Okay. Full transparency, this is probably one of my favorite films of all time. That said, be warned—this will be a very complimentary Reel Report—mostly because I genuinely don’t think there’s much, if anything, to complain about when it comes to this film series.
The only challenge for me is to find a place to start.
The most obvious compliment to this film has to go to the director of the entire trilogy, Peter Jackson. Adapting a series as iconic and beloved as J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” was an undertaking that few had ever dared to attempt before, especially at the scale that Jackson was envisioning. Jackson accomplished an impossible feat, forming a narrative so beautiful and compelling that it had audiences begging for more—even when the initial theatrical release was already just shy of three hours (by the way, yes. The Extended Editions are the only right way to fully experience these movies).
That said, this film and the two that followed would not have been possible without the perfect cast and crew. With actors like Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellan, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen and even Orlando Bloom—not to mention, quite literally countless others—willing to spend months on end filming in New Zealand, based on nothing more than the hope that three back-to-back epic hours–long films, they had no promise that what they were doing would achieve the success it did eventually manage. Even so, every single performer gave a career–defining performance. Wood’s slow descent into fear and exhaustion, Astin’s endearing hope and persistent faith and Mortensen’s gentleness and simultaneous strength uphold the cores of this film in particular, creating the primary tentpoles that would become the support beams of the entire film franchise. And while they may be the standouts, there is not a single performance—from Cate Blanchett’s brief but haunting appearance as Lady Galadriel to Sean Bean’s portrayal of Boromir’s iconic fall from grace and immediate repentance—that falls even remotely flat. Every moment is sold effortlessly, and every single relationship feels tangible and pulls at your heartstrings, from as early as the moment Samwise Gamgee goes further from home than he’s ever been.
The cinematography, by the masterful Andrew Lesnie, is another aspect of this film that has made it singular in its impact on the film industry. Sweeping wide shots of the New Zealand countryside make Middle Earth come to life, but even those are contrasted by close-ups of the characters in order to capture even the most minute expressions. Lesnie somehow captured the mythic nature of the world Tolkien created, and did it by utilizing every tool at his disposal. This is truly one of those films where every frame feels like a painting you would see in a museum, and I can’t help but love how unafraid they were to add those incredible wide shots for whole tens of seconds–even if they did bolster the already–insane runtime.
My next nod has to go to the one and only Howard Shore, for the composition of one of the best scores of the 21st century. From the lighthearted brilliance of “Concerning Hobbits” to the haunting devastation of “Lament for Gandalf,” Shore builds a score to match and distill the already-powerful emotions laced throughout this iconic narrative.
This will always be one of my favorite trilogies of all time, and while “Return of the King” may be the better film according to critics, this movie in particular will always hold a special place in my heart. There’s something so incredibly nostalgic about it, which is probably why I felt compelled to give it a rewatch with the encroaching holiday season. The rich greens and oranges that pervade every shot just exude the chill in the air that comes with autumn, and I will forever be more than happy to turn this on, even just to have it playing in the background.
