Review – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Prediction fulfilled. For the most part this is on par with the first two movies in the set. I’ll confess a slight preference for the second one, but that’s at least in part due to the source novel. For instance, the big battle in number two was a lot more compelling than this one. It’s the same epic special effects, but in number three the tide turns in favor of the good guys after they enlist the aid of an unbeatable ghost army, which almost seems like cheating. On the other hand, by now we’re accustomed enough to the characters that they don’t have to work so hard to sell them. In particular, Viggo Mortensen seems to have settled into his role a bit better (or maybe I’m just used to him at this point), and Liv Tyler’s barely in it at all. The plot takes its time getting started, and it takes its time winding down as well. That added to a few slow spots in the middle make this a somewhat questionable choice for kiddie entertainment. Otherwise this is solid Hollywood fantasy film-making just like the first two. Mildly amusing