Astounding

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2003)

This is without a doubt one of the finest pieces of cinema to grace the screen, EVER! Go to see this movie in theaters, because you will be absolutely blown away. Let's take it point for point:
1) Directing: Nearly flawless. Peter Jackson needs to be commended, not to mention, awarded (cough cough) for putting together a masterpiece of these proportions. One problem: Could have done with less Arwen. Pulling the movie continually from Mordor or Pellanor Fields back to Rivendell is completely unnecessary, slows things down a little, and gives an occasional herky jerky feel. All that is important is whether or not she shows up at the end and it should have been left at that. That aside, awesome directing. Easily oscar worthy.
2) Special Effects: There are no standards by which to compare this movie. Think of it this way: Matrix? Two Towers? Mere child's play! Gollum is fantastic as in the Two Towers, but he only leads the way. There are Oliphants, Nazgul, dead soldiers, mountain top beacons. and most astoundingly, the Witch King of Angmar. I was worried that they wouldn't be able to carry such an amazing creature who also has such an important and amazing fight scene, but I was taken aback by how well they pulled it off. Hats off to the men at the computers!
3) Acting:
Viggo Mortensen: Flawless, strong, and overall amazing. I would follow Aragorn into battle any day.
Ian McKellan: Perfect and definately oscar worthy. Not to mention the man has some moves with his sword and staff that I didn't expect to see out of him. Bravo!
Elijah Wood: Strong. An incredible face actor. The Mount Doom sequence, without speaking, gives you a clear and visible transition. The poor angsty Frodo character was getting a little old and I was hoping to see him show a bit more of a range, but that is the way the part seems to be written. So given his part he just may be given an Oscar.
Sean Astin: Wow! Sam to perfection. Astin is phenomenal in this movie and you could make a how to act highlight reel just out of his performance in these films. More than anyone he deserves anything the academy can come up with to give him.
Miranda Otto: This girl is an amazing actress. If she does not go on to make some more great movies after this one then it will be a great injustice. I feel she has been greatly overlooked so far and shows some amazing skill in this film in particular.
Orlando Bloom: Well, he's really more eye candy in this movie as he doesn't do too much. What he does he does well though. He indeed deserves some props, though he's not likely to get any awards out of any of this.
John Rhys Davies: Really has a stepped down roll in this film. He is as dynamic as usual on screen and plays the character to a tee, but he's really not around much, which I'd say is a shame.
Billy and Dominic: They have been proven an excellent acting team through the first two films and are finally given a chance to show one they can do on their own here. Boyd shows some excellent skill with Monaghan not far behind. These two own the screen while their on it and show serious potential.
The rest of the cast was excellent as well. You really love Theoden and hate Denathor just as much as you should.
4) Score: Beautiful. I've just never heard anything like it.