The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

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Cast

Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Karl Urban, John Noble, Ian Holm, Sean Bean, Marton Csokas, Lawrence Makoare, Thomas Robins

Plot

While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) continue to approach Mount Doom to destroy the Ring, unaware of the path Gollum (Andy Serkis) is leading them, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), Pippin (Billy Boyd) and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) aid Rohan and Gondor in a great battle.

Opinion

The final film of the Lord of the Rings trilogy certainly doesn't disappoint like some other trilogies - Matrix, X-Men.

 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a glorious and thrilling final chapter. The film is full of emotions, ranging from astonishment to disgust, from funny moments to moving ones, and will keep the viewer on the edge of the seat for the whole time.

The film is stuffed with unforgettable landscapes - thank you, New Zealand -, memorable scenes - the battle at Minas Tirith was wonderfully made -, outstanding music, and stunning visual effects. However, the action is not all, and several factors steal the scene: the strong bond of friendship between Frodo and Sam, and Pippin and Merry, the improbable friendship between an elf and a dwarf, and love, for which Arwen gives up her immortality.

The performances are good, among which Viggo Mortensen's as Aragorn and Sean Astin's as Samwise stand out. Ian McKellen doesn't have much space, still he delivers. Orlando Bloom doesn't have a real chance to show off his acting skills. John Rhys-Davies keeps on doing great with Gimli. The only flaw is Elijah Wood's performance: he is stucked with the same facial expression for the whole film.


Quotes

Gimli: Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf.
Legolas: What about side by side with a friend?
Gimli: Aye. I could do that.

Aragorn: Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*

Rating

9.0/10
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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

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Cast

Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Craig Parker, John Leigh, Bruce Hopkins, John Bach

Plot

While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin), now accompanied by a new guide, Gollum (Andy Serkis), continue their hopeless journey towards the land of the shadow, each member of the broken fellowship makes a stand against Saruman (Christopher Lee) and his armies of Isengard.


Opinion
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is gloomier and darker than the previous film, still it is outstanding, and once again everyone can enjoy it, or at least appreciate its visual beauty: the scenography and the cinematography are still outstanding, and the special effects are very well used. 

The film doesn't waste time with unnecessary prologues and it goes straight to the action, and it let us being part of epic battles. The three hours flies by, and there is so much going in the film that the time is barely enough.

The personalities of the characters are developed - a new side of Frodo, the dark one, is shown -, and the new characters are great, except for Gollum, which is spectacular and stunningly played by Andy Serkis - apparently he loves playing CGI characters. The acting is, as always, superb. 


Quotes

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

Rating

9.3/10
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

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Cast

Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Sala Baker, Marton Csokas, Lawrence Makoare, Craig Parker, Mark Ferguson, Peter McKenzie, Harry Sinclair

Plot

Assisted by a Fellowship of heroes, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) plunges into a perilous trek to take the mystical One Ring to Mount Doom so that it and its magical powers can be destroyed and never possessed by evil Lord Sauron (Sala Baker).

Opinion

The astonishing journey of Frodo Baggins begins. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an excellent film that everyone can appreciate and enjoy, also the non-fantasy fans like me.
The film is beautiful from every point of view. The narrative is surprisingly long - in a good way - and incredibly detailed, and the storyline is great. Its long running time - 172 minutes, and it's not even the extended version - is not boring at all. The scenography is outstanding, partly because New Zealand is photographed like some kind of magic place, but also for the high attention to details.
The acting is pretty much good. Ian McKellen's portrayal of Gandalf is magnificent.


Quotes

Sam: I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise. "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to. I don't mean to.

Gandalf: A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

Rating

9.0/10
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