8 Reasons Its Tough to Watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy Today

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Few fantasy movies have matched the quality of Peter Jackson’s famous Lord of the Rings trilogy. J.R.R. Tolkien’s books established the fantasy genre over 70 years ago, but it was Jackson’s films that truly popularized it, introducing a wide audience to the detailed world of Middle-earth and the story of Frodo Baggins.

Despite being released 25 years ago and spawning numerous spin-offs, a successful TV show, and even a new sequel, The Hunt for Gollum, Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films are beginning to show their age. While still classics, revisiting these beloved blockbusters reveals a few areas where they haven’t held up as well over time.

Adapting The Lord of the Rings into three films from its nearly 1,000-page book was an incredibly difficult task, but Peter Jackson succeeded in bringing the story to life. While he did a great job of summarizing the plot, some fans were disappointed by the removal of certain scenes and details. Focusing on the core characters and action was likely more important than including every bit of background information about the world and its history.

Saruman’s death in the film was altered to align with his character, showing him killed by his weak servant, Wormtongue, at the top of Orthanc. The books spent a whole chapter detailing the rebuilding of the Shire after the war, a scene that was noticeably missing from the movie. Removing this felt wrong, as themes of restoration and rebuilding were always important in Tolkien’s stories. With The Rings of Power now expanding on the world of The Lord of the Rings, the absence of these elements feels even more significant.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy was groundbreaking for its stunning visuals, achieved through a combination of traditional effects, models, and innovative computer-generated imagery. The Fellowship of the Ring relied on CGI only when absolutely needed, keeping it simple. The Two Towers then took things much further, especially with the epic Battle of Helm’s Deep and the incredibly realistic character of Gollum – a performance largely due to the skill of actor Andy Serkis.

While groundbreaking for its time, the visual effects in The Return of the King haven’t aged particularly well. Scenes like the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the Army of the Dead, and the city of Gondor, which heavily depended on CGI, now appear excessive and outdated. Even a moment like Gollum’s fall into Mount Doom, despite Andy Serkis’s brilliant performance, feels awkward and detracts from the scene. What was once impressive now looks clumsy by today’s standards.

J.R.R. Tolkien created many characters, both male and female, but his male characters generally took center stage. He could have given his female characters more independence and power instead of portraying them as almost god-like figures, like Galadriel, Lúthien, and Arwen. Peter Jackson’s film adaptations didn’t really address this imbalance. While Éowyn had a moment of strength saving Frodo, much of her story focused on romance.

Galadriel often represents an idealized version of womanhood, which feels unnecessary given the strength and complexity of women who’ve truly made a difference. Éowyn’s defeat of the Witch-king is presented as being because she’s a woman, suggesting any woman could have achieved the same victory. Overall, the women in The Lord of the Rings are largely confined to supporting roles – as wives, lovers, or helpers. Even Éowyn, despite her heroic act, gets caught up in a romantic storyline focused on her unreturned feelings for Aragorn.

Claiming Tolkien was a product of his time doesn’t excuse the problematic, colonial perspective present in his work. The Elves, despite being portrayed as kind, are overwhelmingly depicted as white, and the attempt to address this with the character of Arondir felt like a belated fix. In fact, the races of Middle-earth – Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, and Men – are all presented as white, with no main heroes of color.

To highlight the contrast between good and evil, Tolkien portrayed the Haradrim and Easterlings – two groups of people who allied with Sauron – as weak and ineffective villains. He associated them with darker complexions and hair, positioning them as the opposite of the ‘pure’ peoples of the West.

Peter Jackson made his movie trilogy tighter for theaters by cutting scenes he felt weren’t essential to the main story. He later put many of those scenes back in for the extended editions, which are about two hours longer overall. You might think these longer versions would be readily available on streaming services, but that’s not always true.

Although director’s cuts sometimes appear on streaming services, the standard theatrical versions are far more common. It’s frustratingly unpredictable when the longer, extended editions will be available. While fans can buy them on Ultra HD Blu-ray, that adds an extra cost that many might not want to pay. Viewers deserve to be able to easily access the complete versions of these films, and it shouldn’t be so difficult when streaming is usually so convenient.

The popularity of The Lord of the Rings has led to a common issue for large franchises: too much content. While the original movies were hugely successful and remain popular, the constant stream of new releases – like War of the Rohirrim – keeps the franchise visible. However, The Rings of Power is likely the biggest reason fans are feeling overwhelmed.

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy has become a constant source of jokes, allusions, and analysis in the media and among fans. Even people who haven’t seen the movies are likely familiar with the story thanks to the countless memes and references online. The major plot points – like Gandalf’s return, Boromir’s fall, and Frodo destroying the Ring – have been so widely shared that they’ve lost their ability to surprise audiences, becoming ingrained in popular culture for years.

Even though revisiting The Lord of the Rings will likely still be enjoyable in 2025, people discovering it now face a different situation. Fantasy storytelling has changed a lot since Peter Jackson’s films, and today’s best fantasy often challenges traditional tropes. Shows like House of the Dragon demonstrate this shift by immediately presenting intricate worlds with varied beliefs and moral codes, mirroring the complexities of the real world through fantasy.

Many find that The Lord of the Rings lacks the nuance of modern storytelling. Its characters are often too clearly good or evil, which doesn’t feel realistic to today’s audiences. Contemporary fantasy, like The Green Knight, is moving away from simple archetypes and embracing more complex, blended genres. As a result, The Lord of the Rings doesn’t feel as fresh or original as it once did.

Remakes are a huge trend in media right now, and it’s become a frustrating topic for many. Instead of taking risks on original ideas, studios often choose to revive existing successes, leading to a lot of unnecessary reboots. For example, a new Harry Potter TV series is in the works, retelling the same story as the films, but promising a closer match to the books. Plus, Disney continues to release live-action versions of their animated classics, even though many fans haven’t requested them.

Another adaptation of The Lord of the Rings seems improbable, especially considering the numerous spin-offs already created. Even the thought of a reboot is unappealing. Fans are already grappling with fading memories of the original films, which adds pressure to how people should experience the trilogy. Some want a reboot to fix perceived flaws, while others want the original left untouched. This conflict between wanting something new and preserving a beloved classic turns The Lord of the Rings into a point of contention for the future of fantasy films, and it can make rewatching the originals less enjoyable.

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2026-03-13 14:37