We come to it at last, the great battle of our time. My epic struggle against the twin terrors of writer's block and procrastination to finally get this entire trilogy reviewed.
While unquestionable a grand bit of epic filmmaking, The Return of the King is still the weakest film in Peter Jackson's original trilogy. Sure, it swept the Oscars, but I think we all know that was just delayed recognition for the entire trilogy. The only reason A Beautiful Mind and Chicago won is because the Academy didn't want to reward the same people three years in a row.
Even in its shorter theatrical form, this is still the longest film in the series. As I mentioned in my previous review, in order to get all of the events running parallel with each other, huge chunks of The Two Towers were saved for this film, and even then major scenes had to be saved for the extended edition like the final fate of Saruman. The film has also been heavily criticised for having too many endings. It continues on for another 45 minutes after the Ring is destroyed and Sauron defeated, which I don't really mind. The resolution of the plot doesn't automatically have to be the end of the story. The book goes on for another 80 pages after Mount Doom and because this film is so stuffed, very little of that made it into the finished film, not even the extended version. Personally, I do miss all the goodbyes with the other members of the Fellowship on the long ride back to the Shire.
The most notable omissions is the Scorching of the Shire, where the Hobbits all return home only to find that Saruman has taken over the Shire and enslaved its people. The final battle of the War of the Ring ends up being fought in the Shire of all places. I completely understand why it was cut. It would've just added another half hour to film, mucked up the pacing, and made most of the heroes' struggles feel kinda pointless. Plus, I really liked that these four hobbits go off on this incredible, life changing adventure, that determines the fate of the entire world, and then return home and nothing has changed for them. They're all back in the pub and no one there knows or cares what those four have done for them.
The centrepiece of the film is the Siege of Minas Tirith and the subsequent Battle of Pelennor Fields. One of my favourite scenes is Faramir's doomed charge against the Orcs while Pippin sings his song and Denathor graphically chows down on his meal. Just a beautifully done sequence, even if it's all tactically foolish (I get that Faramir is loyal, but would he really lead his men in such an obviously doomed attack?). The Siege portion is some of the best scenes of the entire trilogy and the Ride of the Rohirrim is stirring beyond belief, but after that things start to slip. Word has it they were working around the clock to finish the film right up to the premiere, and I can believe that. It isn't quite as polished as the previous films; the FX doesn't feel quite finished in some of sequences (such as the Army of the Dead joining the battle), and the green screen is a lot more obvious. It also suffers from having the exact same resolution as Helm's Deep with one of heroes showing up at the last minute with reinforcements to save the day.
I really prefer how the Army of the Dead was handled in the book. They were spookier and more ethereal, and not an actual fighting force. Aragorn used them to scare away the pirates so they abandoned their ships. He then rounds up the remains of Gondor's southern forces and uses those same ships to sail up river and join the battle. They are no use in battle which is why he doesn't keep them around to finish off Sauron for good. So his decision here to release them from their oaths before all the fighting is actually done makes him look like a bit of a idiot. He should've listened to Gimli and at least kept them around for the final battle.
Denathor (played to despicable perfection by John Noble) is a more villainous character than he was in the book as well as a more incompetent one who puts no effort into defending his realm. As with the previous films, this has been done to add more character conflict and make situation even more dire. It's up to Gandalf and Pippin (in a great sequence) to light the beacons and summon Gondor's allies to its aid, but only Rohan. There are no Knights of Dol Amroth or any other Gondorians in this movie, making it feel like a much smaller realm that just consists of the lands around Minas Tirith. We also don't get to meet or know anyone in the city, just Denathor and Faramir. We lose the common soldiers and their families that Merry befriends. It's understandable, the film is already stacked with characters, but I still find that disappointing.
I have very mixed feelings about Éowyn disguising herself as a warrior to join the battle and eventually slaying the Witch-King, proudly declaring that she is “no man”. It is pure “Girl Power" feminism, which on the surface seems very empowering, but can also come off as quite shallow and performative. I honestly don't think Tolkien himself was trying to make any great feminist statement with this moment, he just wanted the Witch-King to suffer an ironic fate. Éowyn's actions are marginally better here than they were framed in the book, where she's described as a wild shield maiden who goes off to war to die because Aragorn doesn't love her back, and is eventually tamed by her love for Faramir.
