Every Best Picture Oscar Movie Winner Of 21st Century Ranked Worst To Best

Should have won!

The final chapter of Peter Jackson’s seminal adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels, The Return of the King swept all 11 Oscar categories it was nominated for, and though it’s easy to see this as the Academy honouring the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in one go, it’s even easier to see why voters were so enamoured with it.

Bringing all of Jackson’s skills together in one four-hour extravaganza, Return has everything that continues to make The Lord of the Rings such a draw, from pulverising battle sequences laced with feelings of fear and hope, to intimate character work that allows its most unassuming players to become the heroes they were always destined to be.

Balancing horror, towering set pieces, and a scattered ensemble with impressive dexterity, Return may have one (or three) too many endings for everyone’s tastes, but its propulsive action beats and emotional highs are too powerfully executed to deny.

The Return of the King - and The Lord of the Rings as a whole - is a blockbuster we’ve rarely seen surpassed since its release, and looking back it’s such a joy to see it receive such acclaim.