Good, but definitely overrated

Rating: 7/10 (2 June 2005)

This is one of those movies that you see and think, "Wow, that was awesome!" But then, you go back and think a bit about it. At least I did.
Okay, I will say this: the visual effects are outstanding. The battle sequences are very well done. And those are what wow you. I left the theater thinking it was an awesome movie, mainly because of those sequences.
Yet as I go back to this well woven fabric, tons of threads all of a sudden seem out of place. The beginning of the movie, for example, set me off. "Saruman is in Orthanc..."...well...now what? Are...are we going to see him? Is he going to kick the bucket? Yet no. Instead, it's a simple move on to the next phase of the movie. Later, as Legolas slides down the Oliphant in his awesome-cool-make-the-fangirls/boys-flip moment, I wonder, "Why was that showcase of special effects considered more important than 5 minutes of screen time for one of the greatest actors of time?"
Another part that sets me (and other book fans) off from this third installment, is the scene where Sam leaves Frodo. WHY?!? He knows "Mister Frodo" is in danger...Gollum is leading him to a mysterious entrance to the land of evil, and the "Stinker" side is becoming really obvious to Sam, and Sam just leaves Frodo! The fellow hobbit he was willing to run out and nearly drown for, to leap into the way of a Ringwraith, is going off to face death directly, and he leaves him! This lapse of character, merely to get Sam out of Frodo's way so that Frodo can be bitten, does not fit well into the movie.
Finally, the character of Gimli, I felt, had the complete wrong personality. Whereas, in Tolkein's masterpieces, Gimli is a battle-hardened dwarf who no orc should tangle with, his scenes seem to be mostly comic relief. Delivering quips and one liners in the middle of a battle, acting weak and cowardly merely to make light of the near death of our beloved characters does not go over so well in my mind.
Overall, this was an enjoyable movie. You'll need a while to watch it, but it is an enjoyable time. I recommend the extended edition, as it adds in so many scenes that should have stayed (Saruman's death, the Mouth of Sauron). Jackson let me down with the third one, but you still have to see it.