Less Pathos is more, less Arwen is more

Rating: 7/10 (11 January 2003)

TTT picks up where FotR ends, naturally. The opening sequence of TTT is breathtaking, why a girl in the row behind me even cheered when Gandalf snatches Glamdring in mid air. You're in medias res and can't help but to immerse yourself in the world of Middle-Earth once again. The grin was back on my face, I liked it... yes you know what I am going to say... the 3 letter word: "but" - but not all is well in the land of Tolkien this time around.
The book has 3 main plot lines and so does the movie. A difficult and daunting task one the director has mastered well to a certain degree. I will not argue about character changes plot cuts, rearrangements or additions, since it is the right of the director to do what he or she feels is necessary in the light of dramaturgy.
Again: but... the pacing does not feel right this time, esp. flashback scenes with Arwen slow the movie down to zero numerous times and are trying the viewers patience and good will, esp. since Liv Tyler fails to impress us with her interpretation of Arwen.
But... it is not only Liv Tyler's scenes, the "pathos" swings high throughout the movie, too high for my taste. King Theoden could have been depicted with greater care and detail and less "pathetic". Him crying with close-up is a little too much. Let him say his lines at his son's grave and "cut" for pity sake.
All in all it is still a well made movie and a worthy successor of FotR. Unfortunately, if you haven't seen the first part you won't get much out of the second one. If you have read the books then you will be upset about certain changes and additions or omissions (as you might have been with FotR). Try to ignore your first impulse and see it for what it is: An interpretation of Tolkien's masterpiece, an action loaded one with a lot of pathos and less character development, except for Gollum, who really saved the day this time around.
Kudos to Andy Serkins. Never have I been so thrilled to watch a CGI character on screen and forget that it is CGI I am watching. Bravo. Of course all effects are top-notch (yes, the Ents are fantastic, too) and the musical score is darker and matches the movie's tone very well.
Given the difficulty to film the 3 plotted 2nd part one might forgive the "pathos" and flashback sequences, even the Faramir changes or the (pointless) "Aragorn River scene" (etc.) but since the pacing is already extremely difficult to handle with 3 plots, it weighs even heavier to make such drastic pacing "mistakes" or - let's say - rather "decisions". 3 points off for this one, Mr. PJ.
7/10 Theatrical Release [maybe 9/10 for Extended Edition if we see more Faramir character development, if certain flashback scenes are cut/changed and if we get more screen time for Ents]