The Lord of the Rings is treasured all around the world, but Peter Jackson indicated that he may have a favorite movie in his wise and balanced commentary. English high fantasy inventor J.R.R. Tolkien wrote and released The Lord of the Rings, his magnum opus, in three parts between 1954 and 1955. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies adapted them with remarkable faithfulness, all things considered. So, Jackson’s choice of favorite presents an intriguing insight, and may sway those who have debated the best LotR movie for many years.

The original trilogy sits in the Third Age, the best-known area of The Lord of the Rings timeline, which also gave the world The Hobbit movies and the more recent The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. By no means did Jackson stop releasing influential movies after The Return of the King. But the question of when he peaked in the high fantasy genre is still up for debate. The New Zealand director suggested his favorite Lord of the Rings movie, but confirmed that he felt the way many fans feel about this question.

Peter Jackson’s Response To Picking A Favorite Lord Of The Rings Movie Sums Up How So Many Of Us Feel

Peter Jackson Acknowledges That The Movies Bring Unique Value

Jackson reflected the views of what may be most Lord of the Rings movie fans’ favorite. Peter Jackson answered “The Two Towers, I think,” when Letterboxd asked if he had a favorite Lord of the Rings movie, before confirming that if he saw them again, he might have a totally different favorite. By The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ ending, it was clear that it had set a new standard for fantasy. Cinema hadn’t really seen outdoor medieval-style battles of that scale before. It was breathtaking and immersive to a whole new level.

As such, The Two Towers was probably the darkest movie of the trilogy, having to sandwich the story’s grit in between its exposition and the neat tie-up of its threads in the finale. It wasn’t just the battle scenes that were harrowing, with King Théoden’s diseased and oppressed figure slouching into his throne, an unsettling sight for even seasoned horror fans. But it was in this fire that The Lord of the Rings’ best characters had their weirdest and most wonderful moments together, having spent the first movie getting introduced.

Saruman, one of the most evil characters in The Lord of the Rings, found a new groove in The Two Towers. The movie documented the rise of Saruman with devastating precision, his gigantic Uruk-hai clawing their way out of gelatinous birth sacks that were as much sci-fi shock as they were high fantasy horror. However, each movie in the trilogy brought something unique and equally valuable. There is a best Lord of the Rings movie for every mood, and each new movie marathon could bring a new favorite to the table.

Why Choosing A Favorite Lord Of The Rings Movie Is So Difficult

Each Lord Of The Rings Movie Is Very Different

As is the case with Peter Jackson, most people would struggle to pick a favorite Lord of the Rings movie, which is because they are all so different, and all essential parts of the whole trilogy. Released in 2001, the epic first movie in the trilogy introduced the members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Nobody could forget the soaring theme of Howard Shore’s “Concerning Hobbits” swooping into play as the gorgeous Shire came into view. The four Hobbits would never have seemed so out of place or far from home in The Two Towers without the beauty of these scenes.

The vital explanation made by the first movie led to a solid second, which dived deeper into the established friendships. But by The Return of the King, the stage was set for the spectacular ending that the trilogy needed. With the stakes high, the danger posed to the Fellowship felt real. The final movie brought the trilogy out of the woods and gave it the fairy-tale ending it deserved. All said and done, Jackson said what we were all thinking when he confirmed that the best The Lord of the Rings movie would likely feel different on a rewatch.

Source: Letterboxd