Exceeds expectations (admittedly high)

Rating: 10/10 (17 December 2003)

Thrilling conclusion to an epic film saga. As an avid fan of the books, my eagerness to see how the major plots points would play out in Jackson's retelling of the story was sky-high. My fears were unfounded, though, since for every momentous buildup of emotion and action, there is an immensely satisfying payoff. Also, whenever I thought the film was about to lapse into cheese (Faramir's sortie to Osgiliath, for example), Jackson and his crew deliver on a poetic level I've never seen in a film of this scale. Bravo for keeping the elements that comprise the film in perspective. Enough of superlatives, though. Go experience it!