THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY (2001-2003)

This is the greatest trilogy since the release of the original Star Wars films. In many respects, this series of films surpasses Star Wars and all other sci fi/fantasy films. Guided by Peter Jackson and adapted for the screen by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Jackson himself, these three films are awesome in their scope and mastery. These films hearken back to the great epics of earlier generations, and fill the screen with their full stories and their massiveness. Like Star Wars, this trilogy offers a completely believable universe far different than our own. The ingenious design work, to the memorable score, to the signature cinematography all work in unison to present a complete world for us to enjoy. The screenwriters were forced to carve up the original books by J.R.R. Tolkien in order to shoehorn them into a bearable running time. While the flavor of the wandering narration of the books is lost on these pieces, Jackson makes up for this handicap by serving up a brutish adaptation that concentrates on the more dramatic elements. Each film pumps up the more violent elements and downplays the internal struggles. This is a visual medium after all. Don’t let this fool you, the characters are each wonderfully sketched and realized by the actors who portray them. With the exception of a lack of chemistry between two actors (I’ll get into that later,) this may be one of the greatest casts ever assembled. Check out this cast list: Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Elijah Wood, Alan Howard, Christopher Lee, Karl Urban, John Rhys-Davies and Liv Tyler That is how you cast a movie. Many of these actors are now familiar names because of these films. While Ian McKellen stands out from the group as Gandalf, the remaining cast is still stronger than most other films in recent memory. Each actor brings the appropriate level to his or her part. No one overacts, no one vanishes into the scenery. Jackson deserves credit not only for managing the effects heavy production, but also balancing his actor’s performances so masterfully. Let’s take a look at these great works that made being a hobbit look like it wasn’t half bad. LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001) It is hard to think of a film that more confidently establishes its vision than this first installment of the trilogy. This piece delivers the audience a wholly realized world from the first frames. Granted, Peter Jackson filmed all of his films together and this assisted in getting the entire series a cohesive blend. What strikes me most about this film, is the visionary design, and the immediacy in which it has melded into our culture. Obviously, this series is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic trilogy. The stories follow a tiny hobbit by the name of Frodo as he travels through the underbelly of Middle Earth to cast the ancient Ring of Power into the boiling innards of the Cracks of Doom. Frodo and the other members of the fellowship are forced into action against one of fiction’s darkest evil characters, the bodiless necromancer Sauron. Every aspect of the film is delightful and awe inspiring in its execution. Jackson masterfully uses the latest in special effects and computer generated images to bring the world of Middle Earth to life. Unlike other FX laden pictures, Jackson (for the most part) refrains from overusing the tools at his command. The special effects are used to heighten the story and to deepen the narrative. As an example, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and the other hobbits are shown with the appropriate diminutive stature thanks to these special effects. Frodo hops onto the old wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and is shown to be half the wizard’s size. It is a brief image and is laden with computer imagery but doesn’t distract. It also sets up the themes of the smallest people in the world making the biggest difference. It is small things like this that make the film so brilliant. The only dim part of the film (and have residual effects in the later pieces) is the complete lack of chemistry between actors Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler. Where Jackson is able to work miracles in his pacing and turning of a phrase, he can do nothing to make Aragorn and Arwen (Mortensen and Tyler) interesting. The two fawn over one another and speak in rambling dialog that is supposed to express their love. The leaden scenes between these two actors work in a functionary fashion but never see the spark of life available in the rest of the film. To look at all of the three pieces, this is the weakest. This is not due to anything beyond the fact that it is the establishing production and much of the film is consumed by setting up the conflicts and themes that will be played out in the other two films. However, I do not wish to understate how brilliant this film is. Each of the three films are masterworks in and of themselves. From the technical aspects, to the script, to the acting, this film is a marvel to behold. LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2002) The second act of The Lord of The Rings Trilogy builds upon the ground broken in the first film of the series. The first film enjoyed some lightness and a breezy pace but had an undercurrent of darker days approaching. With the fellowship of the ring broken, this film sees the characters into the promised dark age. Taking a bleaker view than the original stories by author J.R.R. Tolkien, director Peter Jackson turns this episode into a more violent and war based epic. To do this, Jackson downplays the hobbits and focuses the story on humans such as future king Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen.) Where the first film dealt directly with Frodo and Sam, they are now afterthoughts living in the Aragorn’s shadow. This is not to say