An epic masterpiece made even better in its extended form

Rating: 10/10 (24 December 2014)

In 2003, Lord of the Rings- Return of the King won top honors at nearly every major Award ceremony, and set a new record for box-office receipts, one that would stand for six years. It blew audiences away with its epic storytelling and scale, surpassing even the previous two entries in the trilogy. It was a truly great film. And now with the extended version, it's even better than before.
The reason why Return of the King, is so great is threefold. First, it's based on one of the twentieth century's greatest works of literature. Secondly, director Peter Jackson has remained true to source material, leaving as much as possible intact. And lastly, this project saw a near unprecedented infusion of talent and money. From the director, to the extremely large cast, to the effects wizards at WETA, everyone knew what they were doing and gave it their very best. Nothing was held back, no expense spared, and no detail overlooked, and the result is pure awesomeness.
One of Tolkien's greatest talents as a writer was his ability to fill his worlds with a host of distinct, interesting characters, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and struggles. Jackson has included nearly all, and through them explores myriad themes. In Aragorn (Vigo Mortenson) we see a man who overcome his self-doubt and accept the mantle of greatness that he was meant to wear. He's also the embodiment of true courage, being brave or perhaps crazy enough to pick up the seeing stone and tell Sauron, "Here I am, come and get me."
In Frodo (Elijah Wood) the story explores how even the most ordinary of people can accomplish great things, but also how even the purest can be tempted by power and corrupted by evil. One figure who cannot be corrupted however is Samwise Gamgee, who represents perhaps the ultimate example of friendship and loyalty, sharing every hardship, remaining ever vigilant against Gollum's treachery and the ring's corruption, and braving a giant spider and a fortress of orcs to rescue his friend, even after he had turned on him.
Even the relatively minor Characters are well drawn and add to the story. Take Pippin and Merry. They're just a couple of goof-offs, the friends who are just along for the ride. But before the story is done, both will play important roles in the greatest battle of the age. Aeowen for her part embodies both duty to one's people and the the pain of unrequited love. And Legalos and Gimli, though largely relegated to sidekick duty, still show how friendship can transcend racial boundaries and old grudges.
But the most interesting character of all must surely be Gollum. Twisted physically and mentally, and with a severe case of split personality, he hates his very existence, and he hates the Ring for what it's done to him, but he desires to possess it even more. He's like a schizoid drug addict- a violent yet often hilarious schizoid drug addict. It's amazing how quickly he can go from playful and comical to pure venom. And no-one does a more unsettling conversation with himself. He's murderous, he's repulsive, he's pitiful, and he's one of the most interesting characters in twentieth century literature.
Of course this isn't all internal struggles and character development; it's an epic in the class of The Ten Commandments or Gone with the Wind, but with lots more fighting. And what fighting it is! The combat scenes capture the full intensity and brutality of medieval warfare, of pounding clubs and maces, bodies impaled with spears and arrows, or crushed beneath catapult stones (Within the bounds of PG-13). Yet there's also is the precision, even beauty, of Aragorn's swordsmanship, and Legelos's skill with the bow, their ability to fell an enemy with every swing of the sword or release of an arrow.
And then there's the sheer scale of it all. The climactic battle of Pelenor Fields is the largest ever filmed, with dozens of siege engines, more than two-hundred thousand orcs, and a charge by six thousand horsemen. There are few sights that can surpass six thousand armored cavalrymen at full charge, but a counter charge by a line of mumukhiel is surely one of them. Add the piercing shrieks of fell beasts and an army of vengeful dead and you have perhaps the greatest spectacle ever to grace the screen. This may seem hyperbole, or even heretical, but Cecil B. Demile has nothing on Peter Jackson.
I'm also highly impressed with the effects and technical aspects of this movie. The set pieces are among the largest and grandest I've seen, and the models have a nearly unprecedented attention to detail. And there are thousands of weapons, orc masks, and suits of armor, all beautifully – or gruesomely- done. Few projects can equal this one in the costume and make-up departments. New Zealand's Weta Workshop might just be the new Industrial Light and Magic.
Now obviously all this was already present in the original version. So you may ask if this new version is worth paying to see, especially if you already have the original. My answer: absolutely. There's more humor, exemplified by a side-splitting drinking contest, and more character development, especially with Faramir and Denathor. And there's lots more action, including Gandalf's encounter with the Witch King, a longer fight scene with Gollum, and far more material with the dead men of Dun-Harrow. Jackson has also included important vignettes from the book like the House of Healing scene and negotiations with the Mouth of Sauron. And I particularly enjoyed Christopher Lee's death scene near the beginning.
Bottom line, Lord of the Rings, Return of the King is one of the grandest, most exciting, and most inspiring movies you'll ever witness. Try as I might, I can find no fault with it. You owe it to yourself to see this movie, especially in its new and improved state.