The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is an epic fantasy film co-written, co-produced and directed by Peter Jackson. It is primarily based on the third volume of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (but also includes material from the second volume), and it is the concluding film in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. It follows The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers and was filmed simultaneously with them.
As Sauron launches the final stages of his conquest of Middle-earth, Gandalf the Wizard, and Théoden King of Rohan rally their forces to help defend Gondor’s capital Minas Tirith from the looming threat. Aragorn finally claims the throne of Gondor and summons an army of ghosts to help him defeat Sauron. Ultimately, even with full strength of arms, they realise they cannot win; so it comes down to the Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, who face the burden of the Ring and the treachery of Gollum, and finally destroy the One Ring in Mordor.
Released on December 17, 2003, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King became one of the most critically acclaimed films and greatest box-office successes of all time. It won all eleven Academy Awards it was nominated for, which ties it with only Titanic and Ben-Hur for most Academy Awards ever won. It also won the Academy Award for Best Picture, the only time in history a fantasy film has done so. It also became the second highest grossing movie worldwide of all time behind Titanic, unadjusted for inflation and the most successful film in the series.[1] The Special Extended Edition, containing an additional 50 minutes of footage, was released on DVD on December 14, 2004.
Plot
The film begins with a flashback of Sméagol acquiring the One Ring, by murdering his friend Déagol and his slow evolution into ‘Gollum’, taking Frodo and Sam to Minas Morgul. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, Théoden and Éomer travel to Isengard where they are reunited with Merry and Pippin who tell them Treebeard and the Ents’ are now in control. Pippin finds a palantír and reluctantly gives it to Gandalf at his behest. Back at Edoras, the kingdom honor the victorious dead as Éowyn falls in love with Aragorn. Later against Merry’s warnings, Pippin’s satisfies his curiosity and gazes deeply into the palantír. The sorcery of Sauron causes Pippin intense pain as he foresees a brief glimpse of the enemy’s impending plan to attack the city of Minas Tirith. So that he may not cause any more mischief, Pippin accompanies Gandalf as the two set out to alert and prepare the White City of Gondor. On her way to the ships that lead to the Grey Havens, Arwen has a vision of Aragorn and her future son. She quickly returns to Rivendell and tells her father that she has forsaken the gift of immortality to be with Aragorn and to reforge the shards of Narsil so that Aragorn may reclaim his birthright. Elrond realizes that Arwen’s fate now rests with the outcome of the war.
Elsewhere, Gandalf and Pippin arrive at Minas Tirith to find the steward Denethor mourning over his dead son Boromir. Grief and guilt stricken, Pippin foolishly offers his life in exhange and swears loyalty to him. To defend the city, Gandalf advises Denethor (who scoffs at the idea) to call Théoden for aid by lighting the beacons and renew the alliance of Gondor and Rohan. Meanwhile, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum take a small path of winding stairs narrowly avoiding the immense army of Orcs that are dispatched out of Minas Morgul by the most powerful of the nine Ringwraiths, the Witch-king. In Osgiliath, the Morgul army ambush the Gondorians by boat as they overrun and take the city. Faramir and his men are forced to flee to Minas Tirith as the Nazgul attack, but are driven away with help of Gandalf. Denethor, bitter over Boromir’s death and Faramir’s perceived failure, commands his last son to retake Osgiliath. To prove his worth to his father, Faramir reluctantly obeys and sets out on his hopeless mission full aware that he may not return. Near Minas Morgul, the burden of the ring slowly drains Frodo as Gollum poisons his mind to believe that Sam desires the Ring. Framed by Gollum, a reluctant Sam is urged to return home by a paranoid Frodo. Realizing Denethor will remain idle, Gandalf secretly allows Pippin to light the first of the beacons that will signal Edoras. Aragorn subtly convinces Théoden to respond as Rohan rides to Dunharrow to gather The Rohirrim and prepare for war. Elrond later arrives in Dunharrow to present Aragorn the newly reforged sword Andúril - Flame of the West. Elrond convinces Aragorn to accept his kingship and take the path to the Dimholt to summon aid. Reluctantly forced to leave and convincing Éowyn to love another, Aragorn leaves with Legolas and Gimli to brave the Paths of the Dead and command the cursed Army of Dead to fulfill their vow to the king of Gondor. Théoden departs Dunharrow and rides off to war with six thousand riders, unaware that Éowyn and Merry are secretly amongst the army.
