Visual Poetry

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2003)

The third installment in Peter Jackson's trilogy is astonishing. The pure brilliance of the trilogy harbors great attention, but none of the first two could possibly stand a chance against the epic storytelling of the third chapter. 'Return of the King' swan-dives into the stratosphere of incredible cinema. Jackson's style is unmatched, as is Andrew Lesnie's cinematography, and Howard Shore's music sets the mood and stage for a triumphant adventure. The acting is majestic, the battles are probably the best that has ever been put on screen, and the emotional heaviness of the characters is virtuous. The overall film is by far the best this year, and in my opinion, in film history. The atmosphere surrounding the 'King' is much darker in the sense that "the end has come," it is also much deeper as we come to understand the true meaning of the films...even the smallest person can make a difference. This is proved at the film's climax, which will remain untold. If this doesn't win Best Picture, I don't know what will. Go see it...more than once.