The Ringwraiths play such a big role in the film because they are the nine kings of men, who are hunting for the ring. The power draws them to it. The Ringwraiths used to be the nine kings of men, normal people, until Sauron gave them all rings of power, which corrupted them and made them evil. The Ringwraiths are the main source of fear as everything despises of them.
The Ringwraiths are very tall and unknown. This is because no-one has seen their faces as they are hidden under thick black hoods. They have long jet-black robes which sweep along the floor. Underneath all of their garments they wear chilling, plated armour, covering their whole bodies. This makes the audience scared, and feel intimidated by such large and daunting figures.
The movement of the Ringwraiths is swift and makes you feel as if they are actually gliding over the floor. The effect of this makes the audience unnerved because this is so unnatural.
When we are first introduced to the Ringwraiths it is the scene which starts with all the four hobbits on top of a hill. The day is bright and sunny. This has the audience feeling cheerful and relaxed, making them want to enjoy the hobbits laughing and having fun. The next thing we see is all of the hobbits fall down the hill to the bottom on a pathway. The weather changes from good to ghastly in an instant. Automatically this gives the audience a feeling that something is not quite right. The hobbits seem oblivious to this and one of them notices some mushrooms on the side of the path. He calls out to the others to join him but Frodo stands still. He is the one with a very bad feeling. Frodo peers up and down the murky road and then turns round to the others and says “get off the road”. At this point the special effects are used on the pathway which gives a distressing feeling that something catastrophic is about to happen. Now Frodo shouts to tell the other hobbits to get off the road. This time, hearing the urgency, they listen to him and hide under the roots of a huge tree. For the next five seconds there is absolute silence. This pause is for the audience to hold their breath. The Ringwraith comes up on his horse and as the camera angle is coming from the floor the Ringwraith looks formidable and daunting. As a first impression of them they seem like the root of all evil and you actually see all the creatures of the forest turning tail and run away from these beasts. The audience may be feeling afraid for the hobbits, praying that they will not be seen. After a few moments one of the hobbits causes a distraction and the Ringwraith tears off.
The Ringwraiths are as silent as a cemetery, but move with the speed of a hawk and the agility of a fox. The only sound to be heard from them is the piercing scream, which shatters glass, deafens ear drums and crumbles rock. Usually the Ringwraiths travel together to make them look and feel more destructive.
They have no fear of anything except maybe of Sauron. Everything that is alive will run, no matter how big or small it is. This could make the audience feel even more frightened and maybe slightly awed by the power of this ferocious beast. When the hobbits are hidden under the tree, all the bugs and insects clamber over each other to escape from the Ringwraith. At this point everyone in the auditorium feels utterly repulsed by watching all these creatures scarpering from such evil.
The wringraiths are a very powerful character to use in a film and in lord of the rings the part they play is vital to the way the film will work. They have to make sure that they are not overplayed or underplayed so as to give the perfect amount of fear, awe and curiosity. Peter Jackson has clearly put a lot of effort into making the wringraiths so life like and enticing which makes it even better that the parts are played so well. Even thought the black riders are not real, the audience still wonder about them and have so many unanswered question which will never be answered, even when they have left the film behind them.