A fitting climax to a peerless cinematic legacy

Rating: 10/10 (24 September 2008)

As the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end", but seldom does one wish to refute such a statement as strongly as in the case of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tolkien had become a holiday tradition, leaving the prospect of a December without Middle Earth an almost overwhelmingly bleak future. After struggling through over six hours of emotional investment, viewer expectations were at a critical peak: how could such a painstakingly, lovingly constructed journey possibly be brought to a satisfying conclusion? Suffice to say, the film does not disappoint, its ensuing 11 Academy Awards still seeming to fall short of properly appreciating the triumphant masterpiece of a conclusion. The title proves prophetic, as the film marked the true ascent of Jackson's films into the realm of abiding classics.
Debate over which film can be regarded as the strongest of the three continues eternal and remains largely a matter of individual taste, but a strong case can be made for Return of the King being at least the most rounded of the trilogy. With epic, rousing battle scenes to match any set pieces of The Two Towers and heartfelt emotional moments to rival any in Fellowship of the Ring, Return of the King exemplifies the trilogy's strengths while providing the necessary catharsis for the entire painstaking journey. And an emotional climax it is, as Jackson delves into the darkest and most tumultuous expedition into Middle- Earth. From the first notes of Howard Shore's flat out stunning musical score, the viewer is ensnared, as Jackson generates gruellingly heartfelt emotional resonance with awe-inspiring ease.
Only in the hands of such a confident filmmaker could such unbridled sentiment steer clear of the embarrassingly melodramatic, but in such an engrossingly crafted world, even the most stilted lines ring as rousing, genuine and emotionally resonant - it would be a feat indeed for any viewer, no matter how jaded, to hold back tears at the film's wrenching finale. Despite the occasional trimmed scene (fans of the novel may lament Saruman's death scene, seen on the DVD extended edition), Jackson as always remains obsessively faithful to Tolkien's vision, and while the enormous running time and conclusion after conclusion may prove trying to those unfamiliar with Tolkien's works, it is impossible to imagine a more satisfying adaptation of the timeless novel.
But even viewers spoiled on Jackson's first two takes on Tolkien's fantasy world will find themselves spellbound by the visual mastery on display. Easily a pinnacle of cinematic aesthetics, Jackson's Middle-Earth remains an indescribably lush, expansive tapestry of imaginative beauty. Seldom has a world been so credibly and completely generated, with staggering attention to detail ranging from the vast action set pieces (Jackson gleefully indulges his schlocky horror roots with Frodo and Sam's eerie, unbearably tense battle with monstrous spider Shelob, and lets rip with the enthralling siege of Gondor. And if his cross- cutting between Gondor's face-off with the combined armies of Mordor and the overwhelmingly heightened volcanic climax at Mount Doom can become infuriating - I'm prone to yelling "GO AWAY, TROLL" at this point - it's testament to how painfully invested the viewer is) to the smallest etching on a soldier's helmet. It is such minuscule details which reveal that Jackson's dedication is not just to showy exteriors but in truly bringing to life the spirit of the source novels, and as such, The Return of the King proves peerless.
Capturing an audience's interest and sympathies for three vast films in a row would be no easy feat, had the exemplary cast not created some of the most beloved film characters of all time. While keeping tortured protagonist Frodo an engaging and tragic lead instead of simply bug-eyed and annoying is a thankless task, Elijah Wood remains quietly charming enough to master the audience's sympathies throughout. Ian McKellen redefines the word class as noble wizard Gandalf, while mercifully still allowing moments of warm humour to slip through the cracks of his dignified solemnity. Viggo Mortensen's quiet yet ferocious charisma makes his heroic Aragorn a truly powerful and resonant figure, and Sean Astin infuses the wrenching journey of Frodo's noble companion Sam with pulsing emotion and endearing heart, a truly remarkable performance.
The forever underrated Andy Serkis generates an enormously powerful performance, riddled with menace, humour, pathos, and exceptional physicality as the viciously obsessive Gollum. Bernard Hill emanates subtle nobility as patriarch Théoden, while David Wenham is truly compelling as discounted Gondorian noble Faramir. Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan expand beyond comic relief to true dramatic sentiment as hobbits Pippin and Merry, and Orlando Bloom and John Rhys-Davies continue their comic banter and exhilarating fight scenes as elf Legolas and dwarf Gimli to welcome effect. Similarly, the often overshadowed female cast members more than hold their own despite lack of screen time, as Miranda Otto is rousing and gripping as tenacious noblewoman Eowan, and Cate Blanchett and Liv Tyler prove distinguished and mesmerizing as Elven royals Galadriel and Arwen.
Such praise could prolong to the extent of the film's succession of endings. Suffice to say, The Return of the King embodies the strengths of a trilogy that, uncontroversially, can be considered some of the greatest filmmaking of all time. A truly stunning melding of exhilarating action, devastating emotional storytelling and sumptuous visuals, The Return of the King proves an engrossing epic of cinematic magic in its most most fulfilling, unpretentious form. Even for those normally dismissive of the fantasy genre, the last of Jackson's cinematic masterpieces is almost sure to enthral and capture the heart as next to no other film can.
-10/10