Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The former Fellowship of the Ring prepare for the final battle for Middle Earth, while Frodo & Sam approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.

Directed by
Peter Jackson

Genres
Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Cast
Noel Appleby, Alexandra Astin, Sean Astin, David Aston, John Bach, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Sadwyn Brophy, Alistair Browning, Marton Csokas, Richard Edge, Jason Fitch, Bernard Hill

DVD

Obviously, I’m aware of the fact that the Lord of the Rings trilogy is actually one giant movie, but since it was released in parts, that’s how I’m judging them. The Return Of The King is the final chapter, and I think that it is the true epic fantasy masterpiece that was intended all along. The first two were very good, but they were both just warm-ups compared to this great film.

At this point everyone has come to know and love all of the characters (eh…yes, even Frodo..), and the stakes have become tremendously high. Kingdoms are at their knees, and the only two characters who can save the day are getting weaker and weaker. The tension was very high in this episode and I can honestly say that out of all 3 this was the only one that had me on the edge of my seat. There were many memorable scenes (one of my favourites including the part with the giant spider) that made this the classic that it is sure to stay for decades to come.

This is the longest of the series, mostly because of the ending that seems to last a while. This was a good ending, and I can see why Frodo did what he did. He, and us the audience, have gone through an incredible ordeal and I think we needed that 20 minute linger. When the battle is over, and the celebrations have ended, there is a sad emptiness felt. The films spanned over 3 years, there have been the extended cuts of course, but after that, it’s all over. Peter Jackson gave us an ending that was both appropriate and admirable.

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