Simply a Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (5 February 2013)

Now I'm aware the Lord of The Rings is three movies but in my eyes it is one giant movie and story. They next one also picks up right where the other left off. Here we go the review of Peter Jackson's epic trilogy, The Lord of The Rings. Lord of the Rings is a trilogy of books written a long time ago by J.R.R. Tolkien and it is the most cliché story of good vs. evil. The story is stereotypical, but it works. Tolkien created his own world of Middle-Earth and it is filled with different races and languages. In the beginning magic rings were made but there was one ring made of pure evil, "one ring to rule them all." The maker of this ring was named Sauron and long story short, he was defeated but survived through the ring. The ring passed from person to person and it ended up in the hands of a hobbit named Frodo Baggins. He has been chosen to destroy the one ring before the armies of Sauron destroy Middle-Earth. The storyline is very cliché. It is a good vs. evil story of epic proportions. If you think you have seen this before, you have, but this is completely different. The little guy saves the day and nobody expected the hobbit with hairy feet to defeat the dark lord.
One of the major aspects of this movie is the relationships between characters. Gandalf's relationship with Frodo and the ring. Frodo's relationship with Sam, Gollum, and the Ring. Gollum's relationship with the ring. Merry's relationship with Pippin. All of these relationships drive this movie. Nothing is more powerful then the relationship between Frodo and Sam. Samwise Gamgee is more than Frodo's best friend, he is basically his protector. Sam acts as a barrier between the evil of the ring. Frodo could not have survived without Sam and the roots of this trilogy are the relationship between Frodo and Sam. Sauron has all the power of persuasion, power of armies, fear, and all the power in the world. The only thing more powerful is the love and friendship between two young hobbits who take on this evil power.
Coming in second with relationships is between Gollum and the Ring. Think about it, Gollum spent more time with the Ring than anybody else, excluding its master Sauron. Gollum lived with this ring for 500 years. It literally poisoned his mind and turned him into a gangly creature that you can't help but pity. He is easily my favorite character with his complexity and how it isn't his fault that he is the way he is. He is obsessed with the ring and calls it his precious. Any fan of these movies knows what I'm talking about.
Over the span of three movies the audience gets their favorite characters and sees them develop. Gimli and Legolas didn't like each other at first because one was a dwarf and the other an elf. "I never thought I'd die side by side with an elf," Gimli says in the final battle. "How about side by side with a friend?" Legolas answers. These two against all odds became friends and were inseparable. You also see Merry and Pippin evolve into something I know I did not expect. In the first movie they were silly and naïve but in the second movie Merry begins to understand the dangers of the world and that it needs saving. Pippin matures a bit late but nevertheless they are two of my favorite characters.
These three movies are filled with incredible action scenes and special effects. From Hobbiton to Rivendell to Helms Deep and all the way to the Crack of Doom, every place in Middle-Earth comes to life. The designers of these sets and CGI went into extreme detail and any fan of the movie should check out the six discs of special features. You learn how Hobbiton was actually dug out in a hill in the ground in New Zealand. My favorite battle has to be the battle of Helms Deep. It was 10,000 Uruk-hai vs. around 500 men and elves fighting at a castle that has defended the country of Rohan for centuries. Aragorn falls into his place as a leader and he develops into the man he needs to be in the third movie.
These movies are made with incredible detail with every movie being made at once. Peter Jackson and his cast and crew spent 15 months in New Zealand and filmed this masterpiece. Costumes were made and WETA Workshop made all of the sets they needed and used miniatures and made the world of Middle-Earth come alive. Actors took the books and looked for details fans would look for from the books. The only real problem with these movies is that if you don't know the story you cannot really enjoy the full experience. I saw the first movie when I was really young and I had no idea what it was about and I had to see the movies many, many times before I knew what was going on. As soon as I did, I was hooked and now I know almost everything there is to know about these movies.
Overall, The Lord of the Rings is possibly the best trilogy ever made. The way the filmmakers dove into the world of Middle-Earth with such detail is commendable. This movie won so many awards, made a bunch of money, and it deserves everything it got. These are movie that need to be seen by anybody who even remotely likes the books and even if you don't, go in, pay attention, and join the experience. Lord of The Rings is my favorite movie, next to Titanic, and gets the WillyT Seal of Approval.