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The Lord of the Rings: The
Return of the King
Release Date: December 17,
2003
Studio: New Line Cinema
Director: Peter Jackson
Screenwriter: Peter Jackson, Frances Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen
Sinclair
Starring: Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Orlando
Bloom, Kevin Conway, Hugo Weaving, Brad Dourif, Marton Csokas, Bernard Hill, Sir
Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies,
John Noble, Liv Tyler, Karl Urban, Cate Blanchett, David Wenham, Miranda Otto
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense epic battle sequences and frightening
images)
Official Website: LordoftheRings.net
Plot
Summary: Sauron's forces have laid siege to Minas Tirith, the capital
of Gondor, in their efforts to eliminate the race of men. The
once-great kingdom, watched over by a fading steward, has never been in more
desperate need of its king. But can Aragorn (Mortensen) answer the call of his
heritage and become what he was born to be? In no small measure, the fate of
Middle-earth rests on his broad shoulders. With the final battle joined and the
legions of darkness gathering, Gandalf (McKellen) urgently tries to rally
Gondor's broken army to action. He is aided by Rohan's King Theoden (Hill), who
unites his warriors for history's biggest test. Yet even with their courage and
passionate loyalty, the forces of men--with Eowyn (Otto) and Merry (Monaghan)
hidden among them--are no match for the enemies swarming against Gondor. Still,
in the face of great losses, they charge forward into the battle of their
lifetimes, tied together by their singular goal to keep Sauron distracted and
give the Ring Bearer a chance to complete his quest. Their hopes rest with Frodo
(Wood), a tiny but determined hobbit making a perilous trip across treacherous
enemy lands to cast the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. The closer Frodo
gets to his final destination, the heavier his burden becomes and the more he
must rely on Samwise Gamgee (Astin). Gollum-and the Ring itself-will test
Frodo's allegiances and, ultimately, his humanity. "The Lord of the Rings:
The Return of the King" concludes the epic story of these characters, their
relationships and rivalries, and reveals how through courage, commitment and
determination even the least of us can change the world.
Reviewed by Peter Veugelaers ©
2003
- Words escape me ... ecstasy
When excitement around the filming of The Lord of the
Rings was in full swing in the late 90s, there was a resurgence of interest
in J.R.R Tolkien’s novel. I decided to buy a second-hand copy. I read The
Fellowship of the Ring, but then thought I would wait and see the movies,
preferring the cinematic experience. I watched The Two Towers and The
Return of the King without the images from the novel running around in my
head. What I found in viewing was a solid piece of well-crafted story telling
that engages as well as it titillates with its spectacle, credit to
co-writer/director Peter Jackson for producing a good old fashioned epic in a
time of less grandiose films.
In The Return of the King Gollum (Andy Serkis)
continues his double-crossed mission to guide Frodo (Elijah Wood) to deliver and
destroy the ring in Mordor, but also desires to possess and lust after it, an
allurement that is brilliantly and tragically captured in the first five
minutes, and not only for its artistic achievement.
While Frodo and his travelling companion Sam Gamgee (Sean
Astin) look to forsake the ring their friends face brutal physical conflict in
the long battle of Minas Tirith, the focus of the action. The parallel
plot-lines are skilfully interwoven with surreal visual effects action, battle
sequences and intrigue, beautifully photographed by Andrew Lesnie’s camera.
Not just a complex character, Gollum is a masterful piece of
digital wizardry the gestures and mannerisms of the digitally enhanced Gollum
are perfectly articulated, conveying the subtleties and ambiguities spot-on, and
praise to Andy Serkis for creating the backbone of a lively characterisation.
The hordes of Orcs are depicted evocatively (they also get
some spectacular CGI shots and a new ground leader – the foreboding and
menacing Witch King). Evil is portrayed in simple unadulterated malice, quite
pathetic like Gollum. They are conformers with no motive but domination; they
are dogs merely living out of animal instinct, under the control of darkness,
giving no thought for goodness, day and night they blood lust for power. On the
opposing side are the forces of good that face out these adversaries always in a
position of obvious struggle (Gimli says during a tactical session about a
forthcoming plan of attack: "The chance of success is small. It can’t do
any harm".)
There is a large ensemble cast, impressively acted. Ian
McKellen as Gandalf conveys the sage confidence and wisdom of his character in
grand and royal stature; John Noble as Denethor is tragic in his role of a
disappointed father at the news of the death of his favourite son, Bromoir (Sean
Bean), and endures madness; Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn conveys the depth of his
responsibility as he journeys into becoming a king; Dominic Monaghan as Merry,
and his close companion Pippin (Billy Boyd) develop significantly and likeably
as humble heroes; and Miranda Otto develops from film two as she flexes the
feminine strength of a stout-hearted Eoywn.
The Lord of the Rings is a landmark production,
happens to be good for New Zealand, the place of the film’s origin, and is an
historical piece of film making, but this is also a kind of prophetic trilogy.
It reflects Biblical truths that came out of the story of history as recorded in
the Gospels and foreshadows the book of Revelations. In apocalyptic fashion, The
Return of the King predicts in mythology the great showdown at the end time
of history where evil will be fully extinguished and peace reigns, where this
fantasy story will foreshadow reality - the king of the film’s title
significantly parallels Christ’s kingship (Aragorn as an image of Christ was a
deliberate Tolkien touch).
This elimination of evil is the hope in the film, which is a
principle of the series, and motivates all the struggles in the interim, from
arduous journeys to forlorn intrigues and tactics gone asunder. It offers hope
for the audience in their lives and is maybe why they have taken to it because
it tells a compelling story about how the Truth that prevails will not die.
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