Incredible.

Rating: Null/10 (21 December 2003)

Epic. Brutal. Emotional. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a delicate assembly of the three--from a prologue whose brutality shocked 90% of the theater, to a Battle of Pellenor Fields of such epic scale that the WETA team is a virtual shoe-in for the Best Special Effects Oscar, to an epilogue so bittersweet that tears dripped down my cheeks reflexively. Frodo's struggle to destroy the Ring of Power is realized in near- flawless fashion.
For that is indeed the main focus of the story, that which drives every good character forward--the knowledge that Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) still have a fighting chance of eliminating evil forever. Aragorn, Son of Arathorn (Viggo Mortenson) has forseen this, as has Gandalf the White (Ian McKellen). As a result, the two are doing whatever they can to draw Sauron's eye away from the halflings. Specifically, they're commanding enormous troops in battle against the treacherous forces of Mordor. On the other side of the Black Gate, Frodo, Sam, and their gangly companion Gollum (Andy Serkis) move closer and closer to Mt. Doom, whilst one of the three has devious plans of his own. During the film's climax, the action cuts back and forth between the hobbits and the warriors, creating a heart-racing effect of immense power.
But I believe the real power of the film comes from its performances. The two hobbits Meriadoc Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan) and Peregrine Took (Billy Boyd), good friends of Frodo and Sam, are given much more focus this time around. Peregrine (Known as Pippin or Pip for short) particularly becomes quite a key character. The bond created between him and Gandalf in Minas Tirith (the capital of Gondor, known to many as simply "The White City") creates a few quiet, genuinely beautiful moments. Meriadoc (Known as Merry for short) is saddened when parted with Pip, and again when he is not permitted to ride to the Battle of Pellenor Fields by Theoden, (Bernard Hill) king of Rohan. But, to his delight, he is carried into battle by an unexpected fighter. The truly monumental performances, however come from a man by the name of Mr. Sean Astin, another by the title of Sir Ian McKellen, and one other who goes by the surname of Serkis and the first name Andy.
Astin's Samwise Gamgee is a loyal friend to the Ringbearer, doing everything he can to help his friend along the way. The actor expertly displays Sam's anguish and frustration as the mission turns to disaster and the creature Gollum (Andy Serkis, more on him to come) leads Frodo into a trap. He also displays his yearning to be back in the Shire and be with his longtime crush Rosie Cotton (Sarah McLeod). Andy Serkis still provides the viewer with exactly what made his character such a hit in the second film--though it is not quite as lighthearted this time. His longing for the Ring and his subsequent schizophrenia and insanity is a very serious, very disturbing aspect of the film, and it is all delivered by Serkis with relative ease. The guy's a madman. At least, he must be in order to portray that sort of character with such passion. Finally, the Ian McKellen screen time ratio is exponentially higher this time around, which is a very good thing. He is the spirit of the characters, the leader of the armies, the defender of the free people of Middle Earth...and he's a beast with a staff and sword. Predictions: Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination shall be given to Astin but no win, Serkis shall be snubbed (met with the same response as last year from the legions of Lord of the Rings fans--hysteria), and McKellen shall also be snubbed (met with additional anger and frustration).
Due to the fact that the trilogy was shot all in one go, it is no surprise that the visuals seen here are just as enthralling as those in the previous two. But there are still some shots that are worthy of mention: A shot of Pippin and Gandalf riding through Minas Tirith to see the Steward of Gondor (John Noble), which exposes the beauty of The White City to us firsthand. A shot of Gandalf's staff emanating light in order to scare some Nazgul away from Gondorian warriors. Every visual of the Eye of Sauron is also something to behold, as we see it move and begin to perceive Frodo's presence with subtlety. The various wide shots of the hordes of orcs and men facing off against each other in battle are also breathtaking. And as expected, I cannot question any of the locational choices, nor choices for costumes.
If you haven't yet noticed a pattern, there be no hope for ye. Following this pattern, Howard Shore's musical score is just as gorgeous here as it has been in the past, from the brand new Minas Tirith theme, which is played in various states throughout the film, to new compositions of old favorites from the first two. All that really needs to be said is the audio found here lives up to the expectations set by its predecessors.

Unrelenting. Unsettling. Unbelievable. Three small words chosen to describe one magnificent tale. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King not only deserves the title of the best entry in the trilogy, but it provides closure for one of the greatest films of all time, and my personal favorite. When the end credits roll and "Into the West" begins playing over the speakers, only then will you feel how I feel. With the journey over and the saga ended, I wonder if this is how Sam felt when, after putting little Elanor in his lap, "He drew a deep breath. 'Well, I'm back,' he said." And I cry tears of joy.