the hobbits are completely out of the picture, they simply have a different function. Sam and Frodo, while they are no longer the focus of the franchise, are not completely forgotten. The two are assaulted and then are joined by a strange creature by the name of Gollum. Gollum is a slave of the Ring of Power and will do whatever he can to get it, even if that means serving the ring’s current master (Frodo.) The story line of these three is mostly consumed with building character dynamics. Will Gollum kill the hobbits? Will Frodo’s declining sanity make him split from Sam’s companionship? All of this character building is critical to the final film but is not interesting compared to the other story lines. This is why the hobbits seem to drift into the background in this piece. The forces of good and evil rise to do battle and humans are pitted against the seething minions of the evil wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee.) The conflicts caused by the intrusion of Sauron’s vicious worldview are coming to a head and everyone in the story is feeling the pinch. The story meanders between a number of elements, from Frodo and Sam coping with a plotting Gollum, to Aragon trying desperately to get the good people of Middle Earth to unite against a common enemy. With this film we come to realize the huge vision Jackson has for the trilogy. Yes, the first film was a big production, but it was just the beginning, as the film continues onward it continues to grow in size. In a lesser film, the huge themes and intertwining story lines would be too much. Jackson manages to keep the film moving at a brisk pace while not confusing his plots. Each piece is firmly balanced against the others and the film as a whole retains its logic and pacing. This is quite a feat given the massive scope of the piece. Overall, this is a huge step up from the original film. Unburdened by introductions, the characters and action are more presumptive and free. The interactions between the characters deepen and personalities begin to flourish. Jackson and company take many breaks from the action to allow the characters to catch their breath and simply be themselves. Wherein the first installment introduced these people to the audience, this film takes care to establish who they are in our minds. With the hammering pace of the final film, these moments of character development are vital. LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003) In my humble opinion, this is one of the best films made in the last thirty years. It is perhaps not in the top ten, but darn close. Like a dam finally breaking wide, this film explodes with building tension and conflicts that have been swirling since the opening scenes of the first film. Until the massive battle sequences in the third act, this film is a study in pacing a film. The ebb and flow of war, waiting for war and dealing with the aftermath of war greatly informs this piece. Each of the story lines is weighty enough to be a film on their own. Jackson’s ability at pacing his film so expertly but to also keep it sensible is an amazing feat. As the forces of good and evil rally and the tides of war rise the film takes on a truly epic feel. The sense of history is at play in this film. Perhaps it is the massive scope that gives gravity to the work. It is hard to see the visual of thousands of soldiers marching charging the gates of a city and not have a sense of awe. The final battle at Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, is breathtakingly massive in scale and the clash of two great armies threatens to overtake the film. In contrast, the film also deals seriously with the conflicts of individuals. From dealing with such troubles as mourning and grief to paranoia and loyalty this story is still rich in character even though we see thousands of people on screen. The attention to the individual appropriately resides mostly in the storyline of Frodo, Sam and Gollum. As the three struggle towards the Crack of Doom Gollum begins to show his real self (sort of.) Gollum is actually Smeagol. Smeagol was once a happy guy who happened across the Ring of Power one day and quickly became its slave. Through his obsession with the ring, he turned into the wretched creature Gollum. The internal conflict between Gollum and Smeagol is fascinating to watch and gives the film’s some of its strongest moments. These moments are not just the product of quality special effects but of acting. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have spent great effort in bringing audiences the latest in special effects. We have seen lifelike computer generated characters and creatures for some time now. Peter Jackson and actor Andy Serkis through Gollum have taken it to the next level and have given us a computer-generated creature that deserves an Oscar. One side note. Shelob, the giant spider that makes her appearance in this film still freaks me out. As an arachnophobe, I have to give Peter Jackson and his team credit for creating a series of events that encapsulates every possible horror someone who fears spiders can possibly see. Shelob is so realistic it makes one worry that the darn things can actually get that big. This is a great film that delivers on the promises of the first two installments. The only serious flaw of the piece is a fumbled ending that seems to go on for ten minutes too long. The audience is left breathless after the incredible assault on Minas Tirith and instead of wrapping everything up, Jackson rambles for just a few moments too long. Not unlike this review. To sum up, if you haven’t had the opportunity, you MUST see this and the other two Lord of The Rings film. My suggestion is to get your hands on the extended DVD versions, find a large HDTV, some beverages, and settle in for great cinema. To put it plainly, it is my opinion that The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is the reason cinema was created.