Why 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy Is Still Perfect for Today

8 'The Lord of the Rings' Is Refreshingly Unashamed of Its Source Material

One of the hallmarks of our present age of IP-based projects is that those who adapt earnest, high-concept source material are either somewhat ashamed of it or feel the need to adjust it in order to be taken seriously. You see this a lot in superhero/comic book-based productions and especially in the sci-fi/fantasy realm. Yet, Peter Jackson was quite earnest in his adaptation of Tolkien's work, refusing to cut the tension with constant jokes or irreverent humor. This isn't to say that Middle-earth didn't have levity, just that it was blended expertly with the larger mythological world.

Likewise, Jackson never felt the need to over-explain to the audience why Tolkien's high-fantasy world works, only showing that it does. It's because of his genuine love for the material (clearly seen in his attention to small details), that it so effortlessly works on-screen. It also helped that many of the cast members had read Tolkien's books, and Christopher Lee (Saruman himself) was an outspoken lover of the professor's legendarium — and even met Tolkien back in the day. No doubt, the enthusiasm on set contributed to what we see on screen.

7 The Perfect Blend of CGI and Practical Effects

This one pretty much speaks for itself, but in an age where CGI is overused (or used poorly), AI-generated material has begun to replace digital artists (and other aspects of film production), and many special effects sequences fall flat due to a lack of time (or funds) allocated to those over-worked behind the monitor, The Lord of the Rings is refreshing in its commitment to blending practical and digital effects. Indeed, it doesn't just use both styles, it excels at combining them so seamlessly that, on occasion, it's hard to tell which is which.

Take Treebeard (John Rhys-Davies), for instance. There was a practical Treebeard used in the production of The Two Towers that still looks impeccable to this day, but elsewhere in the film, the Ents are made of CGI. Additionally, Gollum (Andy Serkis) still looks pretty great after all these years, as do some of the other fantastical creatures that appear throughout the three pictures. The in-camera force perspective techniques are quite masterful, as are the miniatures that look larger-than-life on the big screen.

6 The Trilogy Honors Its Female Characters

When perusing Tolkien's original novel, it's pretty clear that very few of the female characters have much to do. This is not, of course, to downplay their importance in the larger narrative, but considering how many characters exist in The Lord of the Rings novels, it's understandable that some would be more important than others. Peter Jackson's blockbuster take on the tale gives agency to its female heroines, with Éowyn (Miranda Otto) obviously being the standout. Yet, even with Éowyn receiving a larger role in the films, she never comes across as overly "girlbossy" compared to many modern action characters. She's strong, but still quite feminine.

Likewise, Arwen (Liv Tyler) is given a far larger role in the trilogy than she ever was in the books, as Jackson expands on the romance between Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and his Elven lady. Considering Tolkien restricts their tale to the appendix of his series, it's a welcome change that helps up to better sympathize with him and see her as a fiercesome force on her own. Cate Blanchett's Galadriel is another who more than lives up to her book character — and far surpasses anything we've seen with her on The Rings of Power...

5 Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings' Still Feels Like Tolkien's World

Echoing our previous statement about Jackson's earnestness in his desire to bring Tolkien's world to life, The Lord of the Rings is quite cautious in the way it handles the original material. Of course, there are differences. Tom Bombadill and those chapters are famously removed (though apparently they will be explored on-screen soon) and the "Scouring of the Shire" is axed completely. Nevertheless, the world of Middle-earth itself remains intact (as does its history), no matter how much modern culture has changed since he wrote the books.

My point here is that everything that would undoubtedly have been done differently today was done with the utmost respect for the original work. Jackson was not trying to usurp the different cultures and landscapes that Tolkien had crafted, each based on different nations, cultures, regions, and ethnicities. It, generally speaking, still looks and feels like Middle-earth. In fact, for many, it's become the definitive take on the material.

