Better - but not for the right reasons

Rating: Null/10 (6 January 2003)

I think Tolkien's trilogy is one of the most overrated works of literature ever produced. And no I'm not stupid, and yes, I can read long books (I love Moby-Dick, one of the best black humor stories ever written). I am, also, a fantasy fan. I don't think they're bad books because I can't appreciate fantasy or philosophy, but simply because they're poorly written and plotted. I made it 3/4 of the way through TFOTR before giving up. That said, I think Jackson's films are a VAST improvement over the books, and the second film much better than the first. Why? Because Jackson gives me pretty pictures and one very fine Viggo Mortensen to look at for three hours. Distracted by the pretty landscape and Aragorn's cheekbones, I can ignore the fact that character development is non-existent and emotional manipulation runs rampant. LOTR is really nothing more than a shallow action story with banal bits of philosophy floating through it. FOTR tries so hard to create character development and empathy, but fails miserably (I never understood why Arwen was so upset when she thought Frodo was dead, they had just met). All the music swelling, let's-have-a-deep-moment scenes were terrible. But TTT dispenses with most of this faux feeling and focuses instead on the action. This at least is entertaining and funny, unlike the endless walking in FOTR, interrupted by gravely somber discussions on how are we going to save the world. (Incidentally, there is some great character work in TTT, but it's found in Gollum, who has already been so praised here that I don't think I need say anymore on him. All the positive comments are true concerning him.) But there is no true friendship between Legolas and Gimli, no true love between Aragorn and Arwen, and the elves seem more like doped-up supermodels than mystical beings. The films carry no astounding message about the value of friendship or the struggle between good and evil (what, in life, is ever simply black and white?). When they try to be philopshical, they fail miserably. TTT has less "think-talk" than FOTR, which is very good. But the dialogue, oh god, the dialogue. It's terrible, not one single truly memorable line. This is straight from Tolkien and his own failure to write grippingly. "I think we have tarried here too long," Frodo says, before being captured by Faramir. Who, in real life, says crap like that? There's no tension, no laughter, no brilliance. It's Shakespearean language, but without Shakeseare's wit, double entendres, and dirty jokes. Bottom line, TTT is a great action flick for those who enjoy sword fights and gritty looking men (which I do - hey, we all have our shallow sides). But if you're looking for the best film of all time, look somewhere else. FOTR and TTT aren't even the best fantasy films ever made. That title, IMO, can be possessed only by Reiner's The Princess Bride. Memorable dialogue, wit, love, action, murder, revenge, The Princess Bride has it all - and clocks in at under three hours. Before you go see TTT for the gazillionth time, rent this delightful parody of fantasy and then tell me I'm wrong.