7. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
The Complicated Plot: Deep in the fires of Mount Doom, an evil wizard-type person called Sauron forges "The One Ring," an artefact of immense, destructive power. During a great battle though, Sauron is defeated, and the One Ring - after thousands of years - eventually falls into the hands of a hobbit named Frodo Baggins. It's up to Frodo and his companions to take the One Ring deep into Mordor and back to Mount Doom where it can be destroyed in the fires it was forged within, 'less Sauron returns and enslaves the world. Trust me: it's a long, arduous journey.
The Incredibly Simple Solution: Don't worry, I'm not going to go on about the Eagles and how they could've been utilised to get the Ring back to Mount Doom, because - frankly - that's been done to death, and I'm not really a bird person. What I will talk about, though, is another point in these movies that often gets overlooked, and one where everything could have been swiftly prevented, had
somebody had the balls to stand up for themselves when it really mattered. I'm talking about Elrond, of course, King of the Elves, a character who could have ensured the One Ring was destroyed thousands of years before any of the movies happened and lots of people died. Remember the scene in
Fellowship that Elrond mentions to Gandalf to explain how "weak" men are, and how they can't be trusted? He explains that he was in attendance during that ancient battle where Sauron fell, and followed Isildur, the King of Gondor, up into the fires of Mount Doom, where they intended to destroy the Ring. Isildur, of course, has already been affected by its power, and refuses to destroy it. And what does Elrond do? Nothing. He just lets Isildur walk down from Mount Doom and go about his business, firm in the knowledge that the Ring has
already taken ahold of his friend. He doesn't try to get it from him, or threaten to knock him off the edge into the fire, which is
all he had to do. I mean, we're talking the most dangerous item in the entire world here, not some trinket with invisibility powers. C'mon: this is not the sort of thing you let back into society. Thousands of people died, like, ten minutes before this scene took place so that Sauron and the One Ring could be destroyed - Elrond is just going to let this dude go home with that evil smirk on his face? So if men are weak, what does that make Elrond? Responsible for
everything bad that ever happened, I think. Not just in this world, but in
all the worlds ever created by anyone. That's how mad I am right now.