The scene where minis tirith is under siege is one of the most engrossing scenes of any film new or old it is the ultimate battle between good and evil ” light and dark” the fight scene brings you from a large perspective of the battle down to the itty gritty up close and personal with the soldiers. The way peter Jackson portrays the deceit to Frodo by Gollum is amazing as you watch Gollum split Sam and Frodo up and make Frodo turn on Sam but when all hope is lost and Frodo has gone to pieces same is always there to pick up the pieces and sort them out as Sam is a true friend to Frodo.
The film is the original star wars of today and many class it as one of if not the greatest film of all time. The story is fantastic the actors make there characters more believable then most actors do on most TV reality soaps. The major turning point in the film is where the army’s of rohan come to aid the battered citadel minis tirith the capital of Gondor.
This scene is done with an almost poetical beauty as the horses and men plow through the ranks of orcs all the time the enchanting music is playing away and at that moment victory is almost in there grasp. Then is switches back to the story of faramire and his father who is about to set his body alight when in a misfortunate turn of events the steward sets himself alight and throws himself from the city of ministirith to his death.
At the moment when things are looking up for the alliance the evil men from the east arrive (symbolizing Japan in my eyes) the music stops and you get hit by the lack of music as it goes for drama at the entrance of these warriors riding huge beasts called elaphants or mulmakil which are giant elephants crushing and annihilating everything and anything in there path and are mowing down the armies of the rohan and then there is the story of the army of the dead which aragon successfully summons to his aid which just slaughters all of the attacking army of mordor and the east with shear beauty and elegance.
This scene and the next scene are tying points where all of the stories come together in one awesome outcome. The most moving part in the whole film for me was the scene where pippin and Gandalf and the remaining men from Gondor are barricaded in the most upper sections of the city and pippin says to Gandalf “I didn’t think it would end this way” and Gandalf says “End? No the journey doesn’t end here, death is only another path one that we all must take” he continues about the afterlife reassuring pippin, it’s these pats of the film that really allow you to feel for the characters and there ordeal that they have to cope with.
Even in the midst of the drama and action peter Jackson still manages to fit small pockets of humor into the film which in most cases would make the film look corny and unprofessional but in this case it adds to the suspense and drama of the film. The scene for the battle of minis tirith draws all of the stories together bar one and that is the story of Frodo and Sam on there quest to destroy the ring. The last scene is about Frodo and Sam heading to mount doom in mordor to destroy the ring and purge the evil in middle earth.
This scene is as breathtaking as it is beautiful yet it is short. The scene has many places where it is slowed down so the action can be fully observed and admired and again gets you up close and personal with the soldiers and the fellowship. Now the transition between the rest of the film and the sub story of Sam and Frodo is in sync and on the same wavelength and the special effects combined with the music makes this scene alive dramatic and beautiful.
These are the reasons that I believe that this film is one of the best films of all time and right at the end the last main scene Frodo is about to cast the ring into the fiery lava in mount doom the only place where the ring can be destroyed and he looks at Sam and says ” no the ring is mine” he snaps it of his chain and puts it on rendering him invisible then Gollum bites Frodo’s finger off and falls into the lava screaming ” my precious” and with that the evil is purged.
This last scene is as poetic as any poem and as beautiful as any paining as Frodo turned Sam away and was turned against him by Gollum and even dismissed him as he was being defiled by the heavy Burdon (the ring) he was carrying yet Sam was always there to pick up the shattered pieces of Frodo and his loyalty is shown as he saves Frodo from the fire of mount doom.
With the destruction of the ring the men look up and see Saurons land crumbling away into rubble and they rejoice happy in the knowledge that the evil has been purged but in a split second there happiness and rejoice turns into grief and mourning as the mountain blows up and in there heads they all think Frodo and Sam are dead but in fact they are alive. In my review I conclude that the film is a masterpiece and a triumph of acting and performance.
The film uses a large variety of different methods to bring the story to life harmoniously on the screen. The acting and cartography is outstanding as is the music but most of all the director brings you into there world amongst there feelings and hopes, there desires and there struggle for survival and brings the epic tale into your home and that is why it should be one of the greatest films ever.
