There has always been a healthy debate among fans of theLord of the Ringsover which of Peter Jackson’s three original movies is the best, and a new poll has added another twist to the ongoing argument. There isn’t much to choose between the three movies, since they’re all outstanding fantasy epics, and vital parts of the same story.
When it comes to debatingwhichLord of the Ringsmovie is best, fans of the trilogy often point to individual moments that stand out, like the Ride of the Rohirrim inReturn of the Kingor the ents marching on Isengard inThe Two Towers.Since each movie has its fair share of memorable scenes, someone’s favorite always comes down to personal taste.
The Fellowship Of The Ring Is The Only Lord Of The Rings Movie In The New York Times' Ranking Of The Best Movies Of The 21st Century
The Two Towers And Return Of The King Were Snubbed
TheNew York Times recently ran a pollto rank the 100 best movies of the 21st century, andThe Fellowship of the Ringwas the onlyLord of the Ringsmovie that made the cut,sitting at number 87. This might come as a surprise to some, considering the fact thatReturn of the Kingwas the one that received all the Oscar glory andThe Two Towersis just as good.
How The Lord Of The Rings Movies Compare On Different Review Aggregation Websites
The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
92%
8.9
9.4
95%
8.8
9.3
The Return of the King (2003)
94%
9.0
9.2
The New York Times polled more than 500 actors, directors and other notable names in the movie industry, asking them each to nominate 10 films for their ranking. The movies with the most nominations were then ranked to create the final list of 100, with Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winnerParasitetaking the top spot.
Our Take On The New York Times' Poll Ranking Fellowship Above Other LOTR Movies
There Are Some Key Reasons Why The Other Movies Didn’t Make The Cut
The methodology of the New York Times poll could help explain whyFellowship of the Ringis the onlyLord of the Ringsmovie on the list. Since participants could only list 10 movies, it’s possible that some people chose to nominateFellowshipas a way of recognizing the entire trilogy without using up three of their picks.
Looking at the rest of the list,there aren’t very many franchise movies at all. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, Steven Soderbergh’sOcean’s Elevenand George Miller’sMad Max: Fury Roadare some notable exceptions, but they are each widely regarded as the standouts in their own franchises. TheLord of the Ringsmovies are more evenly respected.
Another important factor that might explain the New York Times' ranking is the simple fact that it’s a poll of industry insiders, not the general public.If the poll was open to anyone, theLord of the Ringsmovies would be prime candidates for a boosted ranking, possibly at the expense of more niche and experimental films likeToni ErdmannandThe Gleaners and I.
Ultimately, one ranking will never be enough to definitively resolve the debate over the bestLord of the Ringsmovie. The entire trilogy should be appreciated as a whole, and each movie has its particular strengths.Fellowshipis an immaculate way to start a series, but Peter Jackson sustains the quality right until the end.
