The Lord of the Rings 3

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

10 out of 10

Running time: 3:21

MPAA rating: PG-13 (Intense epic battle sequences and frightening images.)

Peruvian rating: Mayores de 14

Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Miranda Otto, Bernard Hill, Andy Serkis, John Noble, Liv Tyler
Director: Peter Jackson
Script: Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
Photography: Andrew Lesnie
Score: Howard Shore
Distributor: New Line Cinema

Note: This review refers to both the theatrical and extended releases of the film. There's no mention of any particular scene or situation present in the extended edition.

There have been many occasions in movie history in which third installments in a movie series have been disappointing. There are many examples, actually: Return of the Jedi, Back to the Future III, The Matrix Revolutions, Godfather Part III... I'm glad to say, though, that this is not the case with The Return of the King. As fulfilling and as impressive the previous installments were, there's no way they can be compared in awesomeness and scope with the final movie. Somehow, Peter Jackson has managed to take everything that was right with the previous films, and completely eliminate any mistakes he might have made with them. To synthesize my feelings... The Return of the King is virtually perfect, and definitely the best fantasy/adventure film I've ever seen.

Much like with the case of The Two Towers, having seen the previous installments in the trilogy is almost obligatory. The Return of the King begins exactly where the previous movie ended, with hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin), and the creature Gollum (Andy Serkis) heading to Mordor. At the same time, Gandalf the white wizard (Ian McKellan), Aragorn, (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas, (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), meet their hobbit friends Pippin (Billy Boyd) and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) in Isengard, having finished the battle. From there, the movies basically dvides into two: we follow Frodo's progress as he attempts to arrive at Mount Doom. Meanwhile, Gandalf and Pippin go to Minas Tirith to warn them of invasion, while Aragorn prepares to announce he's Isildur's heir: king of Gondor.

Since the previous films have been basically the establishing or characters and the build up towards this, the final film, then The Return of the King can be considered the acually trilogy's climax... and what a climax! There's not a moment in which the film bores, and the experience as a whole is impressively immersive and breath-taking. The Battle of Pelennor fields, especially, is like nothing I've seen in the previous films - or any film, for that matter - and gave me the chills in some moments, and excited me in others. The film's pace is almost-perfect, making the 3 1/4-hour-long movie seem like a much shorter and thrilling experience. The film is full of different emotions: excitement, sadness, triumph, sore, tension... that's something not many movies are able to give the viewer.

So, why is the movie better than the previous installments? Firstly there's the conclusion, the ending of the story most people have been waiting for. It's a bitter-sweet and emotional ending, something by which not many people will be disappointed. Some argue it's a little over-long, but I found it perfect, especially considering everything the characters - and the audience - have gone thorough. I also found the ending pretty melancholic, and yes, it's pretty sad that our adventures in middle earth have ended. Secondly, there's the visual aspect of the film. The first installment was effective-yet-flawed; the second film was better and pretty impressive overall, but this movie features amazing, breath-taking special effects. The combination of miniatures, real sets, matte paintings and computer-generated effects is almost flawless, and unlike anything I'd seen back in 2003. The Battle of Pelennor Fields alone is a feast to the eye, and much larger in scope than the Helm's Deep battle in The Two Towers.

Thirdly, there's the plot itself, which has developed immensely, especially the Frodo part of the story, which is the most emotional and significant. Unlike the previous two films, this one is much more dedicated to Frodo's journey towards Mount Doom, and Elijah Wood's and Sean Astin's performances are heartbreaking and extremely emotional; one feels for this two characters during their scenes, and they make Frodo's journey more interesting and fulfilling. Concerning the other actors, each and every one of them have grown into their roles, and portray their characters perfectly.

Actually, there's not much to say about the film. It's been four years since it was released; it's won 11 Academy Awards, it's been praised by critics and audiences alike, and it's been a box office record-breaker. It's the finest adventure/fantasy film I've ever seen; it's emotional, it's got great performances, amazing special effects, tense action sequences, heart-breaking emotional scenes and a magnificent yet bittersweet ending. It's a complete success, and a virtually perfect film.