Lord of the Rings: Return of the King movie review

I mention in my Two Towers review how difficult it is for a Tolkien fanatic to simply experience the Lord of the Rings movies. I realised another thing while watching Return of the King - it's doubly hard when you're both a Tolkien book fanatic AND a Tolkien film fanatic. Not only am I mentally ticking off book scenes while watching the movie, I'm also mentally noting each Massive effect, discerning between matte and 'bigature' backgrounds, noticing crew cameos, analysing the film score. When Pippin climbs the beacon tower, my thought was 'hey, that's Christian Rivers from the art department guarding the beacon!' When Smeagol first sees the ring, my thought was 'why are they playing Galadriel's theme here?'. When Faramir leaves on a suicide mission, the poignancy of the moment is interrupted by a brief cameo from Peter Jackson's kids. I had to discipline myself to stop being so damn analytical and just enjoy the movie!

As usual, I've divided my review into good bits, bad bits and a few other thoughts at the end (cause I just love talking about Lord of the Rings! :-)

Good Bits

Smeagol opening - I wondered how PJ would top the blockbuster 'prologues' of the first two films. When I heard it would start with Smeagol's story, at first I was surprised at such a low-key opening. However, as the film progressed, I came to appreciate what a brilliant start it was. Nothing in the last two movies communicated just how evil the ring was as seeing Smeagol kill his best friend after one sight of the ring (except maybe Bilbo's scary face in Rivendell). It set the tone throughout the film, making many exchanges between Frodo and Sam or Gollum and Frodo that more ominous.

Spirit of the book - Regardless of what others have said, I believe the movies with a few exceptions ("nervous system"?!?!) are true to the books. While purists lament over a cut Glorfindel or Tom Bombadill (who I think shouldn't even be in the book, let alone the movies), they miss the grander themes the movies do capture. The love of nature, the anger at industrial progress, the conflict of hope versus despair and overall, the sense of tragedy and loss amidst victory.

One of my favourite lines from ROTK is actually from the appendix. As a child, Aragorn was named Estel (Elvish for Hope) until he reached manhood. As Aragorn's mother dies prematurely from despair, she tells him 'I gave hope to the Dunedain. I kept none for myself'. The line epitomises the sense of tragedy which I find so compelling in Tolkien's writing (particularly in Silmarillion). So I appreciated Aragorn delivering that line on several levels.

Eowyn vs Witchking - This was always one of my favourite moments of the book. Add to the fact that I love Miranda Otto's performance, I was anticipating this moment possibly more than any other. It didn't disappoint. Eowyn hamstringing an Oliphaunt with two swords at full gallop was way cooler than Legolas' gratituitious over-the-top stunt. That's right, I'm bagging Legolas... bring it on, Orlando Bloom fan girls!

Bigger and better monsters - I love how things developed and grew more epic with each movie. The Moria troll was a major monster of the first film. At the Black Gate in Two Towers, the two trolls are just the door guys. In Return of the King, a company of trolls are mere footmen for their huge army. Makes me wish PJ would take on the Silmarillion - can you imagine an army of Balrogs and dragons in the fall of Gondolin? The mouth waters!

Emotion - I have two simple ways to grade a movie. Can I rewatch it over and over? And does it move me? The Lord of the Rings trilogy easily places 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the first category. Return of the King is the most moving of the trilogy (although it still places well behind the Begnini's 'Life is Beautiful'). But there are so many moving scenes in Return of the King. I particularly started to get teary towards the end (although that could've been because I knew the trilogy was about to end). Sam's scene on Mount Doom as he expresses naked regret at never having the chance to marry Rosie stayed with me long after the film (I think this is the scene Sean Astin boasts made PJ cry during shooting).

Lighting of the beacons - This is one of those unexpected moments (although all the reviews mention it so I was somewhat expecting it, curse my curiosity for spoilers!) from another inoccuous part of the book that PJ turned into a triumphant sequence of visual storytelling. He really is a master at turning the written word into filmic moments.

Shire return - I missed the Scouring of the Shire but the movie version was so perfect, it's hard to complain. It was a lovely touch to finish their homecoming to the shire with the same grumpy hobbit with the same grumpy expression as the start of Fellowship. By this time, I'd seen the Fellowship DVD so many times, it was like seeing an old friend again(a shame 'grumpy Hobbit lady' wasn't there too, considering how well she rated in my recent sexy LOTR ladies poll). I read a review complaining about the 4 hobbits sitting in the bar but I loved that scene - no dialogue, all acting, simply expressing what they'd been through and yet still retaining their 'Hobbitness'.

Battle of the Pelennor - To be honest, the battle of Helm's Deep wasn't my favourite part of the film. It was too much hack and slash. But the battle of the Pelennor greatly surpassed it. The Ride of the Rohirrim was so epic, I just couldn't take all the details in. The plot twist with the arrival of the Oliphaunts and the subsequent horse charge was breathtaking.

Music - To be honest, I couldn't remember much of the music afterwards (so I did succeed in losing myself in the story). However, I recently bought the CD soundtrack and have been listening to it incessantly for the last few weeks. I think it's the best of the 3 soundtracks, partly because the Gondorian theme is one of my favourite themes (I've never been too much fond of the Fellowship theme) and mostly because much of the choral music is just achingly beautiful. Ever since my first viewing of Fellowship, I've loved the violin Ring theme over the Lord of the Rings logo. I've continued to enjoy how each new movie has added a different twist to the opening theme. One of the music highlights was Pippin's song - another great example of PJ taking an innoccuous moment from the book and turning it into visual poetry.

