Epic, Powerful, Satisfying

Rating: 9/10 (2 April 2015)

The end has come. After spending the best part of 9 hours inside Middle-Earth, the end has come.
The Return of King wraps up an engrossing and powerful story. Peter Jackson isn't one for a short story, and this three hour epic is no different. However, the three hours is lost within the captivating story and characters, the epic climax, the powerful battle sequences, and breathtaking New Zealand scenery. A mention must go out to Weta Workshop for the incredible design of characters, sets and props. In particular, the work taken to bring Gollum to life is an incredible feat of cinema. The effects are extraordinary and the performance of Andy Serkis deserved, at the very least, an Oscar nomination. It is sad to say goodbye to this world, but take heart that we got to see this world in such a magnificent way.
The only thing stopping this from being a 10/10, was the extended and drawn-out ending. Perhaps unavoidable, due to the complex nature of the story and large number of character archs, but still, long.