No. 5c - LOTR: The Return of the King (2002)

The Eye Of The Enemy Is Moving

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance-age 13) for battle sequences and scary scenes

Director: Peter Jackson; Screenplay: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, from the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

Starring: Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, Karl Urban, Bernard Hill

Movie Introduction: The Academy Award-winning conclusion to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy based on the timeless J.R.R. Tolkien classic presents the final confrontation between the forces of good and evil battling for control of the future of Middle-earth. Hobbits Frodo and Sam reach Mordor in their quest to destroy the Ring, while Aragorn and Galdalf lead the forces of good against Sauron's evil army at the white stone city of Minas Tirith.

Defining Moment: Old Shelob

On their difficult journey to Mordor, Frodo loses trust in Sam and sends him home. Sam is crushed. Frodo, and the devious Golem, press onward. When Golem directs Frodo into a deep cave, the hobbit is captured by the giant she-spider Shelob. She stings Frodo, then begins the grisly task of wrapping his body in a strong, sticky web, to save him as a meal for later. Frodo's fate appears to be finally sealed. 

Suddenly, Sam emerges from the shadows, brandishing his blade and the shimmering Phial of Galadriel! Yahoo! Its brightness initially drives the retched creature back, but the spider slaps the phial out of Sam's hand. The giant pins Sam to the ground and stabs at him with her dripping abdominal stinger. Can the brave little hobbit defeat this angry arachnid twenty-times his size?

Something subtle you might have missed:  nature vs. the unnatural (part 3)

In this final film, nature vs. the unnatural plays a critical role. Shelob, the spider, is certainly unnatural as far as spiders go. Also, during the film's final battle on the plains near Minas Tirith, all appears lost as the army of evil-born orcs and dark undead wraiths slaughter the over-matched human soldiers. Then, as if summoned, the eagles appear and lend just enough help to turn the tide. Nature again prevails.

Tolkien's hobbits, in my opinion, are the manifestation of the natural world.  They're are small, have furry feet, and live in houses within the earth. Their homes reside within the green, beautiful gardens of the Shire. However, these intelligent creatures also represent a connection between nature and man. Hobbits are mankind’s first cousins. They share man’s appearance, feelings, strengths and weaknesses. Yet they are the best of both humanity and nature. In this story, it will take the combined efforts of hobbits and men. How deep is that? 

Memorable Quotes:

"A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day. This day we fight!" - Aragon

"Courage, Merry, courage for our friends." - Eowyn

"... we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves." - Aragon

Dad's Review:

Return of the King is the final chapter in the amazing Lord of the Rings fantasy trilogy. It does not disappoint.

The story begins with Golem's origin, when he was a hobbit named Sméagol. He and his cousin are fishing, and they stumble upon the One Ring. Overcome with incredible greed, Sméagol kills his relative, and takes the powerful trinket. His obsession causes him to retreat into the Misty Mountains. There deep in the caves beneath the earth, it corrupts him over many, many years. His hair withers away, his skin turns leathery, he becomes the vile creature, Golem.

From there the story resumes with Frodo, Sam, and Golem, as they continue their exhausting trek towards Mordor and Mount Doom. The other Fellowship members are reunited after the Battle of Helm's Deep. They learn that Sauron plans to destroy Gondor's capital city Minas Tirith.

They must find a way to amass an army strong enough to defeat Sauron's Orc army. Aragon, with Legolas and Gimli in tow, is compelled follow the Paths of the Dead, deep into the mountain, where it is rumored that an army of cursed ghost men await the opportunity to regain their honor.

And at last the film leads us to the last great battle on the plains near Minas Tirith. This entire segment is breathtaking, as the human army sets themselves against the unholy foes under Sauron's evil control. It all comes down to this battle. 

This final film won the Oscar for Best Picture, but is on equal standing with any of the three movies in this trilogy. They are all fantastic. By the end, any viewer should be exhausted, and as the credits roll, you should be in tears.

I offer an enthusiastic and grateful "Thank you" to Peter Jackson, the director! Thanks for creating this world on film, and for doing the wonderful story justice!

Onto No. 6...Marauders of the Missing Sarcophagus