FLAWS ASIDE! A FANTASTIC FINALE!

Rating: 9/10 (17 December 2003)

Well I'm sure many people will be like flaws, what flaws and you're too judgemental. But the truth of the matter is That although a bit lengthy in the end. The film is truly great! This is one hell of a crazy chapter finale in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It picks up exactly where the second had left off. When they speak of days in between the two films you realize you've been waiting a whole year and it's increased your excitement. Frodo and Sam take the ring to be destroyed where it was made while followed by the multiple personality Gollum. While the war rages on as the armies of darkness draw near and have a final feud between the evil and the people of middle earth. That is pretty much the film simplified. It's most ultimately about the struggling forces of good and evil and this film has quite alot to say about it, and everything. So much that sometimes it's a bit confusing and your led a stray. The film is packed with thrills, emotions, suspense, laughs, tears galore. But it has so many charachters to feel strongly about all of them is quite a task. And you as the audience do manage too for a while. But some stories eventually loose their steam and some charachters never fully develop but are given heroic climaxes. However no face is never completely unknown to you, it's the names that are the problem. On the techinal side the film is just beautiful. The cinematography is gorgeous, the direction is fast paced, the score is epic, the spfx at their best and the acting is good for what the film demands. With of course another standout performance from the gorgeously perfect hearthrob Orlando Bloom. Sean Astin also does his finest at playing Sam but his charachter is given a bit too much screen time. Flaws aside this is indeed a fantastic finale. As with any trilogy the last episode always offers dissapointments in some way or another. But What has been done here is truly a feat it stays completely true to the book trilogy even when needing to extend certain things longer, or explain others in more depth. Overall don't walk rush out and go see this film event! It may not be a perfect film but it is most certainly one of the most entertaining.