The Return of the King

It is customary to praise the achievements of the special effects department, but this trilogy’s most startling achievement is its storytelling; every time the longeurs of exposition or the details of various races and myths threaten your suspension of disbelief, the three-handed scenes between Sam, Frodo and Gollum bring back intimacy and acuity of character. This focus tightens around the ring itself; the very small thing at the heart of this epic that stands for a very large theme. The small round band of gold magnifies the evil in every heart and represents man’s inexhaustible appetite for power.
The film is at its most moving moment when we are watching the fear play across the faces of our heroes, and the nameless ranks of men who stand against Sauron’s horrors.
Along with the high body count, there is a very high weepie count too, and the sobs inspired as much by this bravery as by grief. Against this ubiquitous evil stands man’s improbable will to persist despite the monstrous nature of his condition: born to die, yet able to face this tragedy with courage and equanimity. As Gandalf puts it, “Death is just another path which we all must take.” The greatest cinematic event of a generation is over, leaving behind it a thoughtful silence.