Peter Jackson shows Lucas how it is done!

Rating: Null/10 (1 July 2004)

Lets begin straight away with the news that The Return of the King is a triumph. The concluding chapter in a story that has captured the hearts of both film fans and bookworms alike, Peter Jackson's epic third instalment has blown away the competition with the sheer scale of imagination, design and limitless scope. The story continues with Frodo and Sam making their way to Mount Doom, with the devious Gollum guiding them. The fellowship meanwhile, does battle as Sauron makes one final attempt to go to war against Middle Earth. The performances by Elijah Wood as the tasked Frodo and Sean Astin as the loyal Sam are incredible, their characters becoming a central piece of Hollywood history, involved in scenes that will live forever in the minds of film fans the world over. Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf once more rides high, his wise portrayal of the wizard perfectly complementing the talents of Viggo Mortensen as the heroic Aragorn. The special effects breathe life into monsters that are torn from Tolkin's novels, while the music score of Howard Shore surrenders the audience to the terror, excitement and passion that dominates it's structure. But the biggest bow has to go to director Peter Jackson who has made a trilogy of films that have each exceeded the last and set a whole new benchmark in the world of film. The only problem for this talented filmmaker is the shadow that the trilogy will now cast, reaching far into any future film that has his name attached. But this a price one pays for perfection, and that is what the Lord of the Rings trilogy is, which like the greatest of stories, takes you into a world that when once viewed, you never quite leave.