A huge disappointment (spoiler)

Rating: 3/10 (18 December 2003)

I came to the 3rd installment full of hope for greatness, having loved the first two parts, but I have to say I was greatly disappointed. Not to put too fine a point on it, Peter Jackson has blown it. This is all the sadder when you consider that the first half up to the siege of Gondor is stupendous. (Apart from the ludicrous bit when the palantir of Saruman appears in a pool at the foot of Isengard - without any explanation as to why the most precious thing in the tower has ended up there.) But after the siege the problems really begin ...
The brilliant moment when Eowyn slays the Witch King of Angmar is cut into two halves, denuding it of much of its power. Arwen continues to be a drippy character. Sam has some more toe-curling soppiness. Sauron remains a bizarre electrical 'thing' - he doesn't even have the character of the introduction to the first film, even more he has none of the self-doubt that comes through in the book. The moment we've all been waiting for (a very very long time) through three films - i.e. the downfall of Sauron is a bitter anti-climax. Over 10 hours of struggle and we end up with a minute's collapse. Then we're treated to another Sam moment (argh!) and a particularly dreadful moment where the hobbits jump on Frodo's bed. The Shire at the end looks like it's just been planted with not a petal out of place. And the whole thing peters away.
Some of this is of course the problem of the book - but Jackson should have grasped the nettle and been better and bolder with the ending.
I'm afraid this could have been so so so much better. Really disappointing and, basically, poor.