Virtually a perfect movie

Rating: 10/10 (25 February 2004)

Wow. Translating books to movies is never easy. This series isn't perfect either, but Peter Jackson and his team have done a wonderful job providing their own, loving interpretation of the series. ROTK isn't just the icing on the cake - it's the cake sublime.
This movie triptych is now complete with Return of the King. Looking back on the first two movies, it becomes more apparent what the Jackson team was doing with lighting, the color palette of the movies, the tone of the action. It was all foreplay for ROTK. Building the tension, and then resolving it in a crescendo worth of the best classical composers (think Holst's Planets).
Return of the King was a perfect mix of action, romance, and a little over the top humor (Legolas "skateboarding" off the oliphaunt's tusk after completing his one man wrecking crew job a prime example.

This is a series I will watch again and again. Like a fine wine, I'm sure new elements will appear with each taste. Very nicely done!