Truly epic stories only come about once or twice a decade. Most of the best epics, at least in the last 50 years, have been made into epic movies. The end of the 1950’s brought a 212 minute, that’s almost 4 hours folks, film the likes of which no one could hold a candle too. Ben-Hur set a standard in movie making by demonstrating a quality and attention to detail that earned it no less than 26 awards for that year, 11 of them being Oscars.

Before I get too far though, I want to clarify something. The adjective ‘epic’, according to Dictionary.com, means surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size or heroic and impressive in quality. I’d like to make a point to Mr. Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Length does not an epic make. Size does not matter. It’s not the length of the boat, but the motion of the ocean.

I loved this movie, but I also felt it my responsibility to report that Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is 3 hours and 28 minutes of film. Do you have any idea how long of a piece of film that eqautes to? Or how heavy a reel that is? During its first weeks of its stay in theatres, I’ve read and heard accounts of numerous instances where movie-goers have demanded their money back because theatre employees failed to warn guests of it’s length up front. Granted, this is ridiculous, but it brings to light why long movies are for the most part unnacceptable. I believe Jackson and his editors got too caught up in their ‘vision’ to bother bringing this down to a respectable size. Despite how good a movie this actually is, I believe it’s length is nothing more than a self-stroking of Jackson’s ego. You very literally think this movies ends about 4 times and had people even the die hard fans laughing inappropriately at the end or leaving before the final credit role.

I digress though. This review is starting to look like a political stance which isn’t my intention.

This third in the trilogy of movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic novel ends the adventure and stays greatly loyal to the book. Frodo, Sam and Smeagol/Gollum are nearing the destination of their long journey to destroy the simple gold ring that could end all that is good in Middle Earth. The other’s introduced in the first film, Fellowship of the Ring, have since stayed behind to fight the forces of evil, both of the hordes of orcs and of the inner evils of man; his greed and lust for power.

The final chapter in the latest trilogy (remember when there was only one trilogy, THE trilogy?) is presented in nothing less than a grandiose fashion. A feast for the eyes, Return of the King makes one wish Middle Earth existed simply for the ability to visit the forests, mountains and immense castles that the film takes place in. The vast landscapes are second only to the immense and brutal battles between man and orc. Visualizing these masses of people rushing at each other with swords and spears in order to safely put on film must have been an excruciating challenge, one for which I must give proper respect for. Thematically, the audience is bounced around to several conjoining stories one would expect in any war story: love, loss, sacrifice and betrayal.

Special Effects were, for the most part, exceptional, although I had a few complaints of scenes that looked almost slopped together. Never having worked proffessionaly in the business myself, I’d still like to think I have a knowledge of what time and money can produce. Several scenes could have had more effort put into them, making it clear that film makers put more money on average into the battle scene effects and composition than of those such as Frodo’s entrance to Mt. Doom. Creature design and effects were spectacularly imaginitive, never straying far from animals that exist in our world.

Sound effects and music were eqaully enthralling, advancing that ‘epic’ feeling even further using a full symphony orchestra to portray moods as was done in classics such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

In the scope of things, my complaints are miniscule. The only thing I would stress to movie-goers is to refrain from drinking that 44 ouncer before OR during the show if you intend on seeing every minute. The movie is simply too long. Still, I can’t help but give it my highest rating.