A Symphony of the Senses

Rating: 7/10 (4 January 2004)

One important thing to keep in mind when watching The Return of the King, is that like all the other Lord of the Rings theatrical releases, this is not quite the complete and finished product. The final part of the trilogy moves at a much faster pace than the previous two chapters and although it makes for exciting viewing, you somehow do feel there are some scenes ssing, especially if you're familiar with the story. Luckily, most of the people (myself included) who have come to care about the series have learnt to accept this fact about the theatrical versions and are able to enjoy them as a cinematic experience, which is definitely what you get with this finale. The Return of the King is like a three hour climax in which almost every scene is imbued with a sense of impending resolution for the better or worse of Middle Earth. `The board is set, the pieces are moving' Gandalf explains to Pippin, as the penultimate conflict for the fate of a world is about to begin in front of your eyes. The emotional intensity and drama witnessed on screen would not be out place in a Wagnerian opera, but it is complemented by some of the most epic sights ever beheld in cinema. The battle on the Pelennor Fields is like nothing seen before and even if many of the super wide shots of the armies are noticeably computer generated, they are nonetheless very impressive on the merit of their ambitiousness alone. It seems that when the heart and mind are not being engaged, the senses are being assaulted, so that not a moment of the 3h 12 min feels wasted.
All the main actors have by now confidently settled into their roles and their character's development is really embodied through their performance. It's remarkable how these protagonist have transformed over the ten and a half hour course of these movies, compared to when we first meet them in The Fellowship of the Ring. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens especially need to be commended for giving all the important characters that kind of substantiality, by paying attention to the personal journeys taken and showing the genuine growth undergone by each of them.
In technical terms The Return of the King is undeniably the most accomplished film in the trilogy. All the post production and art departments really present their best work of the series here, from the special effects, the costume designs, through to the breathtaking miniatures. The cinematography is especially noteworthy, experimenting with unconventional, exciting points of view and subtle colour grading that help to deliver even more memorable shots than in the first two movies. A word also has to be said about the music, because it has been the backbone of the trilogy in many ways. Howard Shore has brilliantly captured the depth and scope of Tolkien's world since the first soundtrack and has developed this vision from movie to movie creating a film score magnum opus. He has been particularly successful in rendering the operatic epic-ness of The Lord of the Rings and this characteristic truly comes to shine in the third instalment. It must be remembered, that an essential contributing factor for the success of this final part is the effectiveness of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers to generate the level of anticipation and narrative tension, that makes the climax so emotionally involving and rewarding. The sense of closure is in every respect satisfying and considered as one creative achievement from beginning to end, it becomes clear what a cinematic triumph the trilogy really is. It has become the film event of our generation, with all three among the top ten highest grossing movies of all time and the popular passion with which they all have been received. The Return of the King sets a new benchmark for the fantasy/adventure genre and The Lord of the Rings has given new meaning to the concept of epic filmmaking. It has arguably become the best trilogy of them all. A title it will deservedly keep for a very long time.