foreign films only

All is well in Middle Earth. Sauron has been defeated and the Age of Man has begun.

Yesterday afternoon I watched as Magneto and Agent Smith took Frodo with them on their ship. Unlike the Matrix trilogy, the third and final film from Jackson wasn't as disappointing. Oh, I'm not saying that I was in awe when I left the theater, but I wasn't shaking my head in disgust either.

Return of the King ended what the first two started and was about the same level of quality as the first two in the series. For me that generally means there were computer generated special effects around characters that held no meaning for me. Wait. That could just as easily describe the Matrix.

I honestly have to wonder what a person who has never read the books gets from the movies. Is there more to it than armies of fantasy creatures killing armies of men in shiny armor? Do people wonder if Gimli wants to be a stand up comedian? Do they think that Legolas surfs in his spare time like he did in the second and third film? Will the movie Hidalgo starring Viggo Mortensen be a runaway hit? Would women even go to see the movie if Orlando Bloom and Viggo weren't in it?

I guess that I am questioning the universal appeal of the story and have to wonder what modern people get from the story. Do they really think that evil will triumph over good? Does the ending shock them? Will there be a sudden rise in baby boys named Frodo? Do they see some deeper meaning in what flashes before them on the screen? I don't know.

Once again the story has never really appealed to me that much, but I love to see the way that Jackson uses New Zealand to give life to what Tolkien created decades ago. The South Island is an amazing place and I can't wait until I return there.

 
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