Glory to the King

Rating: Null/10 (19 December 2003)

With "Return of the King," Peter Jackson's adaptation of JRR Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy comes to a close. And as I sit here, thinking on both the recent installment and all three films in general, I find there's only one thing left for me to say:
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Jackson, for your loving and skillful interpretation of this cultural and literary landmark. You were true, for the most part, to the letter of Tolkien's masterwork, but even more importantly true to the spirit. The themes of loyalty versus treachery, selfishness versus selflessness, and the insidious, corrupting allure of power (embodied, ironically, in that simple gold Ring) shone through these films just as it shone through the books. You gave the large battle scenes the epic scope they needed--the climactic battle before Minas Tirith was every bit as intense and invigorating as it needed to be--but never lost sight of the intimate moments which give the trilogy its heart. Without that, the "Lord of the Rings" films would not have been anywhere near as good as they are.
Thank you to the cast, instrumental in bringing those themes to life. It's times like this I wish there were an Oscar for best ensemble, for you would surely win. Special credit to those actors who carried the dramatic and emotional burdens throughout the long journey that began back in "Fellowship of the Ring"--Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan--forming a solid core of talent. I loved discovering Miranda Otto through these films, and hope to see more of her work. I missed Christopher Lee, but look forward to seeing him in the director's cut. And an extra-special tip of the hat to Andy Serkis, who with the aid of WETA Digital, proved in Gollum that CGI creations could be more, much more, than glorified cartoon characters.
Thanks to the countless personell responsible for the sets, costumes, and special effects, for creating a Middle-Earth more vivid and detailed than I ever thought possible. I would like to go on record as saying I sighed at the sight of Minas Tirith, I cringed when the hideous spider Shelob came onscreen, I thrilled to see the armies thunder across the screen. And I believed--believed in this wonderful, terrible world you helped bring to life, believed that its inhabitants had built their lives and culture over centuries. And thank you, Howard Shore, for the beautiful music throughout.
Thank you, one and all, a thousand times. Thanks for the tears and laughter, for the grand epic scenes and the tender moments. Thank you for myself, for all the friends I've shared this with, and for those who I feel will be enjoying your work for years to come.
You have given us all a marvelous gift.