Something not quite right

Rating: 8/10 (21 December 2003)

I cannot fault this movie for use of special effects, and sheer thrill and excitement of battle sequences. However, this movie is not without its problems.
It tries hard to combine drama and dialogue with action, but unfortunately the drama and script are not good. The film is full of far too many scenes where the actors stop and stare at each other lovingly and don't react in realistic ways. Yes it's a fantasy movie, and elves and hobbits do not necessarily act the same as humans in the same situations. But I cannot help feeling that Peter Jackson is not as talented in getting his script to make the audience feel for the characters in the way he wishes. Perhaps these scenes were not cut in the right way or, dare I say it, the acting was not convincing enough, but I felt there was something not quite right from the beginning to the final scenes.
Without doubt it is overlong, perhaps NewLine have made so much money out of the first two, that they let Pete Jackson do as he pleases. Long stretches of the movie are hard work to watch, and there are numerous times in the final hour when the movie could have been wrapped up better.
It will be strange not to have another lined up for next Christmas, and the movie itself is a remarkable achievement, but is not the one I hoped it would be.
niallhcd