Travis Simpkins

Saturday, April 21, 2018

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Directed by Peter Jackson, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) was the epic conclusion to the saga put forth in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movie franchises. The film won the Best Picture Academy Award, the first and only time a fantasy film has done so, but the trophy was more in recognition of the grand accomplishment of the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy… the entire sum of it's parts. The story picks up where the last film left off, with Frodo Baggins and Samwise heading to destroy the One Ring in Mordor. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Gandalf and Legolas battle the Orc armies of the Dark Lord Sauron in an epic battle for Middle Earth. As in the previous installments, medieval historic elements and Celtic mythology make appearances in the aesthetic look of set design, arms and armor. The CGI effects are amazing, and the films deserve every bit of the praise they receive. The cast does a wonderful job in reprising their roles, including Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, Liv Tyler as Arwen, Ian McKellan as Gandalf, Sean Astin as Samwise, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Hugo Weaving and Ian Holm.

Smeagol: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Gollum: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Eye of Sauron: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Viggo Mortensen: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Liv Tyler: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Ian McKellan: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Viggo Mortensen: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Elijah Wood: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Liv Tyler: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Elijah Wood: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Mordor: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Gollum: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Army of the Dead: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Gollum: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Ian McKellan: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Liv Tyler: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The One Ring: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Viggo Mortensen: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Elijah Wood: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Dark Lord Sauron: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Gollum: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Ian McKellan: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Elijah Wood: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Directed by Peter Jackson, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) is the second installment in the trilogy of epic films that pick up where The Hobbit storyline leaves off. The film finds Frodo Baggins and his trusted friend, Samwise Gamgee, still journeying to Mordor to destroy the One Ring. Meanwhile… Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf lead others to fight an army of Orcs at the Battle of Helm's Deep. The CGI special effects are brilliant, particularly those involving the Treebeard characters. As with the other films, an undercurrent of medieval style permeates the aesthetic look of the production, particularly with the arms and armor, adding a historical flare to a fantasy subject. The cast does a great job in reprising their roles, including Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Ian McKellan, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Bernard Hill and Christopher Lee.