During my senior year of high school, my best friend and I were
sent to the dean’s office for “abusing school property.” Rather
than utilize the school’s Internet connection to further our
education, we chose to download illicit materials for our own
benefit. The material in question was the trailer for The
Fellowship of the Rings, and that teasing glimpse into Peter
Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy was worth every minute
of the detention that swiftly followed its viewing.

Through an era of cookie-cutter, subpar sequels and
“re-imaginings” of earlier films, The Lord of the Rings
films surpassed even the loftiest expectations. Like the wizard
Gandalf, director Peter Jackson was responsible for leading his
vision to fruition against the real-life evil Eye of penny-pinching
studio execs and literary purists fearing the slightest alteration
of Tolkien’s text.

But Frodo finished his quest, Aragorn became King of Men, and
Jackson’s final film may become Lord of the Oscars this year.
Drawing from its predecessors, Return of the King is one of
the greatest films ever made and a testament to the power of
cinema. Films like this are the reason we go to the movies.

Action fans, eager for more of the trilogy’s incredible fight
scenes, were left shell-shocked after the Battle of Pelennor
Fields. The buildup to this epic battle, complete with King
Theoden’s rousing speech, created an almost palpable surge of
testosterone in the docile theater environment. Normally reserved
women were compelled to unleash their inner feminist and shout at
the screen when Eowyn removed her helmet, asserted her womanhood
and struck down the fearsome Witch King. Jackson’s direction is
flawless in these moments–not merely suspending, but shattering
disbelief.

Return of the King will join the pantheon of revered
classics not only for its grandeur, but for capturing the intimate
ties of friendship expressed in Tolkien’s novels. The scene where
Faramir rides to certain death while his father orders Pippin to
sing, as he savagely consumes his dinner is powerfully haunting.
Jackson cuts between shots of Denethor gnashing food in his teeth
and Faramir’s ill-fated attempt to earn his father’s love. Pippin’s
voice haunts the montage, giving the scene a dreamlike quality
almost exclusively found in independent cinema.

Sean Astin, in particular, steals this movie. His portrayal of
Frodo’s faithful companion Samwise reaches critical mass in
Return of the King. Sam’s role increased substantially in
the third film, and Astin rose to the challenge of capturing all
the intricacies of his character. He achieves complete audience
empathy when staggering down Gollum’s secret staircase after being
rejected by his beloved Frodo. He never abandons his friend and
eventually carries him up Mount Doom in a scene that will almost
certainly become iconic to future film buffs.

Sam’s goodness contrasts even more sharply with the sinister
Gollum in Return of the King. Despite all the action within
The Two Towers, Jackson begins King with the tranquility of
Smeagol (Andy Serkis) and his brother Deagol fishing in the woods.
When Deagol unearths the One Ring, Smeagol’s fate is sealed. He
brutally murders his brother for his “precious” and slowly devolves
into the ghastly Gollum currently walking Middle-earth.

This riveting scene approaches Shakespearean magnitude in its
tragedy. Sympathy immediately drops for the dastardly lovable
Gollum from The Two Towers, and the character’s darker
machinations are laid bare for the audience to see. Gollum is the
antithesis of Sam’s decency, and Astin’s performance is made even
better by Gollum’s villainy.

Return of the King gloriously concludes what may be the
greatest cinematic accomplishment of our generation. Hundreds of
movies are released each year, and a select few become blockbusters
just waiting to be added to the home-video aficionado’s collection.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the rarest of all; it has
become more than the sum of its parts and become permanently
embedded in our culture’s memory. Return of the King is the
crown jewel of Jackson’s achievement.

Hail to the king.