A fitting climax to the trilogy, made by fans for everyone

Rating: 10/10 (5 December 2004)

They were never going to get the books onto the screen, but the richness of what Peter Jackson has achieved means that the films stand up as first rate movie experiences in themselves. Lovers of the books have had their dreams realized and even Tolkien haters are hard put to deny the skill and artistry of the movie making. The effects are groundbreaking and breathtaking, as are the settings and costumes in unprecedented quantity and quality. The performances are good and in cases (McKellen, Mortensen, Bean) inspired, but beyond this the Lord of the Rings trilogy is a triumph of story, the power of the sort of tales that Tolkien studied from the oral traditions of ancient European cultures. It is in telling and sustaining a magnificent tale that the film makers most honour the work of Tolkien, even where they have cut and elided.