In between seeing FOTR and TTT I actually managed to read Tolkien's original novel (better late than never), and it left me with a greater appreciation for the great Peter Jackson and his team, with their unerring instinct for what was crucial about the stories and what could safely be left out or altered. By the time ROTK was finished, I could hardly believe three hours had gone by. There was barely a lull, no chance to catch breath and take stock. It was like being on a giant roller coaster, where all you can do is hang on for dear life. The movie's great strength lies in it's casting. Every actor is perfect for their role. Sir Ian McKellan as Gandalf and Elijah Wood as Frodo are indeed the standouts (Gandalf rallying the men of Minas Tirith, royally kicking Orc butt) but this time characters that were criticised in TTT for their lack of depth have been fleshed out. Witness the loaded exchanges between Faramir and Denethor, and the resignation on Faramir's face as he realises the only thing he can do to finally win his father's respect is die for the cause. Merry and Pippin, largely comic relief in the first two films, become warrior hobbits. Billy Boyd also gets to unveil his lovely singing voice in a moving sequence interspersing shots of Denethor stuffing his face with Faramir's suicidal assault on Osgiliath. Full marks to those in the editing room. The character that fairs best in character development is Samwise Gamgee. As Tolkien wrote, 'His will was set, and only death would break it'. I found myself constantly rooting for Sam, and Sean Astin's portrayal of what was essentially a sidekick was shamefully ignored at awards time. The special effects are also spectacular (it's almost impossible to believe Gollum isn't a real creature) but they don't overwhelm the story. In this area, Jackson is a master of restraint and his is an example that George Lucas and the Wachowski brothers could do well to pay attention to. Shelob is a particular highlight. If you can rate a movie by the number of times the audience bursts into applause during it, my particular screening of ROTK (well, the first one- I saw it three times!) had three. Namely- Legolas single handedly downing the Oliphant (clapping drowned out Gimli's splendid retort- "That still only counts as one!"), Gandalf whacking Denethor in the face with his staff and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli leaping from the pirate boats with their dead army. Feel the testosterone fly! But it wasn't all about stunts and action sequences. Jackson an intelligent enough storyteller to throw in the occasional parallel to an event in the first film to keep everything tied neatly together. For example- like his son Boromir before him, Denethor only realises the error of his ways when it is too late, and his plaintive cry of "Faramir?" as he lies on his funeral pyre is an eerie echo of Boromir's plea to Frodo at the end of FOTR. Or am I the only one who thinks that? Another gold star to Peter Jackson for casting three actors (John Noble, David Wenham and Sean Bean) who resemble each other enough to conceivably be father and sons. If there are any quibbles to be had, the ending was overlong. Jackson loves his characters so much that, like us, he is reluctant to say goodbye to them. Following Aragorn's crowning it drags on for almost another twenty minutes, and I admit I was beginning to twitch in my seat. And Saruman, the main baddie in TTT doesn't even appear in this one, something Christopher Lee was understandably irked about. My understanding is that he will appear in the extended edition. Roll on November! I plan to pull a major sickie to stay home and watch all the extended cuts back to back! Just one more thing, Mr Jackson. What the hell are we all supposed to do next Boxing Day???!! I suppose I could re-read the novel, I keep it by my bed figuring it would make a handy weapon if my home ever got broken into the middle of the night.
