I'll reiterate from my review of the Two Towers how much I've enjoyed revisiting the Lord of the Rings world in both book and movie format.
In each area, there have been awesome nuances to catch, and "extended" bits to take note of in the differences and similarities between the two. If anything, this exercise has emphasized to me i) just how epic Tolkien's story was upon release and ii) how well these movies - particularly the extended editions - adapt his works.
Return of the King in particular felt like the Lord of the Rings I'd had the longest gap in revisiting. No particular reason really...and to be fair it had been years for all three films regardless, but there were so many "new" things I understood better in Return of the King in particular that re-cemented it's legacy in my eyes.
By now it should be no secret that I find this trilogy to be one of the best ever created. Both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers got perfect scores from me (spoiler: Return of the King won't be much different). Watching it now 20ish years later makes it all the more impressive because of how awesomely it has held up. In a day and age ruled by the MCU and it's expansive, enjoyable cast of characters, and shows like Stranger Things that feature more great characters in a classic good versus evil showdown, it's easy to see the far-reaching influence of Lord of the Rings, films and books. Return of the King was the endgame before Endgame, in other words.
I've already praised the series for pretty much everything it can be, so instead I'll focus on what Return of the King truly wrote in stone for me about this series.
The Cast - Abundantly clear in each film, but completely deemed one of the "best ever" in Return of the King. Every character is portrayed by the perfect selection of actor/actress. Even side characters (Arwen, Faramir, etc.) are chosen well, but specifically our core cast is full of instances where you could never think of another person in the role. Does anyone BUT Viggo Mortensen become the long-lost king, Aragorn? Could anyone BUT Ian McKellen be the stoic Gandalf the White we needed? Or Elijah Wood and Sean Astin as Frodo and Sam? To me, the answer is that no one could have done it better.
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| Right out of Tolkien's imagination |
The Original Score - By now you all know that I'm a sucker for an original score. I'm not sure there's a single movie in my Top 10 that features a weak/average one. Lord of the Rings' score by Howard Shore is nothing short of brilliant, especially in Return of the King. There's so many additional nuances here, particularly near the end and during truly epic moments that are subtle, but elevate the hell out of the film. Perfect example: when Gollum and the Ring are falling into the fires of Mount Doom, instead of some triumphant blasts, were met with a final strained, eerie tone to match Sauron's unprecedented evil nature. It's something you may hardly notice, but I found it unnerving and highly effective this rewatch and there's lots of other little moments like it.
The Story & Direction - Sure, it feels like it takes 45 minutes to wrap up the goodbyes (it's actually only ~20 minutes, even in the extended edition) but otherwise this story is, as my wife pointed out, "Just about friendship". She's right! The Lord of the Rings, and especially Return of the King is about being there for your friends when they need you most. The camaraderie throughout is contagious, whether it's Frodo and Sam and their trials and tribulations, Aragorn and Gandalf and Co. facing almost certain demise, or Gimli and Legolas stating that each would be happy to die alongside a friend. It makes the ending reunions that much sweeter, and the ending departures that much sadder, all while epically wrapping up a huge story in a satisfying way. Game of Thrones only wishes it could have been as successful in conclusion as this.
Aside from those three things - which encapsulate a lot - there's plenty of continued praise for many other elements. The special effects, which are the best of the three, hold up really well. Pacing is spot on, even in the extended edition, and there are so many collections of scenes that burn into your mind (Pippin singing while Gondor soldiers ride to Osgiliath, anyone?) it's almost unbelievable. The battles are epic and feature fun combat bits (though I do think Helm's Deep maybe features more "Woah COOL!" choreography/action beats). And the cinematography of the New Zealand landscape remains iconic and drool-worthy.
What else is there to say about this timeless trilogy? Much like the book it's based upon, it will stand the tests of time, easily, and it's already proving that with 2 decades under its belt. There's a reason it won an enormous amount of Academy Awards and box office success: it was impossible to deny the fact that we (critics and general audiences alike) were witnessing greatness. Revisiting it, especially with my wife experiencing it for the first time, was almost as memorable as the first time I saw them in theaters and I can't wait to do it again several years down the line.
CONS
- Handful of special effects haven't aged well
- "Epilogue" feels long
- Tons of scenes that didn't make it to the theatrical version that should have (e.g. Mouth of Sauron)
- The epic conclusion to a timeless good vs. evil story about friendship
- Plethora of scenes that engrain themselves in your memory...designed with thoughtfulness and care
- What a cast! Simply perfect in every way
- Original score is one of the most fitting ever created for a series and this film in particular has the best one yet
- Incredible direction of the source material to make a film that enthralls, tugs at the heartstrings, inspires, and wows
- Impressive special effects, even by today's standards. Many practical effects where possible
- Striking cinematography and once again the New Zealand landscape is a sight to behold
- Equal measures entertaining and art; this is one of the best "third acts" of all time
Retro Rath's Review Score |
10/10 - Instant Classic
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