The Journey Ends

(an account of a witness of "The Return of the King")

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

The board is set and the pieces are... well, stuck in traffic. That's what I thought on our way to the moviehouse. I was itching to get there because I know there is already a long line in front of the cinema. I'm glad I have friends who were able to save some seats for me, my sister and my mother. We got, in my opinion, the best seats in the house.

I was surrounded with family, friends and familiar faces around me. It was a comfort knowing I'm sharing the most-awaited moment with people close to me. Yes, this end to JRR Tolkien's trilogy is my most-awaited event of the year. I have been waiting for this since I saw "The Two Towers". After buying popcorn and drinks so we can keep the ROTK tumbler, I snuggled comfortably in my seat.

The movie left me speechless. But after two days of reflections with myself and conversations with my sister, I have chosen some scenes I love and some scenes I think can be omitted or modified.

The movie started with Smeagol and Deagol. I've been expecting this since I was reading spoilers galore in the internet prior to my actual viewing. The scene itself is not part of the ROTK book but I already knew the reason why PJ (Peter Jackson, the director) made it the opening scene. It portrayed the "evolution" of Smeagol to Gollum throughout the years while he was under the influence of The One Ring.

I noticed that compared to the previous two movies, this one is quite fast-paced in the sense that there was a lot of "switching" from one scene to another. So after the Gollum story shows Frodo, Sam and Gollum near Mordor.

The White Rider and the three hunters then found Merry and Pippin in Isengard. This scene is also not a part of the ROTK book and Gandalf did not say "Get up you tom-fool of a Took!" But then, well... I won't see all the things I like. Like when Pippin found the palantir underwater. I mean, it would have been funny when Grima threw it at them and made Saruman angry. Where is Saruman? There never was a closure. Treebeard told them Saruman and Grima were locked in Orthanc. But I never saw their shadows.

The Gollum-Smeagol Stinker and Slinker scenes were very effective. Andy Serkis made a fabulous performance!

The King of Rohan was what I expected. Theoden's character was clearly depicted in the movie.

What's with Arwen and her having foreseen their son? I don't like the scene that shows the reforging of Anduril from the shards of Narsil because Arwen requested Elrond to do it. And why was the ring affecting her? UGH!

Minas Tirith was beautiful! Too bad Denethor was portrayed as a madman wanting the throne of Gondor for himself more than a Steward who lost his judgment after he saw the palantir. I guess the character was an excuse for Gandalf to be violent and use his staff to "make Denethor come to his senses". Funny since I never imagined Gandalf to be violent that way. If I can recal correctly he also did that to Pippin when Pippin was offering Denethor his services. Haha!

I like the snips from the previous two movies when a character is remembering the past-- like when Boromir died. I also like the lighting of the beacons and when Gollum threw the lembas. He should not have done that but it was effective in creating a "friction" between Sam and Frodo. Great additions!

It was a sad scene when Faramir cried and Pippin sang. Such a sad song for a hobbit to sing, but beautiful song nonetheless. I wonder why Denethor was ever so hungry.

The "I canot give what you seek" scene of Eowyn and Aragorn made me long to see Faramir-Eowyn scenes in the Houses of Healing.

Where was Dernhelm?! It should have been better if it went with Eowyn's "I am no man!" scene.

Legolas shouldn't have shot an arrow at the dead when he knew they were dead, right?

Anyways, Shelob was scary! The scene when Galadriel offered hope to Frodo was a nice touch too.

It's weird cause during the pyre of Denethor, it seems like Gandalf and Shadowfax were the ones who pushed Denethor to the fire. Weird.

Some tearjerker scenes are the death of Theoden, Aragorn's speech at the Black Gate, the Sam-Frodo scene on Mount Doom: "Then let us be rid of it once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo! I can't carry it for you but I can carry you! Come on!" and of course during the crowning of the king "you bow to no one" scene. *sniff*

The addition of the dead fighting during the Battle of Pelennor is not a bad change. It would have been improbable for them to win the battle if the dead did not arrive.

The eye of Sauron was like a spotlight in Mordor. I don't think it was necessary cause it made Sauron a bit funny instead of scary. But I guess it would help the non-readers understand the scenes more. But then again, they could have deleted the spotlight part. Just a suggestion.

King Elessar sang in Elvish. Cool!

No entdraught therefore, no taller Merry and Pippin, no crowning in the fields of Cormallen, no Frodo giving the crown to Gandalf first before Gandalf crowned King Elessar, no Houses of Healing, no Scouring of the Shire, but over-all, the movie was a fantastic end to the trilogy. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

Hope fades, into the world of night, through shadows falling out of memory and time. Don't say we have come now to the end. White shores are calling. You and I will meet again and you'll be here in my arms just sleeping... ~"Into the West", Annie Lennox