In Minas Tirith, a sole-surviving and unconscious, arrow-impaled Faramir returns being dragged by horse. The Morgul forces begin the siege of the White City, while the Witch-king and the other Ringwraiths on their Fell Beasts attack from above. The army of Orcs use an enormous battering ram Grond to break into the city. Elsewhere, Gollum convinces Frodo to enter a dark cave and abandons him to the large spider Shelob. Losing Sting and the Phial of Galadriel, Frodo manages to escape and is later attacked by Gollum who is thrown over a cliff to his perceived doom. In regret, Frodo attempts to continue his task alone but is ambushed by Shelob and prepared to be devoured by the giant spider. Sam returns with the Phial of Galadriel and Sting in hand to fend the spider away. Hearing nearby Orcs from the Tower of Cirith Ungol and believing Frodo to be dead, he takes the Ring and hides but is surprised to overhear that Frodo still lives. Back at Minas Tirith, a remorseful Denethor believing Faramir to be dead, goes mad and prepares a funeral pyre for himself and his unconscious son. Gandalf and Pippin arrive just as the pyre flames are lit and manage to save Faramir, however Denethor plunges to his burning death. Théoden and Rohan arrive and bravely charge into the the Morgul army cutting down Orc after Orc. Despite this slight victory, the forces of Harad and their the immense Mûmakil appear as reinforcements against the Riders of Rohan. Unbeknownst, Aragorn with the help of the Army of the Dead, suddenly appears with the captured ships of the Corsairs of Umbar to a startled Orc army and proceeds to annihilate the enemy. Théoden is attacked the Witch-king and mortally wounded as Éowyn stands over him to protect. Based upon being a woman and with the help of Merry, Éowyn slays the Witch-king. Éowyn grieves as Théoden dies. Aragorn, much to the dismay of Gimli, releases the Dead Army’s curse and holds their oaths fulfilled.
In Cirith Ungol, Frodo awakens to find an Orc and Urak-hai fighting over Frodo’s shirt of mithril. As the fight turns into civil war, Sam capitalizes on the empty fortress and rescues Frodo, but not before dispatching three guards on his own. Sam reveals the Ring from his pocket and returns it to Frodo as they begin the long trek across Mordor to Mount Doom. Back at Minas Tirith, Gandalf realizes ten thousand Orcs stand between Frodo and Sam and Mount Doom. Aragorn plans to draw the enemy away from Frodo, towards him and sets out leading the remaining soldiers to the Black Gate. The weakened Hobbits collapse and by sheer strngth of will, Sam carries Frodo upon his shoulders up to Mount Doom. Gollum now reveals himself and attacks the two just as the Men of the West furiously battle the Orcs. While Sam preoccupies Gollum, Frodo escapes to Crack of Doom. Later inside, Sam urges Frodo to cast the ring into the fire, but Frodo succumbs to its power and places it on his finger, disappearing from sight. Gollum uses a stone to render Sam unconscious and seizes Frodo’s finger, biting it off. A joyful Gollum reunites with “his precious” and Frodo attempts to wrestle the Ring away as both fall over the edge. Falling into the lava fire, Gollum smiles as he clutches the One Ring, while Frodo hangs onto the edge of the cliff. Sam rescues Frodo as the Ring finally sinks into the lava and is destroyed. The Barad-dûr collapses and the Orcs are killed in the ensuing shockwave of earthquakes. Frodo and Sam manage to escape, but strand themselves in the lava flow, on an island of rock. Feeling despair, Sam recalls his life and what could have been. Gandalf arrives with the Eagles and saves them. Frodo later awakens in Minas Tirith to the sight of a smiling Gandalf and a happy group of friends.
Aragorn is later crowned King Elessar of Gondor, heralding a new age of peace and is surprised to be reunited with Arwen. Éowyn and Faramir have now fallen in love as Éomer is now Théoden’s successor as king of Rohan. The new King and his kingdom all kneel before the four hobbits in honor of their bravery to Middle-Earth. Unbeknownst to the town-folk, the quartet return to the Shire as heroes and things resume back to as they were. Sam finds the courage to speak with the lovley barmaid Rosie Cotton and ultimately Sam marries her. Frodo, having finished writing the story of the Lord of the Rings and still exhausted from his quest as the Ring-bearer, secretly decides to leave Middle-earth for the Grey Havens with Gandalf, Bilbo, Elrond, and Galadriel. Upon realizing this, a heartfelt goodbye is shared between the four hobbits as Frodo departs into the sunset. Sam returns and realizes Frodo leaves his account of the story to Sam, who peacefully continues his family life.
Cast
- Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins: The Hobbit who continues his quest to destroy the Ring, which continues to torture him.
- Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee: Better known as Sam, he is Frodo’s loyal Hobbit companion.
- Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn: He must finally face his destiny as King of Gondor.
- Ian McKellen as Gandalf the White: The Wizard who travels to aid the Men of Gondor.
- Dominic Monaghan as Meriadoc Brandybuck: Better known as Merry, the Hobbit who becomes an esquire of Rohan.
- Billy Boyd as Peregrin Took: Better known as Pippin, a Hobbit who looks into the palantír and becomes an esquire of Gondor.
