Return of the King

[qos]

I went to see “Return of the King” this weekend, feeling a strange kind of almost numbness about the affair. I have been looking forward to this movie for a long time, but there’s nothing like mega-hype to cause me to be cautious. And, indeed, the actual movie left me feeling oddly untouched – totally unlike my reaction to “Fellowship,” which left me uplifted, astounded, moved, and almost dizzy. With RotK, it’s creeping up on me gradually.

What struck me the most powerfully, and what continues to move me, is the power of the love and friendship between the characters. Time and again these people find themselves in impossible situations, facing insane odds, and yet they march forward – or hurl themselves forward – to what should be certain doom. Not because Sauron must be defeated (although that’s certainly part of it) – but to defend, or to champion, or to accompany someone they love.

During the climax of the 1998 movie version of “The Man in the Iron Mask,” the musketeers, knowing they are outnumbered, with no means of escape, charge straight into the guns of their enemies. The young captain facing them watches with undisguised admiration and whispers, “Magnificent valor!” That line kept echoing in my memory as I watched RotK.



My favorite moment was when the remnant of the armies of Gondor and Rohan are completely surrounded by the forces of Mordor, and Aragorn starts forward, alone. Then he turns and smiles at Gandalf and his other friends, and says simply, “For Frodo.” To me, that summed up all that is best about the story. But that’s only one moment of many.



I have loved Aragorn from the first, but as far as I’m concerned, “The Return of the King” belongs to Sam (and to Sean Astin). He proves that he truly is “Samwise the Brave,” the most unlikely of heroes, but one whose courage and determination are second to none. His great heart and unwavering loyalty are the core of the movie.

I’m going to go back and see it again on Christmas Day.

Comments

[gothic-coop.livejournal.com]

I too loved Samwise the Brave for he was very brave and stood next to his friend with more love than bravery. My favorite scene is when Sam picked up Frodo and cared him up the mountain. That to me is when he showed what he truly was.

[qos.livejournal.com]

That was a great moment, but for me, Sam's key moment was when he picked himself up from the bottom of the Dark Stair, after Frodo had sent him away, and started climbing again.