Underwhelmed (spoilers)

Rating: Null/10 (17 December 2003)

It's very difficult to criticize this film after the enormous effort and care that was poured into it and indeed the entire trilogy. It's a monumental achievement and Peter Jackson certainly deserves every bit of praise that's heaped upon him and the trilogy. Yet I feel the gushing reviews for this film need to be tempered with some down to earth criticisms.
Highlights include some terrific scenes with Andy Serkis; a superb giant spider and massive battle scenes that - hard to believe - manage to trump those in Two Towers.
Yet ROTK is a disappointing and underwhelming affair. The money is all there on the screen, to be sure, but the relentless enormity of the battle scenes leave one feeling numb, not thrilled. You just stop caring about the characters and the story and it dissolves into one big video game-like spectacle.
Huge disappointments include Sauron (which is basically a not-very-terrifying spotlight) and the lack of Christopher Lee from this film. His presence gave the previous two installments a sense of evil, even when he wasn't even on the screen. There just isn't the sense of Evil in this film which is a big problem.
The worst of it is the ending which seems to go on for 45 minutes and lays it on so thick you may find yourself feeling a bit embarrassed by it all - odd, furtive, non-verbal exchanges between the male leads that hints that there may be more to their relationships than meets the eye. I found myself squirming in my seat as reunions, kisses, marriages seem to linger relentlessly and uncomfortably on the screen in slow motion.