Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons to Watch Lord of the Rings

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish where we get a new topic for a top 10 list.

Anyone who know me knows that my go-to film franchise has and always will be the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Now, I can understand why some people could be put off by the franchise due to it’s length, but I can tell you now once you pass the initial introduction to the world, you will be treated to one heck of an adventure. Here are the reasons I believe you all should watch the Lord of the Rings.

1. New Zealand:

This is self-explanatory but the Lord of the Rings franchise really elevated New Zealand as one of the most stunning places in the world. From the rolling hills, to the rocky mountain tops, we are treated to an abundance of stunning scenery. It also did wonders for New Zealands tourism industry and for many fans, like myself, a trip to The Shire is an immediate must do. I would highly recommend every fan to go on the Hobbiton tour. It’s such a fun and informative experience that further highlights the magic of the franchise.

2. The Soundtrack:

This musical score is an absolute treat to the ears. I will never get enough of the score. The music does wonders to the film and it does a great job at heightening the emotion of a scene. I especially like how each race has it’s own distinct soundtrack and helps solidify the identity of these communities. 

3. Epic Battle Scenes: 

This franchise is riddled with these scenes and each and every single one of them is perfectly executed. The attention to detail in these battle scenes are phenomenal. The scale of these scenes are masterful. I have two favourite battle scenes and coincidentally both of them feature the arrival of the riders of Rohan. The battle scenes also provide some great character moments. 

4. Friendships:

If you take away the orcs, goblins, elves and all magical beings, you will see that the heart of this franchise is rooted in the friendship between the fellowship. Some are comical, like the orc-killing competition between Legolas and Gimli; the banter between Merry and Pippin; but there are also moments that are full of heart, loyalty and honour and really drives home the bond between these characters. 

5. A Sense of Adventure:

Who doesn’t love a good adventure? This franchise embodies that sense of adventure and all the wonders that come with it. 

6. Maps:

Pretty self explanatory, right?

7. Villains: 

We have an array of great villains throughout this journey and every single one of them bring that foreboding sense of danger. You could feel the threat they posed to our character and to the world. More than that, each villain has a layer of depth to them that is fascinating. Take Gollum. A creature that’s so consumed by the power of the ring that it corrupted his entire being. 

8. The unlikeliest of heroes:

In Middle-Earth, Hobbits are the most unassuming of creatures. There’s nothing remarkable about these people. They take comfort in living a quiet life. So for four hobbits to undertake a task that could well and truly change the course of this world is remarkable. Each hobbit has their moment of glory and sometimes a simple act of courage can make a world of difference. The resilience and strength of these characters is phenomenal and it makes you that much more invested in their journey.

9. A Weekend Event: I know the feature length is intimidating but you don’t have to sit through it alone. With The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings films you can easily make a weekend of watching these films. I’ve done it plenty of times and it never gets old. So, gets some friends round, load up on all the yummy snacks you can get and prepare yourself for an epic adventure. 

Those are but a few of the reasons to watch the Lord of the Rings films.
What are your favourite films?