The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an undeniable masterpiece. And while virtually every facet of its production is praiseworthy, we have to give a special mention to the acting. It is not typically singled out when praising LOTR, as the praise often goes to the spectacle and visual effects. But man, if these actors don't nail their respective characters.
Elijah Wood had a monumental task in portraying Frodo, but he managed to pull it off with incredible grace. Within Elijah Wood, we were watching Frodo Baggins brought to life. And it was magnificent. These are ten Frodo mannerisms from the books that Elijah Wood absolutely nailed.
His Innocence
At the beginning of the story, Frodo is just like any other hobbit - perfectly happy within the Shire and loved by (most) around him. He leads a happy life with his "Uncle" Bilbo, and he seems content leading a slow but happy life. This is perfectly portrayed at the beginning of the movie. Elijah wonderfully captures Frodo's innocence, whether it's being happy to see Gandalf riding down a path or merrily dancing at Bilbo's birthday party. Within Elijah's performance, we see a happy hobbit.
His Reluctance
One of the biggest and most important aspects of Frodo's character is that he DOESN'T want to be the hero. In most fantasy stories, the hero wishes above all else to be the hero - to slay the dragon, to rescue the princess, to save the kingdom, etc. But Frodo subverts all that. He doesn't want to leave the Shire, he doesn't want to be the hero, and he certainly doesn't want to walk into any sort of danger. He ultimately does, and he's brave enough to do so. But he doesn't want to. It's an important and tricky balancing act, and Elijah Wood conveys it beautifully.
His Sense Of Danger
From the very beginning, Frodo seemed to be the only hobbit taking the quest seriously. Yes, Sam was also serious about it, but he was always in the service of Frodo. And it is Frodo who has the sense of danger. While on the road, it's Frodo who tells his fellow hobbits to get off the road before the Ringwraith shows up. And in the Prancing Pony, it's Frodo who notices Aragorn in the corner and grows concerned over his mysterious aura. You can tell that Frodo will do anything to protect the ring, and he knows that he's in some very real danger in protecting it.
His Protective Qualities
The fellowship proves to be a major test for Frodo and his convictions. Frodo is the sole ring bearer, and as such, it is up to him to keep the ring safe and prevent it from falling into the hands of his friends. His mettle is tested with Boromir, who wishes to take the ring back to Gondor to aid in their fight against Sauron and Mordor.
Throughout his time with Boromir, Frodo is extremely hesitant about his intentions. He wants to trust Boromir, but he cannot. And Elijah Wood perfectly conveys this mixing of trust, hesitance, and straight-up refusal.
Seeing Himself In Gollum
Frodo sees a lot of himself in Gollum, and that is perfectly conveyed through wordless expressions from Elijah Wood. Gollum was once a hobbit just like him, and like Gollum, Frodo can feel himself being seduced by the One Ring. By The Two Towers, Frodo is in the throes of his lust for the ring, and he quickly begins to feel pity for Gollum and his plight. While Sam antagonizes Gollum, Frodo shows remorse and pity, treating Gollum like the ruined hobbit that he is rather than the heartless monster that Sam sees him as.
His Slipping
By the end of The Two Towers, Frodo begins slipping into madness and complete seduction. This is wonderfully portrayed during the Osgiliath scene when the Nazgul attacks the city and Frodo attempts to put on the ring. When he is prevented from doing so by Sam, he whips out Needle and lets out an ominous roar, a clear indication that he is turning on Sam and being seduced by the powers of the Ring. It's arguably one of Elijah's strongest moments, and it conveys just how far Frodo is falling.
His Defeat
Throughout the story, Frodo genuinely believes that he cannot complete the quest. To him, it was a noble effort that has simply failed. This feeling of complete defeat and exhaustion is once again captured in the Osgiliath sequence. Immediately after holding the sword to Sam's throat, Frodo drops the sword in pained acknowledgment and tells Sam that he "can't do this" anymore. It takes a rousing speech from Sam to get Frodo back on his feet, and even then he seems hesitant about their success.
His Total Exhaustion
We don't think we've ever seen a portrayal of exhaustion quite like Elijah Wood in Return of the King. The sequence where he and Sam are climbing Mount Doom is a masterclass in makeup and acting, as we truly feel Frodo's complete physical and mental exhaustion.
His skin is dirty and soot-filled, his lips are cracked and dry, and he can barely open his eyes or squeak out words. We genuinely think they were starving and prohibiting Elijah Wood from drinking water because it was that convincing.
His Yielding To Temptation
Perhaps the most important aspect of Frodo's character is that he doesn't succeed in his mission. Yes, he gets the ring to the Cracks of Doom, but it is there that he finally yields to the power of the ring and claims it for himself. And this moment is simply breathtaking in the movies. We see Elijah's expression change from struggling with the ring to grudging defeat, and when he claims the ring for himself, he gives Sam the most sinister of smiles before slipping it on his finger. It's a glorious bit of acting, and it gives us chills every single time.
Leaving Middle-Earth
The Lord of the Rings captures the bittersweet feeling like no other piece of literature. Yes, Frodo and company are successful in their quest to destroy the ring, but at a major cost to Frodo. He is not congratulated, he is not seen as a hero, and he never fully recovers from the trauma of carrying the ring or being injured in the process. Elijah magnificently conveys Frodo's mixed feelings of contentment and restlessness, and his goodbye look towards Sam, Merry, and Pippin makes us cry buckets every single time.