ProFiled: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
ProFiled is a regular feature on Project Fandom where we take a predefined list of items and rank them based on entirely subjective material.
It is winter, and we all know that means one thing is certain: Movie marathon season!
What better way to launch hours of couch sitting than with a ranking of the most epic of trilogies available to mankind. Of course, I am referencing Lord of the Rings. (Star Wars fans, we’ll hash this out in the comments section.)
There was extremely minor discussion among the ProFans as to if The Hobbit trilogy should be ranked with the original Lord of the Rings set. It was a very minor discussion because we tend to follow where Tolkien leads, and as such, The Hobbit will have its time at a later date.
Without further ado, my ranking of the Lord of the Rings movies.
#3 – The Return of the King
The jokes about the amount of time the trilogy spent walking are not completely without merit. That said, The Return of the King should have been the triumphant culmination of the journey’s slower scenes.
Unfortunately, a little too much budget spent on CGI and a sudden veer from the book left me feeling less than satisfied by the journey’s end.
Still, I love when Eowyn reveals herself in battle. She has always been one of my heroes!
#2 – The Fellowship of the Ring
This had every opportunity to be the worst of the films and would have put up a fight for last place if it wasn’t SO GOOD! The entire installment was mostly character development (normally the bane of any series), but it was so well done; this is the film that seems to move the fastest.
I am a sucker for heroic moments, and Fellowship has so many that make you want to stand up and cheer: Frodo’s agreement to carry the ring to Rivendell, Arwen’s ride, the acceptance of the nine, the enraged hobbits trying to attack the cave troll, Boromir’s rally during the final battle, and the constant companion Sam almost drowning in his determination to join Frodo.
Plus, all of the feels in this moment!
#1 - The Two Towers
Where to begin… So much happens in The Two Towers, and perhaps that is what helps it eek past Fellowship to take the first place honor.
The fellowship is divided, and that allows for new relationships and stories to develop along the central quest to destroy the ring. The dynamics between Sam, Frodo, and Gollum are both amusing and suspenseful. The weight of the ring begins to show, as the trio marches on towards Mordor.
Merry and Pippin begin their course as prisoners of the Uruk-hai, who were far more exciting companions then their later travels with the Ents. Though this is the slowest portion of the tale, it is faithful to the book, so I have no complaints.
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are on a mission to save the hobbits but find themselves entangled in the politics of Rohan after they are reunited with Gandalf. As I mentioned, Eowyn is one of my favorite characters, and her desire to escape the confines of Rohan is told with eloquence. The Riders of Rohan are perfection as heroes willing to go renegade for the greater good.
Of course, the best parts of The Two Towers are the war scenes. The Battle of Helm’s Deep and The Battle of Isengard accomplish what The Return of the King failed to deliver: a perfect blend of acting and CGI that creates action and suspense on a level that sets the bar for what an epic battle between good and evil should entail.
Good stuff, Teri! I have a really hard time choosing between FoTR and TTT, but ROTK is definitely 3rd.