This is the best movie ever made.

Forget that stupid Nicole Kidman movie. This is the best pic of the year. Period.

Easily, easily, easily, easily the best movie of 2003. There was an unbelievable amount of hype prior to this movie release, and I must say that ROTK is one of the few (if not the only) movie that has been able to stand up to the hype and actually surpass expectations. Tolkien wrote to transform reality into fantasy, and in the process, make comments about human society. Naturally, as a film director, Jackson's motivations are different, but he still manages to create a fantasy for the viewer that is all-encompassing. That said, I won't hold my breath for the "Academy" to reward this movie with its duly deserved Picture of the Year. But if you value the LOTR trilogy like I do, I am sure Oscars, Grammys, Emmys and the such are pretty meaningless to you. Sometimes they get it right (Saving Private Ryan) but too often, they do not (Chicago?). Simply put, ROTK owns.… Expand

An excellent film. Storyline is just incredible. Very artistic. However, I would have gave it a 9.5 because of one simple annoyance: the ending. This movie as like 5 endings! Other than that, it is a masterpiece.

Peter Jackson has created the cinematic event of our lifetime! Jackson's masterful interpretation of Tolkien's epic trilogy is visceral, ethereal, and surreal. However, this is film is anchored with analogies to dilemnas that face our own human existence; love, war, hate, greed, friendship, power, and the struggle of good against evil. The cinematography is incredible, the screenwriting is brilliant, the acting is superb, and the post production work is flawless. This is a truly inspired film that is logistically beyond comprehension. As a filmmaker, Peter Jackson has set, raised, and elevated the bar at a level in which a precious few in the industry have ever achieved! Jackson has insured Tolkien's legacy...creating his own in the process. … Expand

This movie is the bomb! All three were awesome. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! Anyone who did not enjoy these movies have no taste at all. Orlando Bloom is so hot, with his bow and arrow...he shot one right through my heart! And all of the rest of the cast were just amazing. Brimming with talent.

Nevermind, I was wrong. This is one of the greatest movies ever made. Breathtaking in scope and design, it will be a classic, watched by millions for decades to come.

Hands down this has been the best set of movies (both as a whole AND independently) I've seen to date, and had this final installment been a flop, all the work done before this point would have mounted to nothing. Luckily for all of us who have obsessed over Peter Jackson and his fellowship, he's saved the best for last! I hope Peter and all those involved get the respect they SO deserve come Oscar night! … Expand

Wow! The third LOTR movie is definitely the best. Battle scenes are amazing, the acting is near perfect and the runtime is just okay (doesn't feel like 3+ hours). I'll be waiting for The Hobbit, Mr. Jackson!

How often do you come across film reviews that use "dazzling synthesis of pagan animism, heroic quest mythology, orientalism, Pre Raphaelite imagery, 1950's creature feature and Hollywood war epic" all to descibe a film that you can enjoy at the local multiplex? I am pleased to have an "epic" (and a trilogy no less!) worthy as my parents stories of seeing the glory of "Fiddler on the Roof" and "The Ten Commandments" on the big screen or "Singing in the Rain" playing for two years at (Grauman's/Mann's) Chinese in Hollywood. I was afraid that "The Return" would falter and turn into sequels of great movies past (Godfather III, Aliens with exponents, Star Wars prequels, Jack Nicholson retreads) but The Lord of the Rings trilogy are legends, collectively and individually. And yes, thank God it's 3 hrs. long! I can't wait for the extended version on DVD with bathroom breaks:) Hope the Academy has afew statues for the "Kiwi Three" this Febuary. I wonder if they'll make Pete wear shoes? … Expand

The biggest testament to this movie's success is that it took a source that many might consider "dorky" or "fringe" and made it appealing to nearly 100% of people in a way tha doesn't sell out using typical Hollywood-style tricks. Go see it, but not before seeing the first two!

Fitting end to the trilogy and amazing film in its own right.

I have been waiting and dreading this day. For now the movies are complete, but now there will be no more. A excellent movie, story and action wise. The CG is extreme, but how else would you depict some of the scenes, if you find away, please do share, and minatures were used for some city scenes. RotK has the storyline of Fellowship and action of Towers. Take those, multiply them by 2 and you get RotK.Why people, would give this a bad score, I don't know. Perhaps they aren't fully mature enough to understand symbolism. I guess some people need to stick to Freddy vs Jason and Cat in the Hat.… Expand

This is a love-it-or-hate-it movie (just look at other posts for proof) And I love this one just like the other two. My second favorite movie of the new millenium (my first being, of course, Spirited Away).

The thinking man's (or Hobbit's!) pop-corn flick! Huge, sprawling epic serves as a fitting end to one of the moost remarkable achievements in film history - and it shows what magic can occur when moovies actually have a STORY to work with. Superb elements from all; still have problem with the whole Arwen-thing, and they denegrated poor Denethor's character w/out explaination, but over-all still a wonderful undertaking. I never though I would live to see this put on film, on a quality film in any case, and I am glad to see cow wrong I was. Hope "The Hobbit" is next! :=8D… Expand

There is this one scene in the movie where Frodo puts the ring around his neck, after Sam tries to convince him that he should look after the ring. The scene is almost like religious poetry. You can FEEL the weight of this ring in Frodos eyes. Like Jesus carrying the cross, Frodo is carrying the weight of the world. No special effects in this scene but it blew me away.

