This is my 25th Movies You Gotta See column, and I wanted it to be a big one.
My original plan was to only write about my favorite movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. But I found that it’d be easier to write about the full Lord of the Rings trilogy as a whole, rather than just the first film, so I’m technically writing about three movies here, instead of one. But hey, this is my column. What are you gonna do? Sue me?
Maybe the most beautiful thing about movies, or any form of art for that matter, is connecting with other people through it. Turning someone you love onto something you know they will enjoy, and later talking to them about what it made them think and how it made them feel, are a few of life’s great joys. So, too, is having someone say, “Hey, you should check this out. I think you’d dig it.” Now that I think of it, that’s kind of what this column has always been about. So I suppose, what better way to commemorate the 25th column milestone than by writing about my favorite trilogy of all-time?
The Lord of the Rings films – The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King – are directed by Peter Jackson and based on the high fantasy novels of the same names, written by J.R.R. Tolkien and released in the mid-1950s. The Lord of the Rings is one of the best-selling and most influential books in history. The events of the books take place over the course of many years, so the films, understandably, condense some timelines and cut some things out. This is to the films’ benefit; despite the density of the story, the movies nearly perfectly paced and are pretty easy to follow.
Alright, before we dive into the plot of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I’d like to drop a disclaimer. I made a genuine effort to write a concise setup of these movies, and…it’s still longer than heck! Apologies in advance, folks.
Okay, here we go: In the fictional realm of Middle-earth, the Rings of Power are forged. Three go to the race of Elves, seven go to the Dwarves, and nine are given to Men. However, the Dark Lord Sauron (bad guy!) deceives them all. Secretly, in Mordor, in the volcano Mount Doom (an insanely heavy metal name for a volcano, might I add), he forges a Master Ring – one ring to rule them all, as Tolkien put it. The One Ring has power over all the other rings, giving Sauron the ability to take control over all of Middle-earth. An allied army of Elves and Men fight Sauron and his army of Orcs (repulsive, not good creatures) on the slopes of Mount Doom, where Isildur, the son of the King of Gondor (a realm of Men), cuts the Ring from Sauron’s hand. Sauron is thought to be defeated, and Isildur takes the Ring for himself, but its dark power corrupts him. He’s later killed by Orcs, and the Ring is lost at the bottom of a river. But the Ring will not go gentle into that good night: 2,500 years later, the Ring finds its way to a creature named Gollum (Andy Serkis doing unbelievable motion capture and voice work). He brings it into the caves of the Misty Mountains and keeps it there for 500 years, which extends his life and, frankly, turns him into a weird, fairly gross, but somehow also pitiable little dude. The Ring eventually abandons Gollum; but, in what might be the most pivotal moment in the history of Middle-earth, it is unexpectedly picked up by Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm), a Hobbit who lives in The Shire.
Let’s stop here for a second so I can go on the record with something very important: The Shire rocks, man. For one, it’s a stunning place, with rolling hills, babbling brooks, and lush forests; but also, the Hobbits mainly just hang out, eat, and drink ale. I cannot stress enough that this is my ideal existence.
Ok, back to the plot: Bilbo takes the Ring back to the Shire, where he keeps it for the next 60 years, unaware of its evil nature. On his 111th birthday – the Ring extended his life, but it did not take hold of him like it did Isildur – he leaves the Shire to stay with the Elves in Rivendell and passes his home, called Bag End, and the Ring to his beloved nephew, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood).
Gandalf the Grey (the great Ian McKellen), a wizard and a longtime friend of Bilbo’s, knew Bilbo had a magic ring and was suspicious of it, and after doing a little digging, he discovers that it is indeed Sauron’s One Ring. That’s not all – despite his physical form being destroyed, Sauron’s spirit lived on, and he is once again rebuilding his strength in Mordor while seeking the Ring, which would once again allow him to cover Middle-earth in darkness. Not good!
