Release Date:
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Now this is how you end a trilogy. Instead of convoluting a carefully crafted story around a mindless fluster of special effects (down in front, Keanu), Return of the King dives sword-first into the ultimate battle between comically mismatched foes good and evil for a 3-hour, 20-minute send-off that exploits every minute of its butt-cheek-numbing running time.
We pick up with Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) following Gollums devious lead into the mountains while the rest of the gangGandalf (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and an assortment of other warrior friendstoils around the mainland, fending for humankind. The ring inches closer to its final destination and the action builds to an all-consuming fury as we ride along with Aragorn, pumping up his warriors with roaring pep talks on their way into each new battle. Before you can even ponder a bathroom break, the giant elephants stomp through, followed overhead by flying lizardsand even later by a gargantuan, hobbit-hungry spider. Director Peter Jacksons sweeping landscapes arent lost in all the action, only this time theyre filled with violent rampages that put the standoffs of The Two Towers to shame. Geeks will well up, bookworms will finally leave their houseshell, your girlfriend from Canada might even show; this ring is that powerful.
We pick up with Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) following Gollums devious lead into the mountains while the rest of the gangGandalf (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and an assortment of other warrior friendstoils around the mainland, fending for humankind. The ring inches closer to its final destination and the action builds to an all-consuming fury as we ride along with Aragorn, pumping up his warriors with roaring pep talks on their way into each new battle. Before you can even ponder a bathroom break, the giant elephants stomp through, followed overhead by flying lizardsand even later by a gargantuan, hobbit-hungry spider. Director Peter Jacksons sweeping landscapes arent lost in all the action, only this time theyre filled with violent rampages that put the standoffs of The Two Towers to shame. Geeks will well up, bookworms will finally leave their houseshell, your girlfriend from Canada might even show; this ring is that powerful.