The next time you have 12 hours to kill, why spend it sitting around when you can be sitting in front of a silver screen? If you’re seeking a challenge — a quest, even — then the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is for you. It has had a special place in the hearts of fantasy fanatics for over 20 years, but as for myself, I’m a brand new fan.

After watching the extended editions of all three films for the first time, I’ve noticed something different in how I watch fantasy films and my new appreciation for the genre. Since the trilogy still holds a massive following decades after its release, I had to scope it out for myself.

The first “Lord of the Rings” film was released in 2001, but our story begins in 1954. J. R. R. Tolkien, a philologist with a love of language, began writing his identically titled novels that exploded in popularity in the 1960s. If you think the films are complex, you aren’t ready for the books, stacked with multiple languages, or “conlangs,” inspired by languages like Old Norse, which Tolkien studied during his university days.

Decades later, director Peter Jackson’s vision to bring the trilogy to theatres has since made history in the film enthusiast communities, most notably for Jackson’s dedication to film the entire trilogy in just 14 months.

In the heart of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, the trilogy begins with “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” The Fellowship is a group of nine individuals, each with their own story to tell. It all starts with little Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), a Hobbit — think first-years but shorter — who is destined to bear a ring with unspeakable power.

Before it gets into the wrong hands, Frodo must destroy the ring. Our hero is accompanied by three fellow Hobbits, a wizard with a tall hat (Ian McKellen), a lone wolf with a secret (Viggo Mortensen), an elf, a dwarf and that one guy from the “One Does Not Simply” meme (Sean Bean).

The Fellowship itself is beautifully introduced throughout the first film, inviting audiences into each member’s motivations and mysteries. The incredibly skilled cast most certainly brings Tolkien’s world to life, and Jackson’s directing skills only enhance the ensemble’s every move. Alongside stunning, award-winning visual effects, Jackson introduces a world beyond imagination throughout the trilogy, and “The Fellowship of the Ring” welcomes viewers into Jackson’s world-building skills in a way that wasn’t overwhelming for my first watch.

The Fellowship’s quest continues in “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” where it ventures into the deep with high spirits and a dash of magic on its side. Such a large ensemble is intimidating at first, but each film’s length gives each Fellowship member — and the dozens of characters beyond the big nine — their own time to shine.

With villains you just love to hate, an evil power — mostly seen throughout the film as an overarching eye — and his ever-growing army of orcs can leave you expecting darkness to undoubtedly take over Middle-earth. But as the lone wolf, Aragorn, reminds us just before an epic battle, “There is always hope.”

The trilogy’s grand finale, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” takes everything you know about Tolkien’s world to an incredibly higher level. Triumphing at over four hours long, “The Return of the King” was the first fantasy film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Arguably Jackson’s best work, this ending makes the context from the first two films worthwhile, and the engaging plot keeps audiences on the edge of their seats the whole time. Backed by impressive production and costume design, as well as plenty of aerial shots, this film values every second of your time.

Is the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy the best film series of all time? To many, yes; others, however, find the series’ length to be uninviting. The runtimes were daunting to me, too, but Jackson’s directing style makes it worth every second.

Extended or not, each film still necessitates some commitment, but this trilogy finds its greatest moments in the journey, not the destination. Because of this, I’ve found myself preferring the extended versions over the original releases, taking in every detail. It takes a creative risk for a director to keep your attention for so long, and it takes an even greater risk to accept such a challenge.

I implore you to take a dive into Jackson’s vision of Middle-earth, from its stacked ensemble to the lengths they would go for the fate of a tiny ring. Every line, every shot and every detail is taken into account for the trilogy’s entirety; everything happens for a reason, and that’s what has kept audiences hooked for decades.

The “Lord of the Rings” community might just have a new member, and they’re still welcoming newcomers, by the way. If you don’t mind, I’ll be reading the books now.