A Tremendous Conclusion To A One Of A Kind Trilogy

Rating: 10/10 (23 May 2004)

The Return Of The King, winner of 11 Oscars (including Best Picture and Director), is the concluding film in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. It is instantly, quite simply, one of the great films of our time. The trilogy provides this film the added luxury of having dispensed previous knowledge about what it's about and where it's headed via its two previous theatrical releases: The Fellowship Of The Ring and The Two Towers. This provides that audience with the background to fully experience and enjoy what they know is going to be the concluding installment, without needing any introductory exposition. Unlike The Two Towers, The Return Of The King can stand alone as a film any patron can enjoy without having viewed the two previous films, although it has to be much harder to appreciate and understand the full scope of the tale. The story continues where it left off at the conclusion of The Two Towers.
Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum are headed toward Mount Doom while becoming more fully realized characters in the process for us. Frodo is increasingly tested by both the ring's power and Gollum's manipulativeness. Samwise is challenged by Frodo's growing aloofness, his loyalty to his master, and Gollum's manipulativeness also. Gollum is revealed as a much more complicated character than perhaps any previous CGI or animated character in film history. Their journey, although slightly tedious to some viewers for sure, traces the interchangeable course of the best and worst traits of humanity within its single quest. Director Peter Jackson and the other writers have successfully distilled Tolkien's core conflicts here. Gandalf and Pippin's trip to Minas Tirith and Eowyn and Merry's stealing away to join the Rohan riders provide us the opportunity to witness their characters' growth, all incredibly heroic and absolutely heartbreaking in feel and in scope. Gandalf and Eowyn become more assertive leaders, and Pippin and Merry contribute smaller, but no less important, decisions involving heroic remonstrance. Some of these scenarios, notably the ones involving Eowyn, Pippin, and Merry, are breathtakingly idealistic, showcasing the joyful best of what mankind can be. Aragorn and Theoden lead the people of Middle Earth against tremendously overwhelming odds to try to defeat the dark forces of Sauron, with Aragorn philosophically enlisting the aid of the dangerous dead. They both have stirring speeches in front of their men that are reminiscent of Shakespeare's Henry V. Redemption is an important theme in the trilogy, specifically more so in this last installment. Legolas and Gimli are less realized, and their characters continue as we remember them from The Two Towers, as skilled fighters and comic relief. The action and special effects, namely the CGI, are enthralling and groundbreaking; the art direction and set decoration are sumptuous; the cinematography once again is breathtaking; the costumes, crafts, make-up, and weaponry are just so richly detailed; the musical score is exciting, rousing, and synonymous with the tradition of the best adventure movies of old Hollywood. The highlights are the battle scenes again, which are absolutely some of the most mind-blowing filmed in recent memory. The trilogy as a whole, and this film in particular, reconciles the best and worst aspects of humanity either directly through the characters or metaphorically in a way that sates even the most cynical viewer. There are a few weak points: the Arwen/Aragorn romance was never deeply felt; Saruman inexplicably disappears in this film, although he'll reappear in the extended DVD version; and, there does seem to be too many climaxes in the last half hour, even though they pretty much follow the book. The film remains an outstanding achievement for Director Peter Jackson, and this film will stand as a magnificent challenge to all future action/fantasy/science fiction films to measure up to its standards for years to come. **** out of 4 stars.