The third and final installment of the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy, “The Return of the King” (2003), surpassed all expectations by earning the most Academy Awards of all time, 11, tied with “Ben Hur” and “Titanic.” This film is a beautiful journey which explores a battle of good against evil and the power of friendship.

Actor Ian McKellen successfully remains an extraordinary Gandalf as he led the resistance of free men, elves and hobbits – who represent freedom – to Sauron (the evil lord of Mordor). They are accompanied by an awe-spiring Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), the heir of the throne of Gondor. As the leaders aided and directed armies to destroy Sauron’s forces, hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) continue into the depths of Mordor on their mission to destroy the ring.

Following in suit of its first two parts, “The Return of the King” is an incredible journey to save the free men and women of Middle Earth. It tells the riveting story of Sam and Frodo’s friendship, tested by Gollum (Andy Serkis), as they seek the end of their quest. Meanwhile, Aragorn’s rise to his destiny as a king is shown through his leadership in battles that determine the fate of the realm.

The soundtrack composed by Howard Shore is incredible and won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Grammy Award all for Best Original Score. Every song corresponds seamlessly with the scene, and adds feelings of triumph, sadness, despair, love, and even comic relief.

Along with the soundtrack, the sound effects brought the visuals to life. Every time Legolas (Orlando Bloom) fires an arrow, there is a sharp sound as it flies through the air and eviscerates his enemy, bringing the viewer right into the battle.

Visually, this film brought a plethora of emotions as it was filmed in the beautiful plains of New Zealand with mountains, lakes, and valleys stretching as far as the eye could see. On the other hand, the costume designers may have done too good of a job as the Orcs were repulsive and very realistic, along with Gollum, who is depicted as a disgusting creature eating raw fish.

Based directly on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, this film shows the true power of companionship and loyalty through characters’ emotions. By bringing an incredible story to life in such a lively and emotional way, this film totters on the line of perfection and will go down as one of the greatest films ever created.