Peter Jackson’s masterful and timeless Lord of the Rings trilogy represents a cinematic feat that will not easily be matched. At once, these films are able to be both unfathomably expansive and heartwarmingly personal. The story that they tell is among the most ambitious to ever be filmed, yet it is surprisingly straightforward. The characters all have simple goals, but the roads they have chosen are filled with hardship. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an incredible tale of enduring courage, friendship and strength in the face of the darkest evil imaginable.
It has been almost eleven years since the theatrical release of The Fellowship of the Ring and the scope of this trilogy remains unsurpassed. When you look at the battlefield for the siege on Minas Tirith in The Return of the King, it’s impossible to not be impressed by the magnitude of Jackson’s vision. Throughout, we’re presented with towering architecture, huge armies and all manner of fantastical beasts. When it comes to ambition at the movies, The Lord of the Rings is still an achievement of very high proportions.
With that said, though, where these films succeed most is on an emotional level. The audience becomes deeply invested in the relationships and friendships of the characters, willing them to have the strength to complete the most difficult tasks. This is especially true of the friendship of Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin), but also applies to so many others.
The performances on display across all three films are excellent, with every member of the main cast bringing their characters to life vividly; Wood, Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis are notably deserving of the highest praise. Those in the smaller roles should be recognised too, and the likes of Miranda Otto, David Wenham, John Noble, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan and Cate Blanchett are just some of the actors who succeed in making their characters stand out within a cast of this much depth.
Each film in the Blu-ray box set is spread over two discs, and the total running time clocks in at just under eleven hours. Every aspect of the movies looks spectacular in high-definition, the clarity of the stunning New Zealand scenery and the rich visual effects alone make this set worth investing in. It’s not just the visuals that delight, though, the audio is brilliant and Howard Shore’s beautiful score really completes the experience.
Some may wonder how much is gained with the extended editions and whether everything included is of value. For those who have read J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels, these editions feel more faithful. For any viewer, though, the added context of the extra scenes helps build connections to the characters’ stories and makes the final impact all that more effective. Whether it’s spending more time with Frodo and Sam, giving supporting characters like Faramir and Eowyn enough screentime or the chilling presence of the Mouth of Sauron, all of the additional material is valuable. The films don’t drag, the extended editions simply bring more detail to Middle Earth.
Many have called this the greatest trilogy ever, and it’s a hard claim to challenge. Sure, the films aren’t without their issues, but those are much too minor to be worrying about. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of very few film series that can be deservedly called epic, and it creates a fascinating world that is full of memorable characters. The huge scale is kept under control by anchoring the action in emotion that resonates and these are films that really do stand the test of time.
Released on Blu-ray on Monday 3 December 2012 by Entertainment in Video.
Watch the trailer for The Hobbit…
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING and the Names of the Characters, Events and Places Therein Are Trademarks of the Saul Zaentz Company
d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises (“SZC”) Under License to New Line Productions, Inc. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring © 2001, 2012 New Line
Productions, Inc. Package Design & Supplementary Material Compilation © 2012 New Line Productions, Inc. Distributed by Entertainment In Video. All rights reserved.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS and the Names of the Characters, Events and Places Therein Are Trademarks of the Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth
Enterprises (“SZC”) Under License to New Line Productions, Inc. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers © 2002, 2012 New Line Productions, Inc. Package Design &
Supplementary Material Compilation © 2012 New Line Productions, Inc. Distributed by Entertainment In Video. All rights reserved.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING and the Names of the Characters, Events and Places Therein Are Trademarks of the Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a
Middle-earth Enterprises (“SZC”) Under License to New Line Productions, Inc. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King © 2003, 2012 New Line Productions, Inc. Package
Design & Supplementary Material Compilation © 2012 New Line Productions, Inc. Distributed by Entertainment In Video. All rights reserved.