Unlike the open-ended narratives of superhero films,The Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbitmovies have definite resolutions.
The Fellowship of the Ring
Battle of Mt.
Its handled elegantly, with plenty of reverence and just the right touch of spectacle.
But in this case, the introduction of Ian McKellens Gandalf issoimportant.
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read more: Is The Fellowship of the Ring The Last Great Film Score?
Forget Saruman and Sauron.
read more: Can Fantasy Films Escape the Lord of the Rings Shadow?
Do not take me for some conjuror of cheap tricks!
Dear Elrond, we dont!
Take the ring; dont hurt us, just take the ring!
Second Breakfast
This doesnt need much explaining.
Pippin takes a moment to illustrate hobbit dining habits to a less than interested Strider.
Weve had one breakfast, yes, but what about second breakfast?
Wizard Battle!
Youd better make your saving throws, because Gandalf and Saruman are having a throwdown.
Well, not quite… Nobody expected Christopher Lee to be playing someone with noble intentions, did they?
The torch right to the face is a nice touch.
Arwen comes like a true elfin dream into Frodos reality and then saves him from a stampeding Nazgul.
As Howard Shores music swells, so does the audience instantly caring about this band of plucky heroes.
The Bridge of Khazad-Dum
Really, the entire Mines of Moria sequence is masterful.
His grief is too full to even cry or make a noise.
In fact, hes already one footstep removed from the whole Fellowship.
All shall love me and despair!
The test of Galadriel is a haunting, scary sequence.
Aragorn Refuses the Ring
An uncomplicated moment, its also a special one.
But Aragorn proves he is indeed a cut above most men, including his countrymen.
Boromir Finds His King
Strangely, death for good guys in Tolkiens world is almost unheard of.
Thus the few surprising times the heroes are actually punished seems numbingly unfair.
His final moments with Aragorn miraculously avoids feeling schmaltzy or trite.
He has simply in his last moments found his captain, his brother, and his king.
Im going to Mordor alone.
Of course you are, and Im coming with you!
The Two Towers
Helicopter Montage Shots!
Our three heroes banter, run, and gallop across long distances (a dwarfs mortal enemy!).
Its indulgent, epic, and wonderfully beautiful.
ItsLord of the Ringsin a nutshell.
Looks like meats back on the menu, boys!
For movies that rack up the body count the way these do, theres surprisingly little actual blood.
Introducing…the Ents.
Because whowouldntwant to see giant talking trees in live-action?
Enter…Gandalf the White!
No, you fools.
This is Gandalf the White.
Gollum and Smeagol: A Conversation
Gollum is easily the greatest all-CGI creation to date.
Two fully realized animated personalities who are simultaneously hilarious and pathetic…and very dangerous.
Making Potatoes
The age-old meme can probably explain why this is hilarious better than I can.
Boil em, mash em, stick them in a stew.
You get the idea.
Strangelove, and witnessed his resurrection as Gandalf the White.
Nobody else could have done this.
Legolas Mounts a Horse like a BAMF
Legolas is not necessarily the richest character in Tolkiens literature.
Hes not even a hobbit.
Say what you will about this elfin hero, but he sure knows how to jump onto a horse.
Sarumans Mussollini moment
But my lord, there is no such force.
The World War II imagery is undeniable.
Or would you like for me to find you a box?
Live or die, these two need to get a drink when its all over.
Sometimes a shield is just a shield, except, of course, when its a surfboard.
The arrival of the Elves
Yeah, yeah, yeah… we know.
The elves didnt come to the rescue at Helms Deep in the books… but so what?
With Helms Deep overrun by Uruk-hai and Orcs, all hope seems lost.
So with swelling Shore orchestrations, Gimli summons their last ride into the red dawn.
Its a brief moment of suicidal glory that plays like the finale of a medieval poem.
Sam tells Faramir whats up.
There are two moments inThe Two Towerswhen Samwise shows that hes the heart of the whole quest.
Well get to the other one in a minute.
Giant, talking trees throwing boulders at the army of an evil white wizard?
Remember how we said there are two moments when Sam becomes the heart of this film?
Well, this is the other one.
The words may be Tolkiens, but its Sean Astin who makes you believe them.
The origin of Gollum, wisely saved for this final act, is one of those times.
Especially when it contains an absolute master class in shit-talking from King Theoden.
An overbearing caricature for most of the films running time, he never once displays any nuance.
While beautifully photographed (and offers more of those stunning helicopter shots!
They will answer to the king of Gondor!
Theres a reason for that.
Gandalf swats Denethor in disgust.
Weve already voiced our annoyance with Denethor.
The Riders of Rohan earn their name
So the Rohirrim can ride horses.
So what, right?
Doom pit that our ring-bearer has fallen.
It also makes Sams return to save Frodo that much more euphoric.
Plus, it gives us more Gollum nastiness and thats only ever a good thing.
How much higher intelligence she has is up for debate, thereby increasing her Lovecraftian otherness.
Except there is nothing funny about these sequences.
Its so hellish that the momentary reprieve makes her sudden return and biting of Frodo that much more frightening.
Jackson has never done suspense as well as these sequences before or since.
I appreciate the ambiguity.
Cate Blanchett really is divine when compared to that!
He hisses with all the condescension of Mordor behind him that no man can kill him.
Eowyn then removes her helmet to reveal that I am no man!
Bye, bye, Witch King.
Well, we have a wizard.
Oh, you have Nazgul on dragons?
Well we have all of Rohan here on horseback!
Wait, where did those giant oliphants come from?
Well, say hello to the Ghost Army.
For Frodo is all he has to say for the audience to really get pumped for this final battle.
Nowthatis St. Crispins Day worthy!
Astin, Wood, and Serkis played this wonderfully.
But it is hard to decide which could be cut.
Once Sam gets married, we have to see what happens to Frodo.
Sometimes, you just cant go home.
And like true veterans, all they can knowingly share is their own sacrifice.
They even manage to get the thats what Bilbo Baggins hates song in without being completely infuriating.
The beautiful humanism of Tolkiens stories is illustrated by a single sentence delivered by Ian McKellen.
This is the moment that sticks with most children from their earliest experiences withThe Hobbit.
It helps when you have two actors as gifted as Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis making it happen.
This paragraph reads like the lyrics to some Icelandic metal song.
Theres no extended running montages, nor does the CGI feel particularly lightweight.
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