4 The Extended Editions Fit Perfectly Into Our Bingeing Culture

While some have argued that the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings films make it difficult to regularly revisit them, the truth is that perhaps your priorities are out of wack. In our modern world of streaming and binging, it's common for many to binge entire television shows, miniseries, or movie series in a single night, let alone over the course of a weekend or a week. In our home, The Lord of the Rings is at least a yearly (if not more) adventure for us — and it's far better than most of the shows out there anyway.

The Lord of the Rings is a great binge, only taking 9 to 10 hours for the theatrical cuts and 11 hours for the superior extended editions. The extra hour or two won't kill you, and you get to spend more time in Middle-earth! That's really not too bad when you think about it. In fact, if you have the trilogy on DVD or Blu-ray, you can even split it up by disc to enjoy the series over six nights. You'll appreciate it far more than whatever show on Netflix or movie on Prime Video you were going to watch with your phone in hand anyhow.

3 'The Lord of the Rings' Is Just As Beloved Today As 25 Years Ago

Despite the existence of Peter Jackson's inferior The Hobbit trilogy or the other spin-off projects either in the works or currently available, The Lord of the Rings is just as popular today as it was when it first hit theaters. It's recent 25th anniversary return to the cinema proves as much, as does Warner Bros. continued interest in milking the franchise with installments like the animated War of the Rohirrim or the upcoming Hunt for Gollum interquel. But putting those aside, our culture still gravitates to The Lord of the Rings. It's still the fantasy series we compare all others — film or television alike — to.

Of course, just because something is popular doesn't mean that it's good. However, The Lord of the Rings has the critical and audience acclaim to back up its continued persistence at the forefront of modern pop culture. Even when folks come out with contrarian opinions that Game of Thrones is the superior fantasy masterwork, everybody knows deep-down that it has nothing on The Lord of the Rings. For many of us, we'd rather be relaxing with Hobbits in the Shire or watching the Battle at Helm's Deep — or any of the trilogy's most epic battles — for the hundredth time.

2 Tolkien's Moral Clarity Is Refreshing In Our Modern Fantasy Landscape

It's not uncommon these days for fantasy tales to be morally convoluted. With no clear heroes or villains, Game of Thrones is once such high-fantasy epic that revels in a world where morality is somewhat relative. But because of his devout Catholic faith, Tolkien couldn't stomach the thought himself. The Lord of the Rings may appear outdated to some because of its moral clarity on matters of good and evil, but it's exactly the type of certainty that we need nowadays — and this trilogy has it in spades. It's not only refreshing, but it's a comfort that even in the darkest times, good will always prevail.

Sauron and his forces are unequivocally sinister, the Fellowship is a strong force for good. There is no middle ground as Middle-earth unites against a common foe. Of course, this isn't to say that there isn't any moral complexity within Jackson's adaptation. Gollum wrestles with his old-self and his corrupted nature, Boromir (Sean Bean) stumbles due to his temptation (but ultimately redeems himself), and even Frodo (Elijah Wood) briefly succumbs to the power of the One Ring. Tolkien was always aware that evil exists in all, but his emphasis on the ability for good to triumph in the end is simply perfection.

1 While Not a Perfect Adaptation, It Is Spiritually Consistent With Tolkien's Work

Once again, we have to acknowledge that Peter Jackson doesn't do everything right in regard to adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork. Several important characters are missing from Middle-earth, certain events are ignored or skipped over, and Sauron isn't actually a giant, flaming eye. Frankly, a multi-season television series would probably do Tolkien's books more justice. But for the time constraints that Jackson had, he and screenwriters Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Stephen Sinclair, were able to do the impossible and capture the spirit of what made Tolkien's material so memorable and distill it into an 11-hour epic. That's no small feat.

Sure, many Tolkien diehards and purists will likely have a few bones to pick with the director and his crew, but for the most part, Jackson miraculously brings the world of Middle-earth to life in a way that no one has truly been able to replicate (not even himself). Part of what makes the trilogy so impactful is that Tolkien's deeply Christian themes of good versus evil, the triumph of nobility, honor, friendship and loyalty, and even mercy are all incorporated throughout the films. Even if certain characters borrow lines originally spoken by others, these changes are made intentionally and in a way that remains true to the essence of the professor's material.