Professor Tolkien would be proud!

Rating: 10/10 (6 January 2004)

This movie is wonderful and emotionally stunning! I can hardly wait to see the Extended Edition DVD as the only parts that were glaringly absent to us book readers were the scenes in the Houses of Healing. I would like to see how Eowyn and Faramir finally wind up together. If I have any criticism at all for the series it is the creative liberty that was taken at times. I will never agree with the elves arrival at Helm's Deep or the way in which Faramir was portrayed (although the EE of TTT did go a long way toward redeeming the character's decision). I understand the needs of a movie v. a book, but for those of us who have wanted to see a live action version of this sweeping saga for many years (face it - the Bashki film was incomplete and visual yuck!) - there were a few (but only a few!) disappointments.

ROTK does a great job finalizing the story - the scene in the Paths of the Dead was fantastic! The only real regret of the film for me is that Saruman is not given his due and the scouring of the Shire doesn't take place. This leaves the Hobbits with no idea of what Frodo, Sam, Merry ,and Pippin have accomplished for them and gives them no real reason to hold these special fellows in the awe that they deserve...in the books they are given the kudos they deserve because of the way in which they drive back "Sharkey's" forces and reclaim the Shire. The Shire Hobbits have no idea how close they came to losing their beloved homes. A bit disappointing - but the only remedy would have been a 4 hour movie with an intermission (which went out with "Fiddler on the Roof, I think).
Anyway, the film itself is beautiful - both visually and emotionally. I am thrilled that the series has reached its end and am glad that so many new people have been exposed to life in Middle Earth - I have been living there in my heart for the last 25 years since I first read "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". I even created my own character and history years ago when we played Dungeons and Dragons in high school...I am Anadorn of Gondor - the hidden sister of a hero in the books! Silly, I know, but we had so much fun back then! I believe that Professor Tolkien would have enjoyed Mr. Jackson's rendition and would have cried, along with the rest of us, at the final parting of Sam and Frodo.
I thank God that JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson were put on earth in my lifetime and that my fondest wish - to see "The Lord of Rings" become a live-action film in my lifetime - has been realized. My life will never be the same...
Anadorn of Gondor