The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Overview
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson, the third and final installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The film is based on the 1955 novel of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien. The film is set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, continuing the story immediately after the events of The Two Towers. The film follows three separate storylines. The first storyline follows Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) as they finally reach Mordor, the dark land of the Dark Lord Sauron. They are guided by Gollum (Andy Serkis), who betrays them and leads them into the lair of the giant spider Shelob. Frodo is poisoned, and Sam must rescue him. They continue to Mount Doom, where the Ring must be destroyed. The second storyline follows Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) as they gather the forces of the West to fight Sauron's army. They travel to the city of Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, which is under siege by the forces of Sauron. The third storyline follows Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), who are separated from the others. Pippin serves Denethor (John Noble), the Steward of Gondor, while Merry befriends Éowyn (Miranda Otto), a Rohirrim warrior. The film culminates in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the largest battle in the trilogy. The Witch-king of Angmar (Lawrence Makoare), the leader of the Nazgûl, is killed by Éowyn and Merry. Aragorn leads the Army of the Dead to victory. The film ends with Frodo and Sam destroying the Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. The Ring is destroyed, Sauron is defeated, and peace returns to Middle-earth. Aragorn is crowned King of Gondor, and he marries Arwen (Liv Tyler). The hobbits return to the Shire, but Frodo is still wounded by his journey. He leaves Middle-earth with Gandalf, Bilbo, and the Elves, sailing to the Undying Lands. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was a massive critical and commercial success, earning over $1.1 billion worldwide. It won all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is tied for the most Oscars won by a single film. The film is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made.
