlier films became surprisingly strong in this last film. i think that's what this trilogy is so good, you can't figure out exactly who is the main character cuz everyone has its big moment. frodo was the center of the attention in the fellowship of the ring, then legolas & aragorn became the hero in the two towers, but in the third one.. it's surprisingly different, although the other previous main characters still shines. most emotionally engaging is sam's part in the task as he gives all and never fails to help his friend frodo and sean astin sells that painful burden to us without a moment of doubt. the other tag-along hobbits, pippin & merry also shine, especially pippin. there are many funny scenes from this "say the wrong thing and happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time" hobbit. peter jackson doesn't gloss over character and personality to get to the spectacles and wonders that a filmmaker like george lucas would sell us as "the good stuff." to jackson, this is the good stuff, and it's very good indeed.



it may feel as if the return of the king is overstuffed with endings, but if you average out the encores over the running time of the entire trilogy, you realize that it's just about right. it may goes on at "the shire" but i think jackson was trying to give way to the next sequel he's working on, appropriately titled "the hobbit". the return of the king isn't just a triumph of fantasy filmmaking.. it's a triumph of filmmaking, period! the perfect finale to a saga that stands as a rich, resonant wonder that impresses right now and, more impressively, will endure as one of moviemaking's true achievements.

quotes? well i won't tell the situation so it won't spoil the movie.. i guess you just have to look for it when you watch it, if in fact you want to read the quotes below...

#1
gimli (mr. dwarf): a certainty of death, small chance of success... so what are we waiting for?

#2
nazgul*: fools! no man can kill me! now.. die!
eowyn (maiden of rohan): i am no man

* also known as "ringwraiths" or "black riders". there are nine of them, they wear black hooded cloaks and travel on horseback, sometimes on a flying dragon. they are sauron's messengers.

#3
gimli: i guess this is how it ends. i can't believe i'm gonna die side by side to an elf
legolas: how about side by side to a friend?
gimli: i can do that


>> rated by :: sLesTa | [ ]

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