Herein lies the problem: Sauron alone can wield the Ring – it cannot be used against him. So the only option the Men, Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits of Middle-earth have is to destroy it in the place it was forged: Mount Doom (again: so heavy metal, dude). Frodo takes on this burden, but he’s not alone. He’s joined by Gandalf; his friends and fellow Hobbits Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (Sean Astin in a role that should’ve earned him at least one Oscar nomination), Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), and Peregrin “Pippin” Took (Billy Boyd); Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), also known as Strider, a Man whose lineage makes him much more than the Ranger he’s been most of his life; Boromir (Sean Bean), son of the Steward of Gondor; Legolas (Orlando Bloom), an Elf who's pretty handy with a bow and arrow; and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), a axe-wielding Dwarf. The nine companions form “The Fellowship of the Ring” and set out for Mordor to destroy the Ring and Sauron once and for all. Meanwhile, the Ring remains dangerous, affecting not only its bearer – Frodo – but others in the Fellowship.
What follows is quite simply the greatest journey in the history of film. It’s packed with drama, action, suspense, humor, and romance, and it’s set a truly great score by Howard Shore (we’ll talk more about this in a bit). The films sincerely examine themes like loyalty, bravery, duty, and good vs. evil, but perhaps most importantly, they’re about throwing something into a volcano, which rules. We need more “yeeting stuff into volcanoes” movies, in my opinion.
Among the many reasons why I adore The Lord of the Rings is how deeply rich its lore is. Middle-earth has existed for millennia, and although the films barely scratch the surface of Tolkien’s visionary world, they take the time to meaningfully reference events, locations, and people, which adds layers of history and lived-in realism. Jackson’s absolutely astonishing on-screen depiction of Middle-earth (shoutout New Zealand!) shows us a variety of breathtaking landscapes that live up to the fantastical essence of the fictional realm it’s portraying.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy features what is easily my favorite film score of all-time. Composer Howard Shore blacked out here, folks. His work on these movies is among the most recognizable and beloved scores in cinema history. One of my favorite flourishes: realms throughout Middle-earth have their own theme music, of sorts. “The Shire” is hands down one of the most wonderful pieces of music I’ve ever heard. Also, several gorgeous leitmotifs are used throughout the trilogy, calling back to past events and locations, and beautiful instrumental solos juxtaposed with massive orchestral pieces deepen the impact of an already astounding collection of compositions.
As I mentioned before, there are numerous themes at play in these films, but to me, the most important one is friendship. Everyone in the Fellowship and beyond understands that the stakes couldn’t be higher, and their actions have massive real-world consequences. Yet, through acts both simple and bold, they do what they can to save their friends, which, as the films suggest, might be the best way to counter widespread immorality. Time and time again, in storylines focused on Merry and Pippin, or Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, this idea is executed with surprising comedic deftness and the trilogy’s patented heart; but Frodo and Sam’s friendship represents the most wholesome and distilled version of it.
Frodo and Sam know as well as anyone that the Ring must be destroyed at all costs. The Ring is an unimaginable burden for Frodo, not only affecting him physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Because of this, Sam spends much of his time looking after Frodo. Sure, this is in part because the fate of Middle-earth rests on Frodo’s shoulders, but more so, it’s because Frodo is Sam’s friend, and he cares about him deeply. Frodo, more than anything, wants to accomplish his task, and the only things somewhat staying his full-on spiritual destruction are his own resolve and Sam’s unwavering dedication to him. Their friendship is the cornerstone of the trilogy, and it’s my favorite in any movie. The courage and resilience they show in times of fear and doubt are rooted in the deep bond they share – a bond that just might save the world.
Evil, as overwhelming and inevitable as it may seem, can be overcome. But this is not only achieved through wartime heroism or inspirational speeches delivered to the masses; sometimes the most crucial factor in preserving the good in the world is the simple act of believing in its existence. The Lord of the Rings is completely unapologetic in its view that the world is an inherently good place, and not only is there nobility in standing against forces of wickedness, but there is a shared responsibility among all of us to do so, in whatever way we can.
There are scenes in these films that are among the most moving I’ve ever seen. Instances of bravery and sacrifice, displays of kindness and humanity, gestures of friendship and love; these are the lifeblood of The Lord of the Rings, and Jackson and company render these moments with breathtaking tenderness and beauty. I don’t know if there are any truly “perfect” films, but I can confidently say The Lord of the Rings comes as close to touching perfection as any of them. They’re a staggering achievement, and an evergreen reminder that even the smallest person can change the course of the future.
Jalen’s columns, “Movies You Gotta See” and “The Free Play,” can be found online at www.medium.com/@jalenmaki.
Follow Jalen on Letterboxd at www.letterboxd.com/jalenmaki182/ to see what he’s been watching.
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