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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Image
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Metascore
94 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 41 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.8 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 1189 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: Sauron's forces have laid siege to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, in their efforts to eliminate the race of men. The once-great kingdom, watched over by a fading steward, has never been in more desperate need of its king. But can Aragorn (Mortensen) answer the call of his heritage and become what he was born to be? In no small measure, the fate of Middle-earth rests on his broad shoulders. (New Line Cinema)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 41
  3. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: David Hunter
    100
    An epic success and a history-making production that finishes with a masterfully entertaining final installment.
  2. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    100
    Like all great fantasies and epics, this one leaves you with the sense that its wonders are real, its dreams are palpable.
  3. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    50
    Add a lot of dull acting -- except Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis -- and you have an uneven movie with yawns aplenty.

See all 41 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 556 out of 654
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 654
  3. Negative: 83 out of 654
  1. rodericrinehart
    10
    Take one of the best books ever written, give a visionary director a limitless budget and a perfect cast, and you will end up with this movie. I will watch this movie with my grandchildren (after we read the books!)… Expand
    • 3 of 3 users said yes
  2. RuisertTheGael
    5
    Well, Jackson managed to not foul this one up quite as bad as Two Towers, but still, it has to pick up and continue all the problems from TT. I was not about to spend decent money on this in a theater, since I pretty much knew it was going to inherit all the junk leftover from TT, and probably add to it. At least it did NOT have Arwen take the sword from Aragorn and show him how to use it right, like I feared it might... Add to that the half dozen or more times when Jackson re-wrote some of the best scenes from the book and pretty much ruined them, well. I'm just glad I can read.… Expand
    • 3 of 23 users said yes
  3. ChristopherE
    3
    Half way through this movie, my girlfriend and I lost interest and started talking instead - luckily, we were at the drive-in.
    • 1 of 29 users said yes

See all 654 User Reviews

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