Nevertheless, I neglected some longstanding personal goals. Chief among these was revisiting The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, which I hadn’t watched in almost a decade. It’s not like I didn’t want to, but so much had piled on my plate that it simply wasn’t feasible. Still, it was the 20-year anniversary of its debut in theatres, so I wanted to be able to refresh my memory. It was tight, but I managed to watch all three films in time for the new year.
So…do they hold up?
That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? One frustrating aspect of adulthood is recognizing that not everything from your youth stands the test of time. This is most-obvious with my re-watch of The Matrix, since much of my fondness for it has faded as I’ve gotten older (though I still enjoy it). That was definitely on my mind as I grabbed my boxset that I’d purchased from HMV brought it to my still-functioning Blu-Ray Player. Knowing I’d need to dedicate several hours to each movie, I spent three nights watching them.
The experience has been eye-opening. Beginning with the opening exposition dump, and ending with an end-credits sequence that looks like an art-book come to life, the 9+ hours spent on these films was as magical as it was refreshing. Because yes, they’re still amazing. In some ways, they might even be better than I remember! And while some parts could’ve been improved, that confirmation was helpful. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The most-important reason for why these movies work is the casting. Elijah Wood’s a revelation as Frodo Baggins, utilizing the youthful optimism of being a teenager during filming. He brings the naivety and vulnerability needed for Frodo, never skipping a beat. He’s complimented by Sean Aston’s Samwise Gamgee, who’s really the heart and soul, as well as Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan as Peregrine Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck respectively. Even the other characters are cast wonderfully, practically leaping from the pages of JRR Tolkien’s world.
And you know what? I respect that. Large ensemble casts are often tricky to pull off, as you need people who can fit their roles while making them their own, and it can backfire if one or more pieces of the puzzle don’t fit. But bless Peter Jackson and co. for making it work, and bless Jackson for knowing how to guide his actors. You wouldn’t have thought an indie-horror director could pull off a fantasy epic successfully, but he does!
As far as the films go, this is a standard “let’s destroy this purely evil object before the baddies get to it first” plot. The books were known for their allusions to WWII and environmentalism when they debuted, and that’s retained even with the films’ darker tone. Tolkien wore his sincerity on his sleeve, with absolutely no subtlety, and Jackson captures that. He captures it so well that the schmaltziness that the films’ writing can be overlooked or ignored. That’s not easy when the first entry has one of the worst lines ever in film history.
Even the visuals and costume designs reflect this. Sauron, the big baddie, is as over-the-top a villain as possible, complete with horns in his true form and a reptilian eye in his diminished one. The Orcs and Uruk-Hai are incredibly goofy, complete with deformities reflecting their bizarre accents. Even Gollum, one of the most-impressive creations of CGI in the 21st Century, walks like a clumsy toad and speaks like a snake, rolling his words and snarling often. In a lesser-movie this’d feel fake, but here it’s treated with sincerity.
As far as the films go, this is a standard “let’s destroy this purely evil object before the baddies get to it first” plot. The books were known for their allusions to WWII and environmentalism when they debuted, and that’s retained even with the films’ darker tone. Tolkien wore his sincerity on his sleeve, with absolutely no subtlety, and Jackson captures that. He captures it so well that the schmaltziness that the films’ writing can be overlooked or ignored. That’s not easy when the first entry has one of the worst lines ever in film history.
Even the visuals and costume designs reflect this. Sauron, the big baddie, is as over-the-top a villain as possible, complete with horns in his true form and a reptilian eye in his diminished one. The Orcs and Uruk-Hai are incredibly goofy, complete with deformities reflecting their bizarre accents. Even Gollum, one of the most-impressive creations of CGI in the 21st Century, walks like a clumsy toad and speaks like a snake, rolling his words and snarling often. In a lesser-movie this’d feel fake, but here it’s treated with sincerity.
The music’s also noteworthy. Howard Shore scores all three films, and I think it’s his best work to-date. It’s possible that I’ve heard relatively little of his compositions, but his musical arrangements felt muted in his other works. Here, however, they get a chance to shine, and they’re even more memorable than some modern-day blockbusters. I especially like the motif for the Nazgûl; even as an adult, the ominous, dark chorus that accompanies them gives me goosebumps!
I know these films have received their share of criticism. Their length, in particular, has gotten plenty of flak, and, combined with their pacing, can be a turn-off. While I sympathize, you need to be in the right headspace, I still think it works. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, after all, is an epic, a grandiose tale about good and evil. Such an operatic story needs to be long-winded. Besides, the first two movies are shorter than The Avengers: Endgame. (Unless you factor in the Extended Director’s Cuts, in which case I don’t think the complaints are unreasonable.)
That’s not to say the movies don’t have issues. Some of the race-coding of the antagonists is tone-deaf. The movies also have the usual, fantasy-esque “plot-holes” the internet likes complaining about (including one about the eagles), though that doesn’t bother me too much because “fantasy”. I also find the editing in the first film awkward, while the climax of the second film, though excellent, drags on for too long. And although I get the thematic reasoning behind the decision, the third movie has too many endings.
I know these films have received their share of criticism. Their length, in particular, has gotten plenty of flak, and, combined with their pacing, can be a turn-off. While I sympathize, you need to be in the right headspace, I still think it works. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, after all, is an epic, a grandiose tale about good and evil. Such an operatic story needs to be long-winded. Besides, the first two movies are shorter than The Avengers: Endgame. (Unless you factor in the Extended Director’s Cuts, in which case I don’t think the complaints are unreasonable.)
That’s not to say the movies don’t have issues. Some of the race-coding of the antagonists is tone-deaf. The movies also have the usual, fantasy-esque “plot-holes” the internet likes complaining about (including one about the eagles), though that doesn’t bother me too much because “fantasy”. I also find the editing in the first film awkward, while the climax of the second film, though excellent, drags on for too long. And although I get the thematic reasoning behind the decision, the third movie has too many endings.
But you know what? It doesn’t matter. The films are too engrossing to care. I’m too busy focusing on how Lady Galadriel never wears shoes to think about how little screen-time she has, or how Arwen and Aragorn’s romance is sincere enough to distract from how forced it is. I don’t even care how cheesy Éowyn’s line to the Witch-King is before she stabs him, as Miranda Otto says it so gracefully that it’s fun to hear! You can overlook plenty in a story, especially a fantasy, when the characters are engaging.
Overall, I was thoroughly entertained. And also impressed by how well they hold up. Sure, the special effects can feel dated, especially compared to modern-day action movies, but for what was accomplished? I couldn’t have asked for better. Too few action spectacles are considered worthy of an Oscar for Best Picture, but that’s exactly what happened! And given the calibre of content, I can’t fault The Academy for appealing to reason. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’s one of the best filmgoing experiences ever, and I can’t recommend it enough!
Overall, I was thoroughly entertained. And also impressed by how well they hold up. Sure, the special effects can feel dated, especially compared to modern-day action movies, but for what was accomplished? I couldn’t have asked for better. Too few action spectacles are considered worthy of an Oscar for Best Picture, but that’s exactly what happened! And given the calibre of content, I can’t fault The Academy for appealing to reason. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’s one of the best filmgoing experiences ever, and I can’t recommend it enough!
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