Lord of the Rings’ final chapter
Dec 18, 2003
After the initial premiere in New Zealand last week, and the world premiere on Wednesday, the only question the minds of many film critics is: Just how many Oscars will The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King pick up?
Film: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler
Director: Peter Jackson
Screenplay: Francis Walsh, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
Running time: 201 minutes
Rating: PG -13 (Intense battle scenes and frightening images)
Showing at: Cineplex on Wednesday
Preview by: Kalungi Kabuye
After the initial premiere in New Zealand last week, and the world premiere on Wednesday, the only question the minds of many film critics is: Just how many Oscars will The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King pick up?
Rarely has it happened in the world that most critics unanimously agreed that a film is not just good, but great. And the praise is almost as epic as the film itself.
“(It)will undoubtedly last through the decades as one of the most ambitious and mind-blowingly successful celluloid projects ever undertaken,†wrote Phil Villarreal for the Arizona Daily Star.
“To put it bluntly, Return may be the most awe-inspiring spectacle ever to play on a big screen... resolving myriad plot lines with suspense, emotion and grace,†Jeffrey Overstreet for Looking Closer.
For decades, the books that make up the Lord of The Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, have developed their own cult. Millions of people around the world dedicated their lives to celebrate the strange and surreal world that Tolkien created in his books.
Then came the New Zealand director Peter Jackson. Jackson said he wanted to make the books into movies, setting up a storm of protest all over the world. Translate Tolkien’s works into cinema? ‘Can’t happen. It is impossible,’ the critics cried.
Then came Fellowship of the Ring, and a new cult, and this time it was based on the film that was created. Although all three films were shot together, it was an anxious world that awaited the second one, The Two Towers.
Now the most anxious and longest wait is over, The Return of the King has hit the screens. In this last chapter of Tolkien’s Rings books, the time has come for the final battle for middle earth.
Parallels with armageddon were drawn freely and used well by the author. On the one hand is evil, personified in Sauron, the maker of the ring, and who wants to take over the world and wipe out the human race.
With him are an array of different allies who are all hoping to cash in on Sauron’s powers. Against them are the remaining forces of good, such as the hobbits Frodo and his man Sam –– two small creatures with the duty of destroying Sauron’s ring.
In this final episode, they trudge and stumble up Mount Doom, Sauron’s hellish domain.
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler
Director: Peter Jackson
Screenplay: Francis Walsh, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
Running time: 201 minutes
Rating: PG -13 (Intense battle scenes and frightening images)
Showing at: Cineplex on Wednesday
Preview by: Kalungi Kabuye
After the initial premiere in New Zealand last week, and the world premiere on Wednesday, the only question the minds of many film critics is: Just how many Oscars will The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King pick up?
Rarely has it happened in the world that most critics unanimously agreed that a film is not just good, but great. And the praise is almost as epic as the film itself.
“(It)will undoubtedly last through the decades as one of the most ambitious and mind-blowingly successful celluloid projects ever undertaken,†wrote Phil Villarreal for the Arizona Daily Star.
“To put it bluntly, Return may be the most awe-inspiring spectacle ever to play on a big screen... resolving myriad plot lines with suspense, emotion and grace,†Jeffrey Overstreet for Looking Closer.
For decades, the books that make up the Lord of The Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, have developed their own cult. Millions of people around the world dedicated their lives to celebrate the strange and surreal world that Tolkien created in his books.
Then came the New Zealand director Peter Jackson. Jackson said he wanted to make the books into movies, setting up a storm of protest all over the world. Translate Tolkien’s works into cinema? ‘Can’t happen. It is impossible,’ the critics cried.
Then came Fellowship of the Ring, and a new cult, and this time it was based on the film that was created. Although all three films were shot together, it was an anxious world that awaited the second one, The Two Towers.
Now the most anxious and longest wait is over, The Return of the King has hit the screens. In this last chapter of Tolkien’s Rings books, the time has come for the final battle for middle earth.
Parallels with armageddon were drawn freely and used well by the author. On the one hand is evil, personified in Sauron, the maker of the ring, and who wants to take over the world and wipe out the human race.
With him are an array of different allies who are all hoping to cash in on Sauron’s powers. Against them are the remaining forces of good, such as the hobbits Frodo and his man Sam –– two small creatures with the duty of destroying Sauron’s ring.
In this final episode, they trudge and stumble up Mount Doom, Sauron’s hellish domain.