This film has delusions of grandeur

Rating: 6/10 (25 January 2004)

Return of the King has much in the way of special effects but little in the way of passion. The characters are flat with most serving as interchangeable placeholders. Does anyone care when Aragorn is crowned? Was anyone really terrified (or even mildly disturbed) by Sauron -- I mean his legendary evil is only the driving force behind the plot. I could go on and on. I eat my words. Apparently, Jackson lacks the emotional depth required to give Tolkien his due. Compare the monotonous drone this film is to the roller coaster ride that was Empire. Recall the impact when Vader and Luke battled and Vader announced he was Luke's father. Twenty-five years from now what will anyone remember about Return of the King? For me ROTK is long on foreplay and short on orgasm. The high point being Eowyn in drag defending her father from the wraith -- which, in any case fell down and died obligingly in front of her. This is Disney-fied Tolkien and it utterly lacks the magic of the books. ROTK may be a good movie, perhaps even a "7" but I found it emotionally bland and overlong.