Final scene - I also appreciated how the very last scene was a match to the last scene of the book. Okay, they missed the whole Scouring of the Shire but at least they got the last scene right! :-)

Bad Bits

Okay, I'll have my whinge. It's inevitable to build up a high level of expectation and while the film met it at many points, there were other points where I was disappointed.

Gimli had his customary cringeworthy one-liners but the stand out was the conclusion of the Last Debate - something to the effect of 'Impossible odds, certain chance of death, what are we waiting for?' I expect that sort of cliche in the usual Hollywood action blockbuster. Fran and Phillipa - you can do so much better (I'm guessing PJ railroaded that kind of humor through).

Inevitable cameos - Well, this is not bad so much but Wendy and I did exchange wry glances when PJ's kids cameod as Gondorian kids (even Wendy recognises them). I wasn't sure where PJ's cameo was although I did see a rather fat, bearded (and probably barefoot) Corsair at one point.

Gratuitious Legolas stunt - Everyone seems to rave over Legolas' oliphaunt stunt but I thought it came across a bit cheesy (although Gimli's 'that still counts as one' while predictable was still one of his better one-liners). Still, the girly flick of the hair at the end was appropriate for such a pretty boy! :-)

Denethor's death - I love the book's imagery of Denethor atop the pyre, wreathed in flames. The film version of him running down the hallway, off the tower surprised me and frankly, left me cold. I thought it lacked the emotional impact of him standing there before Gandalf & Faramir as he burnt to death.

Frodo sending Sam away - I just couldn't see the point of this. Another theme of the book is Frodo and Sam's indomitable friendship. I love the image of them walking side by side into the dark, impenetrable cave.

Theoden's morale building skills - I know a lot of his dialogue came from the book but there was one moment after Aragorn left for the Paths of the Dead when a Rohan soldier said the men had no hope. Theoden said something like 'yes, we're all going to die'. I was waiting for a 'but...' that never came. Way to build team morale, Theoden!

Dead Frodo - Sam weeping over a supposedly dead Frodo (stung by Shelob) did nothing for me - I just couldn't get the image of Brandon Lee as The Crow out of my head.

Best and Worst Bits

I can't help but continue to rave about Lord of the Rings so I'm going to list my favourite moments of the trilogy.

Favourite micro-moment - Elrond's eye twitch as an Elvish arrow swooshes his hair in the Fellowship prologue.

Favourite music moment - The lone voice singing immediately after Gandalf falls in Moria. Close second, the violin as the hobbits drink in the bar at the end of Return of the King.

Favourite character - Eowyn and Gollum were the most moving but the fact that Gollum is a digital creation is just mind-boggling so he takes the cake (although he'd probably prefer fish).

Best slaying - Okay, Legolas isn't all bad. Stabbing an orc through the eye with an arrow then loosing it to kill another orc is just about the coolest way to kill two bad guys.

Worst kiss - Aragorn's open mouthed lunge at his coronation. I'm surprised Elrond didn't go medieval on him!

Least favourite character - I'm a big fan of Cate Blanchett but I just didn't go for her portrayal of Galadriel at all. She went for remote, ethereal queen but to me, it felt stiff and cold.

Missing Bits

Someone described it accurately when they said the Return of the King theatrical release was just a 3 hour long trailer for the extended DVD. There were so many painful gaps of cut scenes I can't wait to see, I've devoted a whole section to them. I read a rumor that the EE version will be 4 hour 15 minutes which is about an hour extra. Not bad - I guess a 5 hour movie is too much to hope for.

Gandalf vs Witchking - While the Trolls bursting through Minas Tirith's gates was cool, it doesn't compare to the sheer drama of a motionless Gandalf confronting the approaching Witchking. That moment when the horns of Rohan sound is a highlight of the book. The trailer showed a variation of that scene with the Witchking atop a fell beast confronting Gandalf (I even drew a cartoon of the moment) but we didn't even see that in the final movie.

Eowyn in houses of healing - Eowyn never got any closure (all we saw was her standing next to Faramir at the coronation) plus I can never get enough of Miranda Otto.

Mouth of Sauron - It's hard to believe for a 4:15 hour movie, but it moves too quick at the end. They're at the black gate and suddenly the orcs come pouring out. What happened to the sneering Mouth of Sauron? I know they filmed him so I'm looking forward to Bruce Spence, a weird enough looking guy in real life, strutting his stuff in freaky Sauron armour.

Elvish rings - Another forlorn purist hope but I was half expecting Elrond and Gandalf to reveal their Elvish rings at the Grey Havens, along with Galadriel. Well, maybe in the EE.

Life after Lord of the Rings

The Hobbit - Apart from finally returning to my post-Christmas tradition of watching the Boxing Day cricket match, all I have left now is wondering whether they'll sort out the rights to The Hobbit. I'd love to see PJ do a tree full of giant spiders - even creepier than Shelob, I expect. And expect to see Legolas make a cameo in the Elf kingdom of Mirkwood (after all, he is the King's son).

Extended DVD - As for the Extended DVD, two things I would dearly love to see on it are a bloopers reel (after over a year of shooting not to mention PJ's habit of doing multiple cuts ad nauseum, they could show hours' worth) and deleted scenes. Not the extended edition new scenes but the other scenes they shot that didn't make it into either version. Eg - the skirmish outside Lothlorien, the entire sequence of Pippin and Merry dodging the Rohan horses outside Fangorn, etc.

Silmarillion - Sigh, now if only they'd do the Silmarillion (mmmmm, elves slugging it out with a company of Balrogs in Nirnaeth Arnoediad).