The Lord of the Films - Oops...I Mean, "Rings"

I still remember the final week of mid-term exams when I was in high school. It's still etched vividly into my mind because while I should have been studying rigorously for exams, I was instead day-dreaming about what The Return of the King, the final installment of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, would look like on the big screen.

The film was to hit cinemas on December 17, 2003, which was a Wednesday. Needless to say, because my brother and I were still in school taking exams, our parents did not allow us to go to the theaters until the weekend. Was the wait worth it? You betcha!

Everything about The Return of the King was flawless. From the grand visual effects to the sweeping musical scores to the magnificent acting, the final edition of the Ring's trilogy is truly a must see for anyone, even after six years since its original release in theaters!

In case you are not familiar with The Lord of the Rings, the story follows the hobbit (a short mythical creature) named Frodo and his journey to destroy the Ring of Power, which was forged by the Dark Lord Sauron. Sauron, however, will do anything to get the Ring of Power back into his hands, because with it he can enslave the world. So the series follows Frodo's journey to Mount Doom, the one place where the Ring can be destroyed. But deceit and deception are everywhere, and Frodo has to be careful in whom he places his trust. As battles are waged over possession of the Ring, Frodo must fight the temptation to take the Ring for himself as he embarks to destroy it.

For anyone who is even remotely interested in watching The Return of the King, I highly suggest that you begin with the first two films: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Without understanding the characters and places established in the first two films, it would be nearly impossible for anyone without any knowledge of Middle Earth to follow the finale.

The director Peter Jackson certainly out-does himself on this final film. The massive battle scenes will appeal to those thirsty for action while the subdued and emotional scenes will appeal to those craving drama. How was Peter Jackson able to take the time to appeal to different audiences? Well, let's just say that he wasn't worried about a time limit. After all, the extended version of The Return of the King runs a little over four hours long.

Within the four hours Jackson does a great job of staying true to the books by J.R.R. Tolkein. The visual effects that surround the grand battles are mind-boggling. Seeing hundreds of thousands of Orcs storm Minas Tirith, the largest city in Middle Earth, on the big screen is much better than what I imagined while I read the books.

The theme of redemption is amplified in this film, and Jackson does a great job of making this theme relate to the audience. He takes the heroes of Middle Earth and makes them seem much more human so that we can relate to them. For instance, Jackson shows Frodos intricate struggles as he tries to destroy the Ring of Power, and we are reminded how weak and fragile we are.

The mournful love story is shown through Arwen's character, and it is a storyline that many lovers can empathize with. Even as Sauron wages war against Middle Earth, Arwen still longs for Aragorn, who is destined to take the throne of Mankind. Aragorn, however, must chose whether or not he loves Arwen in return or whether he loves Eowyn, another woman who loves him, instead.

Ultimately, The Return of the King is a perfect balance of creativity, action, and drama. Peter Jackson and his team have down a marvelous job of bringing a close to Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Very few films can mix these elements together in an artistic way and still make it entertaining for mass audiences. It will certainly be considered a classic many years from now, which certainly validates what I like to call it: "The Lord of the Films."

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King can be purchased online at Amazon, Ebay, and Barnes and Noble for various and competitive prices.

Please note that there are two versions of the film for sale. There is the theatrical version, which is the version released in theatres, and there is the extended edition, which has many never before scenes of the film!