Saturday, May 22, 2004
The DVDs and videos will go on sale Tuesday.
By MIKE PEARSON
SCRIPPS HOWARD
It's probably heresy to say this, but "The Return of the King" is the least effective of the three "Lord of the Rings" movies.
Yes, it nabbed 11 Oscars this year, including one for best picture and the best-director award for Peter Jackson. But you have to suspect those were cumulative honors, acknowledging the breathtaking scope and triumphant tone of Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic trilogy.
Which isn't to suggest "The Return of the King" is a bust. Far from it. It's filled with the same glorious production values as its predecessors, and there's no denying the compelling performances as the battle for Middle-earth heads toward its climax. What's missing is the sense of wonder that greeted the first films, the feeling they could never be topped.
"The Return of the King" doesn't top them. It just manages to keep pace.
What happens
In this final chapter, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) leads his army into battle one last time as the evil Sauron's mutant army marches across the landscape. Meanwhile, Hobbit heroes Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) approach the outskirts of Mount Doom, where they plan to destroy the cursed ring of the title. That is if Gollum doesn't destroy them first. Their nasty little tour guide has gotten even nastier.
Like the previous films, "King" unfolds on several fronts, with all the plotlines converging in the final hour. There's the elf princess (Liv Tyler) returning to stand by her man. There's the White Wizard (Ian McKellen) brandishing his magic staff in the service of good. And there are legions of Orcs and other vile creatures marching on the last cities ruled by man, determined to wipe mortals off the face of Middle-earth.
Battle scenes
"King" suffers from too many speeches. What redeems the picture are the fantastic battle scenes. Fusing live action with computer special effects, Jackson has once again created a visual landscape that puts George Lucas to shame.
X"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," in stores Tuesday, will be available on video and DVD. Rated (PG-13).