Review of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) by Rymintz — 20 Dec 2012

Quite possibly the most satisfying and epic conclusion to an already perfect trilogy, the Return of the King is a testament to both the genius of the filmmakers and the original author J.R.R. Tolkien. It blends seamlessly with the Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers to create the journey and story that , and yet stands on its own as a masterpiece, a masterful piece of cinema that will endure till the end of days.

Its visual grandeur, cinematographic excellence, musical dexterity, haunting narrative, and ultimate perfection coalesce to create a tale, unlimited in emotional richness, that will resonate through the ages.

Every viewing of the film for me is a journey in and of itself, one that ultimately ends in tears (I hear Gandalf lamenting right now "I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil").

I fondly recall the midnight premiere of film and how, when I looked around at the audience during the Grey Havens scene, there was not a dry eye in the house, including my father who has (forgive me for the clicheness ) the emotional range of a teaspoon.

If that isn't evidence for the profound emotionality of the film, then I don't know what is. Little scenes throughout the film as well elicited such powerful reactions from the audience I couldn't help but feel even more emotion because of that.

The Ride of the Rohirrim, Aragorn's speech, Gandalf and Pippin's moment during the Siege of Minas Tirith, and many other scenes throughout the film, whether they induced goosebumps or tears, created an energy in the theatre that was both palpable and moving.

Once the text "The End" appeared on screen, there was a moment of silence, and then an uproar of applause and cheering. Once again, brought to tears. In any case, the Return of the King is and will ever be a Goliath among films, and I cannot imagine that a film will ever be made that will come to dwarf a film such as this.