Remember when Star Wars came out?

Rating: 9/10 (25 December 2001)

Relentless. That's what it is: Absolutely relentless. After the story setting and the 'how wise is Gandalf' bit, this film (masterpiece) is non-stop. I've not read the book (my sentence is soon), but for me this made the film even more incredible. The stand out point is this: Two years of 'I can't waits' and 'This is going to be the best film of all time's' and it was. Oh, it was! The major plus was the lack of Hollywood heavyweights, making the 'who's next to die?' question all the more intriguing. The performance's are exhilerating: Viggo, Bean-o, Lee-o, McKellen (I smell an Oscar)-O, Frodo! Even Liv Tyler, Of Armageddon shame, is absolutely superb as Elf Arwen. In fact no: She IS Arwen. Both she and Cate Bland-chett need to big players in the The Two Towers. STAND OUT? Stand out I hear you cry! Two words: Orlando Bloom. Wow! Legolas steals the show from Han Solo-esque Aragorn (Mortenson) in the same way that Benicio Del Toro steals the show from every god-damn actor that dares to share the screen with him! Even though the word 'Run' is uttered a little too often, each set piece will have you on the edge of the person in front of you's seat! The ending is annoyingly 'wait till next time', but what else did we expect? Please, oh please Mr Jackson, make the Two Towers equally exciting, for I know, young Frodo, that this epic piece of cinema will never be excelled! I'm still not going to read the book yet!