Wake up to the flaws: Jackson does not deserve best director

Rating: Null/10 (29 December 2003)

I'm frustrated by the positive acceptance of this film. I will grant you that 2 and half hours of this movie are cinematic perfection. Moving me to tears watching battle scenes is no small feat and I grant the film makers everything on all that works with this film and I guarantee I'll own the extended version. (the extended version saves two towers) BUT...despite all that is right and good and epic and brilliant in this last film, Peter Jackson still dropped the ball big time. The ending is the single worse film ending in movie history. That's because the rest of the film is soooo good. It's as if he and his fellow screenwriters lost all sense of understanding of what tokein was saying or what was needed by the film. (by the way, I love both the books and the films and don't care if they change things if it still works) Let's start with when Sam and Frodo have destroyed the ring. In the book that's it for them. They know it. We as readers know it. It's so touching a bitter sweet moment. We did it. We did the impossible and we saved the world and the shire. But we don't get to go back and enjoy it. This is one of the most touching and wonderful moments ever and could have easily translated to screen. When the eagle comes in the book what a wonderful surprise for them as well as us. But instead he has them sit on that rock relaying to the audience something will come and get them. Hey we saw the eagles already. (Those eagles attacking the ring wraiths was worth the price of admission by the way) Still, we'll call that a film makers monday morning nitpick and move on. It's the rest of the film that is god awful. The crowning is lack luster and hollywood empty. Instead of thinking it out and matching this moment to story he's set up for three movies, he makes it like a typical standard hollywood unmoving moment. (and I guess Eowyn is okay with it all) I know as a book reader that she gets together with Faramir but instead of showing this and closing this story that has been set up for two movies he ignores it assuming that those who care about story will buy the DVD is November. Both of these pale to what is done with the hobbits. They're not happy to be home? Bulls***! Yes, they are changed but that should be a moment we see when they are all together after they've enjoyed revelry and joy. And how many times can you see a hobbit cry before it looses it's effect. Manipulating an audiences emotions is a film makers job, letting me know about it and insulting my intelligence is... a sin. Basicly the end was the longest 20 minutes of my life. (with the exception of sitting through the Hulk) He did the faramir stuff all wrong in both movies as well as his crazy dad and Gimli should not have been comic relief. Jar Jar should have been enough lesson on this subject for any film maker.
So why am I focusing on the negative on a film that had that much greatness? Because I'm tired of people settling for things that are less that great or are watered down for the masses. Because everyone is talking up Jackson for best director. He made three great films and he should have one everything for the first one. This one, because of it's flaws, is undeserving.