The ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy triumphs
Tolkien fans around the world are counting down to Dec. 17, when at long last we’ll know the answer to a hugely important question — whether the final film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy will live up to all the expectation. (Oh, and also whether or not Frodo can destroy the evil ring of Sauron and save the world.)
We’ve been burned by cringe-worthy trilogies before, and the big thud of Matrix: Revolutions is still fresh in our minds. But director Peter Jackson’s got an even more difficult task than ensuring that Return of the King is a good wrap-up for the first two Rings films. He must satisfy the legions of admirers of J.R.R. Tolkien’s story, who are adamant that any film version should stay true to Tolkien’s original vision.
Originally published on msnbc.com Dec. 15, 2003. Read the complete article.