- Orlando Bloom as Legolas: An Elven archer and one of Aragorn’s best friends.
- John Rhys-Davies as Gimli: The warrior Dwarf who continues his friendly rivalry over Orc kills with Legolas. Rhys-Davies also voices Treebeard the Ent leader.
- Andy Serkis voices and provides motion capture for Gollum: The treacherous Hobbit who guides Frodo and Sam into Mordor. His life as Sméagol is glimpsed in the beginning of the film, and how he murdered his cousin Déagol for the Ring before an eternity of loneliness. Serkis also plays Sméagol, and voices the Witch-king of Angmar.
- Bernard Hill as Théoden: King of Rohan. He is preparing his troops for the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
- Miranda Otto as Éowyn: Théoden’s niece, who wishes to prove herself in battle. She also starts to fall in love with Aragorn who did not correspond her. In the extended version, she then starts to fall for Faramir.
- Karl Urban as Éomer: Éowyn’s brother, and Chief Marshal of the Riders of Rohan.
- Hugo Weaving as Elrond: The Elven lord of Rivendell who must convince Aragorn to take up the throne.
- Liv Tyler as Arwen, daughter of Elrond, who loves Aragorn. She becomes sick with grief.
- David Wenham as Faramir: The head of the Gondorian Rangers defending Osgiliath.
- John Noble as Denethor: Steward of Gondor and Faramir’s father. He has fallen into madness as he lost hope.
- Bruce Hopkins as Gamling: Right hand man of Théoden and a skilled member of the Royal Guard of Rohan.
- Paul Norell as The King of the Dead: The cursed leader of the Dead Men at Dunharrow, from whom Aragorn must seek help.
- Lawrence Makoare plays the The Witch-king of Angmar, the Lord of the Nazgûl, he leads Mordor’s assault on Minas Tirith. He also plays Gothmog, an Orc commander who is voiced by Craig Parker.[2]
- Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins: Frodo’s elderly uncle.
- Cate Blanchett as Galadriel: Elven lady of Lórien. She is aware the time of the Elves is at an end.
- Sarah McLeod as Rosie Cotton: The girl of Sam’s dreams.
- Sean Bean as Boromir: Faramir’s brother, in a flashback to his death at the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and in the extended cut when Denethor has a hallucination.
The following only appear in the Extended Edition
- Christopher Lee as Saruman: The former head wizard now trapped by Treebeard.
- Brad Dourif as Gríma Wormtongue: Saruman’s sycophantic, treacherous servant.
- Bruce Spence as The Mouth of Sauron: Sauron’s emissary at the Black Gate.
There are also cameos from Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Gino Acevedo, Rick Porras and Andrew Lesnie on the Corsair ship, although all of them but Jackson only appear in the Extended Edition. Jackson also has another unofficial cameo, as Sam’s hand stepping into view when he confronts Shelob. Sean Astin’s daughter played Sam’s daughter Elanor in the last scene of the movie. Jackson’s children also cameo as Gondorian extras, whilst Christian Rivers played a Gondorian soldier guarding the Beacon Pippin lights, and is later seen wounded. Royd Tolkien cameos as a Ranger in Osgiliath, whilst in the Extended Edition Howard Shore appears as a celebrating soldier at Edoras. Additionally, four of the designers of The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game featured as Rohirrim at the Pelennor. At the end of the film, each cast member gets a sketched portrait by Alan Lee, an idea suggested by Ian McKellen
Production
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is unusual in that it is, to date, the only one whose separate instalments were written and then shot simultaneously (excluding pick up shoots). Jackson admitted The Return of the King was the easiest of the films to make, because it contained the climax of the story, unlike the other two films.[11] The Return of the King was originally the second of two planned films under Miramax from January 1997 to August 1998,[12] and more or less in its finished structure as the first film was to end with The Two Towers’ Battle of Helm’s Deep.[13] Filming took place under multiple units across New Zealand, between October 11, 1999 and December 22, 2000, with pick up shoots for six weeks in 2003 before the film’s release.
Awards
On January 27, 2004, the film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Song, Visual Effects, Art Direction, Costuming, Make-up, Sound Mixing and Film Editing. On February 29, the film won all the categories for which it was nominated. It tied with Ben-Hur and Titanic for the most Oscars ever won by a single film, and broke the previous record for a sweep set by Gigi and The Last Emperor at 9 (See Movies with six or more Oscars).[
However, none of the ensemble cast received any acting nominations, making the movie the first Best Picture since 1995’s Braveheart to have not received any. The film was the first in the fantasy film genre to win the Best Picture award. It was also only the second time a sequel had won the Best Picture category; the first being The Godfather, Part II.
The film also won four Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, two MTV Movie Awards, two Grammy Awards, nine Saturn Awards and the Hugo Award. It is among the most-honoured fantasy films in history
