The Lord of the Fantasy Movies, part III

Rating: 10/10 (22 January 2009)

What has been said that hasn't been said before? The story? The characters? The music? The Special Effects? The Visual Effects? The CInematography? The Source Material? The Endings? The plot in a nutshell: Frodo and Sam are on Mordor's footsteps with the doubtful intentions of Gollum leading them. Meanwhile, Sauron is angry at the Heir of Isildur and sets to attack Gondor. The greatest battle scene ever conceived and made takes place. But it's not the end. The good guys win the battle, but the war is still on. Frodo has been betrayed by Gollum and left to die with Shelob. He survives, but unconscious and is taken right into Mordor by patrolling orcs. There, after being rescued by Sam, they set off to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. But, in order to distract Sauron's eye from witnessing all of this, Aragorn and company set a fight in front of the the imposing Black Gate. They're more than positive that they will lose. But Frodo fights and falls repeatedly, until he gets right above the fire. When he's about to turn away, as the Ring always manage to do, Gollum appears and fights Frodo for it. Thankfully, the once hobbit falls with the Ring in hand and both are melted in the lava. Mordor, Sauron and the Orcs are destroyed. The good guys win. Aragorn is crowned, but it is he who bows to the hobbits, for their services were even greater then what anyone could have ever done.
This is where you can turn off the TV, stop the DVD or change the channel. The rest is just Frodo saying goodbye.
My opinion? I loved the movie!! Never in the history of film-making there will be a fantasy movie as original, engaging, universal and pure fun as The Lord of the Rings. I'm not sure if Peter Jackson had in his mind that the movie would be the ultimate epic that it has become.
This chapter is the best in the three. Yes, the many endings drag, but at least when I saw it in the Theater, I didn't want it to end (seriously).
The score here goes all out. While it has the same dramatic touch from the previous, it bigger in scope, even the simplistic boy chant when Gollum contemplates the Ring for the last time is epic and ecstatic.
I personally would have ended the movie with the final shot on Minas Tirith and a pan on the map of Middle Earth. A beautiful, perfect scene.
The Rosie Cotton loose end had to be tied up, I think because people wouldn't think Sam and Frodo had more than friendship (which, due to the sociological contamination of the media, is rather ambiguous).
But, even as it has some drawbacks, these aren't enough to take away any stars from this picture's rating. It has made history, and it has become the "Star Wars" for a new generation (not even the prequels could imitate the impact this new trilogy had).
Best fantasy movie EVER!!! (This is not a naive statement that will pass on whenever another fantasy movie is made. It's for real). You can just feel astonished. How can a movie be that great!