Long Live the King!
The Lord of the Rings is a Perfect Trilogy

As if anyone interested in this film has not heard yet, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is perfect. Those closest to me say I am given to hyperbole and tend to overrate the films that spark that "geek gland" in my brain. Hence, I have (in the past) been accused of giving extraordinarily high marks to science fiction and fantasy films that may not have deserved them. Let me assure you, my reaction to The Return of the King (and to all The Lord of the Rings films in general) is not exaggeration.

The Return of the King picks up where The Two Towers ended, with the fallout of the battle of Helm's Deep and a decision that needs to be made regarding the rising evil of Mordor. As Gandalf (Ian McKellen) races to Gondor to warn them of Sauron's forces, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) helps King Theoden (Bernard Hill) assemble an army from Rohan to help defend Gondor. Meanwhile, on the doorstep of Mordor, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) are following Smeagol/Gollum (voiced by Andy Serkis) on a treacherous journey toward Mt. Doom to destroy the One Ring. Arwen (Liv Tyler) also makes an appearance, choosing not to go with the Elves who are leaving Middle-Earth. Instead, she returns to her father -- Elrond (Hugo Weaving), the king of the Elves -- and convinces him to reforge the sword of kings so Aragorn can make his rightful claim to the throne.

Epic in scope, the story follows the drama as Aragorn struggles to accept his destiny as the final bloodline of Isildur. He is conflicted, because to accept his heritage is also to accept his lineage's curse, linking him to the fate of the One Ring. As a war epic, it is a vision without compare. Visually, it seemed impossible to outdo the sheer scope of the battle of Helm's Deep in The Two Towers. The battle for Minas Tirith, however, is unbelievably bigger. With hoards of Orcs, Uri-kai, Goblins, Trolls, and Olephants, the battle that rages against the kingly city is stunning. The waves of creatures and Men crashing against one another is mind-boggling. But it is also a personal story of friendship and loyalty as Frodo and Sam march ever closer to Mt. Doom and Smeagol tries to come between them.

The Return of the King is not merely a worthy successor to the previous films. It exceeds all expectations by being bigger, bolder, and better than one could dare hope. To say the film "brought the novel to life" is cliché, but very appropriate. Seeing the battles on screen made real some of the most enduring passages of the book, from the Witch-King of the Nazgul to the Army of the Dead. Those who wondered what Minas Tirith should look like or how Shelob looked when attacking Frodo have only to look at the fantastic graphics supplied by director Peter Jackson and his Weta special effects team.

Like all the films in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, there was one scene in The Return of the King that I wanted desperately to see. I wanted to see how my vision from J.R.R. Tolkien's book stacked up to Jackson's vision. For me, that scene was the battle between the Nazgul Witch-King and the warrior of Rohan who steps forward to defend King Theoden. I am pleased to say that seeing that moment on the big screen gave me chills because it was everything I wanted it to be.

Jackson has created a masterful work that should finally garner him the recognition he so richly deserves. After being snubbed by the Academy Awards and not even receiving a nomination in the "Best Director" category last year for The Two Towers, The Return of the King should both vindicate and validate him. His third film deserves both a "Best Picture" and "Best Director" win. (If I had anything to say about it, he would also receive an Oscar in special recognition of this amazing trilogy.)

Jackson has not merely created a single great film. The Lord of the Rings is the first perfect trilogy. The three films are perfect because 1) each of the films is superior in dramatic and visual content, 2) the series has reached a mass audience, and 3) it is a filmmaking achievement on a scale never before accomplished.

Tolkien purists may argue that too much was left out, despite the running time of over three hours. Truth be told, Jackson was judicious about what he cut and what he left in. From the beginning flashback of one character's origin to the final, tearful farewell, The Return of the King is wonderful to behold. I could imagine nothing better, except (of course) for the extended version on DVD.

MY RATING: 10 out of 10.

RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 201 min.