The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The final film of the Lord of the Rings trilogy brings a satisfying and enjoyable conclusion that not only preserves the achievements of the previous films but also fulfills the saying, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” The plot follows the last, often difficult and tragic effort of the Fellowship of the Ring to protect Middle-earth and defeat the forces of evil that have risen against it. Jackson directs this chapter with momentum and virtuosity surpassing that of the previous two installments, skillfully blending the intimate with the spectacular, and the human with the fantastic. The way Jackson harnesses the latest cinematic techniques alongside the mythological dimension he imparts to this cinematic adventure reminded more than one critic of the silent film golden age classics like Metropolis or Faust. Jackson refrains from giving his work the social dimension that gave those classics their iconic status, but this does not diminish the achievement in the slightest, as The Lord of the Rings is a significant and groundbreaking event in film history. It was the big Oscar winner of 2003.