One of the things I really wish they'd done differently was not have Frodo fight Gollum for the Ring causing them both to fall over the edge and for the Ring to be destroyed. I've always really liked that Frodo is ultimately a failure. He made it all the way to Mount Doom only to succumb to the Ring at the last moment. Not because he was weak, carrying the Ring that far proved he was stronger than most, but because strength is not unlimited. He was resilient against the power of the Ring, but not immune. It chipped away at him piece by piece until he couldn't fight it any more. He lost, and the Ring was destroyed in spite of him, and that is never held against him. He isn't condemned or shunned for his failure. He did everything he could and although he stumbled at the last step, he's still to be admired and respected for all he did. Which is why I wish they hadn't made him at least inadvertently responsible for the Ring's destruction.
If Fellowship was Frodo's movie, and The Two Towers was Aragorn's, then I'd say that this film is Sam's. He is really is the true hero of this story, the purest personification of Tolkien's admiration for the common man (forged partially by his experience fighting with regular soldiers the First World War). In a story full of kings, princes, wizards, and great lords or ladies (even the other Hobbits are basically landed gentry), it is this salt of the earth gardener who brings about Sauron's final defeat. His strength and endurance, and unconditional love for Frodo, enables him to defeat a fucking giant spider, saves Frodo from the Orcs, and carries him the last leg of their journey despite being near death himself. It's no surprise then, despite the many other options available, that the filmmakers ultimately decided to end this series with him just as Tolkien did.
Myths and Legends
--Arwen dying as Sauron grows stronger is such a pointless attempt to make this conflict even more personal for Aragorn that it already is.
--Aragorn and Arwen are actually related, albeit very distantly. He's descended from Elrond's brother Elros, who chose to become mortal and founded the kingdom of Numenour.
--It was originally planned for Aragorn to fight Sauron himself during the Battle of the Black Gate. He was first going to appear in his original fair form and try to temp Aragorn with his infamous sexiness before turning into his black armour form. Scenes were shot before Jackson decided against it and replaced Sauron with a Cave Troll.
--Minas Morgul was built by the people of Gondor and was originally named Minas Ithil before it fell to the Nazgul.
--Sam and Rosie lived with Frodo in Bag-End and he left it to them and their family when he left Middle-Earth, but the film has them living in their own house.
--Frodo sending Sam away is a pointless bit of drama just to provide an excuse for them to be separated.
--Legolas says that the Dead Men of Dunharrow were cursed by Isildur, the last king of Gondor. While it was Isildur who cursed them, he was not the last king of Gondor. Settle in, everyone. It's time for Middle-Earth history lesson. Gondor was ruled jointly by Isildur and his brother Anárion while their father, Elendil, ruled the northern Kingdom of Amor. Anárion was killed during the seven year Siege of Barad-dûr and Elendil fell against Sauron at the end of the War of the Last Alliance. This left Isildur as the High King of Amor and Gondor. When he died at the Disaster of the Gladden Fields, his son, Valandil, became the King of Arnor while Anárion's son, Meneldil, became King of Gondor. Meneldil's descendants would rule Gondor for two millennia until King Eärnur, who disappearing after rashly accepting a challenge to face the Witch-king of Angmar at Minas Morgul. Because it was unknown if Eärnur was alive or dead, and with no heir to the throne, the rule of Gondor passed to Stewards. By the time of Eärnur's disappearance Amor had fallen into ruin, but Isildur's line endured through the Chieftains of the Dúnedain.
Gandalf: "Hobbits."
Gimli:” Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf.”
Legolas: “What about side by side with a friend?”
Gimli: “Aye. I could do that.”
Pippin: “I didn't think it would end this way.”
Gandalf: “End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path... One that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass... And then you see it.”
Pippin: “What? Gandalf?... See what?”
Gandalf: “White shores... and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.”
Pippin: “Well, that isn't so bad.”
Gandalf: “No... No it isn't.”
Theoden: “Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... ere the sun rises!”
Sam: “That's for Frodo! And for the Shire! And that's for my old Gaffer!”
These reviews ended up being more critical than I originally intended. It isn't because I like these movies any less, it's just that as time has gone on their flaws tend to stand out more for me.
Three out of four Middle-Earth history lessons.
Mark Greig has been writing for Doux Reviews since 2011 More Mark Greig
Mark, congratulations on finishing the reviews!
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