The Journey Ends!

Rating: 10/10 (17 December 2003)

Having waited 12-months for the final instalment of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic adventure The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King, I entered the cinema full of excitement and anticipation.
Having read that the film would last for a whopping 3-hours, 20 minutes I decided to get myself a very large box of popcorn and a large coke to see me through this final journey.
The film begins with a look back at how Smeagol/Gollum came to being, (Incidentally, the final character to have his background revealed.) and how he came to posses the `One Ring' Director Peter Jackson very cleverly diverts any sympathy or affection for Gollum by transferring them to Frodo and Sam by revealing Gollums' darker side.
The film moves along with pace and passion and that can only be down to the superb direction of Jackson. (Who surely must receive an Oscar for this film) The scenes during the battle of Minas Tirith and the Pelennor Fields are spectacular.
For those of you who have read the trilogy, you will find yourself looking out for certain events and scenes contained within the books. Sadly though, a lot of the storyline has had to be cut out due to time constraints. However, for the NEW fans of Tolkien's trilogy, you'll enjoy the books even more after you see these films.
This is a must see cinema experience. You do feel emotion during this film and for me there are two scenes that stand out more than the others. The first is the scene just after the Beacons of Gondor have been lit and Aragorn rushes in to King Theoden to ask for help. (In the film Pippin lights the beacons, but in the book they are already lit by the time Gandalf and Pippin enter Minas Tirith) The second is at the end when Aragorn informs the hobbits that they don't have to bow to the newly crowned King and instead he leads the crowd in bowing to them.
Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King is quite simply breathtaking and if you only see one film over Christmas this is the one you have to see. Leaving the cinema I felt a sudden sense of loss. The journey has ended but what a journey it has been!

************************** SPOILERS COMING UP **********************
Scenes that I was looking forward to seeing that were not portrayed in the film are as follows: -
1. The confrontation between Gandalf, Saruman and Wormtongue at Isengard. 2. The healing of Faramir and Merry at Minas Tirith. 3. The Love affair between Faramir and Eowyn on the battlements. 4. Sam using the ring to evade capture by the Orcs of Mordor. 5. Sam entering the Dark Tower and seeing the `Watchers' 6. Saurons messenger trying to convince Gandalf that Frodo was dead 7. The Funeral of King Theoden of Rohan. 8. The return of the hobbits to Hobbiton, only to discover that it had been taken over. 9. The battle of Hobbiton 10. The death of Saruman