Spectacular but not Brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2004)

Possible SPOILERS: "The Return of the King" is a spectacular conclusion to the LOTR Trilogy.The special effects and huge battles are a feast for the eye and the camera work is splendid.As is Ian McKellen as Gandalf.
This makes for the best of the 3 movies(yet it is close to part 2) if you ask me.I was hugely disappointed "The Fellowship(5/10)" but "The Towers(8/10)" was a very good movie.
What makes "The Return of the King" not an absolute classic are the following points: 1. The ending is too long,which takes away some of the power of the battles and the climax in Mount Doom. 2. Elijah Wood is a very annoying guy who can't act. 3. The battle scenes are,although very well made,not that original.It seems like an add-on to "The Two Towers" sometimes. 4. Christopher Lee is not appearing,which I think is a low down dirty shame.Lee is a legendary actor who deserves more than that and his character(Saruman) was the big bad guy in part 1 and 2,in a way. 5. The music gets a little bit boring after a while,there are only really two main themes that are repeated endlessly.for example,"Star Wars" has numerous themes so it never gets boring.
I think that RotK will probably get a well deserved oscar for Special effects and sound,but not for the acting and not for best movie(It's just not the best movie of the year). Andy Serkis is very good,but it is a little bit too much to give an award for just a voice(they never gave Criswell an oscar,now did they?). Maybe an oscar for Peter Jackson,as sort of a sympathy vote for his 3 movies and his mammoth job over the years creating it.
Overall,the best of the bunch but not the greatest movie ever(or 4th in that respect)! 8/10