“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is one of the most revered sagas in cinematic history. Millions have watched this series of movies and offered their praises for the legendary production, and the Student Union Movie Organization (SUMO) honored this saga by screening all three during mid-term break. Even 20 years later, these films have not been matched up by anything else like it in terms of production value, scale and heart.

Before the turn of the 21st century, the idea of transferring Tolkein’s works to the big screen seemed impossible. But there remained those who believed that a film adaptation could be pulled off. “The Lord of the Rings”’s production was tumultuous due to the sheer ambition of the crew. They were filming three three-hour movies around back to back, juggling multiple set pieces and actors. And each of these movies had distinct lands that Tolkein had provided detailed descriptions for. There were little compromises to bring to Tolkein’s world to life, and every measure was taken to feel as close as possible to the feel of the books. In the age of CGI, it could have been so easy to make such reckless use of this technology when mapping out each scene, but the crewdidn’t. They decided to use real-life locations, miniatures and camera techniques, everything to make the world seem as real and tangible as possible. The filmmakers were dedicated to providing the definitive version of a live-action adaptation of this story. It was absurdly expensive, physically draining and one of the biggest gambles in Hollywood. With this big of a risk taken, it leads one to answer the question: What warrants all of this effort?

The thing that makes “The Lord of the Rings” special is how genuine it is. This is a good vs. evil tale as true as it gets, stuffed with tons of allusions to mythology and philosophy. This feels like a remix of the core inner conflict humanity faces throughout history. The movie carries all of this over very well. There are many changes made to the core story, but this still follows up on many of the themes Tolkein expressed in his novels. 

An advantage of this form of visual storytelling are the large-scale battles. Many modern blockbusters miss the core principles of action as a way of storytelling. Action should not be used as a way of spectacle, but instead used to show the fundamental characteristics of each character being tested. These movies succeed, with a balance of triumphs and losses in each faction, having their faiths properly put to the test. It’s a harmony that keeps an engaging melody that builds up to a conclusion well-earned.

It’d be one thing if these movies managed to capture the epicness of Tolkein’s world in the form of action, but these movies also pace themselves so that we can spend more time with the characters. We are a part of their journey as we feel the weight of their task across every corner of the world they travel. We can understand the doubts that they feel thanks to the down-to-earth presentation of the characters. This is a story that is paced in a strategic way, letting all the burdens of the world sink in before paying it off with hard-earned victories. “The Lord of the Rings” reminds us of the fundamental principles of humanity. In a world where it’s easy to feel hopeless, it’s nice to witness a story where the hope and perseverance of our heroes pays off in the end. It’s empowering and beautiful and provides a journey that will eternally provide us with the message that hope is enough to make it far.

There is a reason why “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is timeless. Combined with the meticulous craft behind the scenes, the story told is one of the most genuine tales ever written. A story that reminds us of the everlasting nature of goodness. You introduce this story to anyone of any generation, and they will find some shred of inspiration in these movies. “The Lord of the Rings” will always be valuable, no matter what time or era we remain in.