[drjimmy]

Peter Jackson, the director, appears to grasp all this. His films can't be called religious, but they contain important moments of religious feeling.
I wonder if the writer has seen some of Peter Jackson's other films:

Bad Taste (1987)
Four dim-witted men from the New Zealand National Air and Space Defense League arrive in a small New Zealand fishing town to investigate a report of landing UFO's and take on a batallion-sized army of aliens who have massacred the town's population as part of their plans to use humans as part of their main ingredient for their intergalactic fast-food chain.

Braindead (1992)
A young man's mother is bitten by a "rat monkey." She gets sick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing and eating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors.

Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Based on the true story of Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker, two close friends who share a love of fantasy and literature, who conspire to kill Pauline's mother when she tries to end the girls' intense and obsessive relationship.

The Frighteners (1996)
A psychic private detective who consorts with deceased souls becomes engaged in a mystery as members of the town community begin dying mysteriously. While investigating, he is aided by a friendly doctor who believes in his psychic abilities and is hindered by a crazed G-Man, a woman involved in an old serial killing, and what may be the spirit of Death itself.

Perhaps Peter Jackson recognizes the importance of the Holy Spirit in Tolkien's allegory. More likely he recognizes a kick-ass line delivery by Ian McKellen as Gandalf.

[coydog]

You don't even want to know about Meet the Feebles. Or do you?

[weegee]

In Dead Alive (aka Brain Dead), a minister takes on a trio of zombie punks in a grave yard and exhibits a display of kung fu. He declares, "I kick ass for the Lord." The line gets a positive reaction from audiences.