At Last!

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2003)

At last, a third film in a trilogy that actually lives up to the other two! Move over Star Wars (even the original!), the pap that was the Matrix 2 and 3 and make way for the King! When waiting to see the others, there was always a sense that they may disappoint, but with ROTK you just knew that it would be great. Saw it for the first time last night and am completely overwhelmed....speachless when coming out of the cinema and will take another view before things will be clear. Small criticisms, which in no way distract from the experience, as in the theatrical cut of the Two Towers, it is rushed in places, with the occasional moment that makes you wonder what was removed for times sake. TT was a completely different film in the extended cut and one can only imagine this one in that version. Effects are top-notch all the way through, with the exception of the end in Mount Doom, where things, although better than most films, are not quite as good as the standard set by the rest of the film. As for the ending, compared to the end of the book which seems to drag on for half your life, it really is short and sweet and all you see needs to be there. Basically just go and watch it, and I bet you won't actually feel like you've been sat there for three and a half hours.....