Silmarillion: War of the Jewels

War of the Jewels is a 2018 epic high fantasy adventure film written by Guillermo Del Toro, David Benioff, Vanessa Taylor & Bryan Cogman. Directed by Guillermo Del Toro it is the first of a three-part film based on material from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. Along with it's two following instalments: Loss of the Silmaril (2019) and Expulsion of Morgoth (2020) serve as prequels to the previous Peter Jackson Middle-Earth series The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

It stars Manu Bennett, Logan Lerman, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Anna Paquin, Michael Hurst and Ian McKellan.

Principal Photograph spanned from Wingnut Studios sets in Wellington, New Zealand and across the previous Middle-Earth shooting locations from the previous films of the franchise.

Released theatrically and in IMAX theatres on April 20th, 2018.

Plot

A prologue tells of the creation of Middle-Earth also deemed Arda and it's initial inhabitants the Maiar which over millennium would go on to take corporeal form as the Wizards and Lord Melkor.

In the stronghold of Formenos in the First Age Melkor along with the head of his demonic creation the Balrogs: Gothmog launch an assault on the House of Feanor and kill the High King and his kingdom waiting on the return of Prince Feanor. Assisted by an army of orcs, goblins and Gothmog Melkor steals three powerful jewels known collectively as the Silmarils. Feonar upon return declares war on Melkor to exact vengeance and reclaim the three jewels.

With this Feonar begins assembling an army that over time, once ready will lay seige to Melkor in Mordor, he determines to secure his success that the third of his seven sons: Celegorm will be raised in training by the powerful Orome.

The family is disbanded, Celegorm's six other brothers dispatched to various locations across Middle-Earth to ensure the survival of their bloodline.

Celegorm completes his training with Orome who escorts him to Beleriand to reunite with his father, there he is met by his poet brother Maglor, who has come to confront their father following the death of their mother. Feonor tells his sons that the one of the three jewels taken by Melkor has been discovered to be in the elven realm of Doriath. Celegorm and Maglor are integrated into their father's now complete army The Silmarillion: to be led by Celegorm and Elenwa: a woman whose family was lost to Melkor's forces.

The army launch a practice attack on the Orc stronghold of the High Pass in the Misty Mountains. Four brother soldiers are lost in the fight, one dying in Maglor's arms prompting his disbanding, to align with the rest of the seven sons set against their father's unjust declaration of war. Celegorm, Elenwa and the remaining Silmarillion press on to Doriath and are met there by the King Thingol, who offers them stay at their kingdom, unaware of their plan to reclaim a Silmaril from there location.

Maglor arrives in Himlad to meet with brother Curufin, a master jewel smith and the favourite son. Luthien the daughter of King Thingol is held at ransom by Elenwa and Celegorm to prompt his co-operation.

Master Orome returns to the forests he had trained Celegorm in and is met by Gandalf the Grey. The two are then soon ascended on by Melkor's Orcs forces and corrupted animals tear Orome to pieces as Gandalf fends them off as Melkor arrives, accompanied by his new creation: a gigantic spider entitled Ungoliant, which drains the two trees of the forest used to create the Silmaril Jewels of their life.

In Doriath Gothmog arrives with Orc Goblin Golfimbul and his factions destroying the kingdom as Celegorm and Elenwa discover the first jewel hidden deep in the chasms beneath the Doriath kingdom. The battle only ends as Gandalf arrives with Maglor, Curufin and his Himlad forces. Golfimbul is slain by Maglor and Luthien while the Silmarillion, led by Celegorm and Elenwa are critically injured by Gothmog, who is driven back by Gandalf with the aid of Curufin.

In Hilmad the remaining Silmarillion heal as King Thingol chastises the army for destroying his kingdom. Celegorm, Maglor and Curufin after audience with Gandalf make a plan to align with their other scattered brothers, finish their battle and cut their ties to their destructively driven father. Celegorm presents the jewel, and after checking in with his army and the rapidly healing Elenwa, sees a frightening apparition of his deceased mother.

The ending shows Melkor watching through the jewel Celegorm as Ungoliant in the caves near Mordor begins to enlarge and devours the Orc watchers assigned to her, and Gothmog creates a collective of Balrog's to follow.

Cast

• Manu Bennett as Celegorm
• Logan Lerman as Maglor
• Keisha Castle-Hughes as Elenwa
• Rose Byrne as Luthien
• Connor Paolo as Curufin
• Earl Cameron as Orome
• Grant Bowler as King Feanor
• James Cosmo as King Thingol
• Anna Paquin as Varda
• Michael Hurst as Maeglin
• Ian McKellan as Gandalf The Grey
• Jemaine Clement as Antuil
• Cliff Curtis as Dolmain
• Melanie Lynskey as Taurth
• Jane Champion as Dirga
• Daniel Gillies as Letton
• Kerry Fox as Unaba
• Alan Dale as Highsmith
• KJ Apa as The Youngbred
• Lee Tamahori as The Wiseman
• Clive Revill as The Old King Finwe
• Lucy Lawless as Nerdanel
• Charles Dance as Alatar The Blue
• Tom Wilkinson as Pallando The Blue
• Tom Berenger as Melkor The Dark Lord