Second installment, great DVD, story a bit muddled, a movie mainly for "Ring" fans.

Rating: Null/10 (18 May 2004)

Almost two years ago, after I saw the first of the trilogy, I wrote in summary...
"As a film of a historic work of fiction, and especially this DVD release, it is almost perfect. However, as a fictional work the story is a bit of a let-down, in my opinion. It is best appreciated by all the "Ringheads" out there who have bonded over the years with the ring trilogy and Tolkien. For my own enjoyment there are more interesting fictional works. Maybe I'll have a different opinion in two years, after I've seen all three of the installments. "
I've not seen the last installment yet, but my opinion has not changed any. First off the movie is entirely too long. Not that length itself is bad, but in an apparent attempt to follow the books faithfully, much of the story drags badly. Wise producers and directors realize that movies made from books must exclude much material, to keep the story interesting and the running time reasonable. People who read novels often do so over weeks. Movies are normally watched at one sitting. So, while this long movie may be just what the "Ringheads" want, for the rest of us it is simply too much of the same, and too long. Still, it has remarkable production values and is a joy to watch. Just too long and boring in spots.