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Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King...
Last night Ben, Sarah and I went to see LoTR:TRoTK at the Odeon Leicester Square. And what I great film it is.

LoTR:TRoTK recaptures much of the wow-factor perhaps lacking in LoTR:TTT and yet maintains the wit, action and narrative drive that the second film brought to the trilogy. Peter Jackson has undoubtedly created a masterpiece.

The three plot lines from the LoTR:TTT converge into two: Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) have joined up with Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) and are rallying the troops to fight Sauron. And the main battle at ensues at Pelennor Fields is truly spectacular.

Meanwhile en route to Mount Doom the avaricious, reptilian Gollum (the quite astounding, computer-generated creation, brilliantly voiced by Andy Serkis) is trying to lead Frodo and Sam to their arachno-death. You understand Gollum a lot better in LoTR:TRoTK and realise that he might actually be a glimpse of what Frodo, and to some extent Bilbo, may become if they were to keep hold of the One Ring.

There's some fine acting but for me it's Sean Astin's Sam that is head and shoulders above the rest of the cast. His moving delivery and inspirational monologues give heart to the whole spectacle. Even if he might find it hard to concentrate when it looks as if Elijah Wood's Frodo is ready to kiss him at any moment.

Others may have their own views but for me it is the best film of the three. And like the others I think it is a film that bears repeat viewing. Roll on the extended DVD.