-The beauty of the first came from not knowing what to expect and being blown away by its immediate and awesome beauty. Expectations exceeded, the weight on the second was to maintain the rush, and to set up the various climaxes of the third. It did just that, on the strength of Jackson's vision. -Now that the series is complete--or now that the MOVIE is complete, I should say--I think it's fair to comment on how successful and/or necessary that vision was. Summed up easily, I believe without fear of contradiction that if the spirit of Tolkien were to be maintained in this new format, Jackson had to make plot moves. What is surprising, I think, is just how much he managed to put in, considering the immense scale and visual standards they were holding themselves to. At the same time, Jackson's own signature is there too--like in the beautiful visual metaphor of having orcs circle Aragorn's last company outside Mordor, forming an emmense eye to distract Sauron's own glaring orb. -But most important are the small things (and small people): the heaviness of Elijah's eyes, the evolution of each fellowship character as they take their place in the larger story, the languages, the brilliant musical score. The nuances are treated with reverence, and THAT's the heart of Tolkien. One only need to think back to Sam's line in the first ("If I take one more step...") to appreciate the history this series has etched out. They'll be around forever--and that's good, because the thing is spectacular.… Expand

While most I've spoken with have said that this is their favorite in the trilogy, mine was definitely The Two Towers. However, this movie does a great job of wrapping up the story. My main complaints are that battle scenes went too quickly and there wasn't a more rewarding finale. However, for the purposes of brevity, I understand why this was the case. An awesome movie overall, but I'm waiting for it to come out on video with the extra hour of footage.… Expand

Loved it- This absolutely deserves to win best picture- no question about it.

Overall, the third installment was incredibly crafted and visually stunning. Unfortunately after the first two movies and 3 hours of the third, Mr. Jackson chose to trash the ending in the final 30 minutes. The cinematography/direction of the final scenes in Gondor were horrible and the blatant omission of the 'Scouring of the Shire' left me extremely disappointed. I just hope it was filmed and be added to the inevitable extended version DVD.… Expand

A fantastic Movie, very enjoyable.

Perfect 10! All the actors brought their characters to life, it was an awesome movie and the whole series was great! Legolas was an awesome character and Orlando was a great cast!

The Fellowship of the Ring was excellent, The Two Towers was brilliant and The Return of the King...Speechless. There are no right words to describe such perfection. The battle scenes, the special effects, the actors, the directing...everything. This movie could not even begin to disappoint a fan like me. Absolutely brillient!! Thank you to the cast, crew and Peter Jackson for bringing us LOTR's fans such an astoundingly brilliant movie!!!!!… Expand

This movie was excellent, best Lord of the Rings yet!!! This is definately the best movie of 2003. You have to watch this movie, but watch the first two first. THis movie is EXCELLENT!!!!!!

This rocks!!!!!!!

A truly wonderful achievement! Stunningly beautiful and heartfelt. The actors all turn in excellent performances. And yes, Peter Jackson is a god.

The three films are but one, and it is a stupendous cinematic achievement. This final installment delivers on the promise of the first two, and even ups the ante for jaw-dropping spectacle as civilizations clash.

One of the best movies with the great effects and with the fantastic actors and the director did a supreme job.

This is just a wonderful film, and perhaps the best I have ever seen. It's both visually astonishing and deeply moving. It balances these virtues while sustaining a thrilling tempo leading to a stunning climax and a heartbreakingly beautiful coda. Congratulations and thank you to those who worked to bring this film and this trilogy to everyone.

Best movie of all time.

This was movie was extremely well done. Jackson stayed true to the novel as well as he could and made sure that the film was engaging at all times. The only thing that disappointed me was the fact that they cut out Saruman's part in the movie at the very end. If they had left that in, I would have given it a ten.

Return of the King is a great movie. It surpassed by insanely high expectations. And I didn't realize that it was possible, but multiple showings only make the viewing experience better: my friends and I have seen it from 2-4 times, and we always discover something new and wonderful with each viewing. The filmmakers have accomplished what would have been thought impossible three years ago: to adapt this encyclopedic trilogy to the movie medium. And in doing so, they evince tremendous respect for the source material and bring Tolkien's vision to life so completely and so beautifully. It's apparent that the film is made by Tolkien fans, by people who truly love this story and want to share it with the world. A splendid work.… Expand

This was a fantastic movie and a great trilogy. Extremely well directed, competently acted, and amazing scenery. Possibly the most enjoyable film experience I have ever had. If this does not win the Oscar they have lost most of the credibility they have left. The rest was destroyed when they picked Chicago, Shakespeare in Love, and Titanic.

A wonderful film that I could see again and again.An epic which should go down in history as a masterpiece.

One of the greatest movies of all time.

This movie seriously has it all -- emotion, adventure, action, special effects. There's no way, and i mean no way, that this movie could have been any better.

This movie was more than a'ight, it was the bomb. Know what I'm sayin'? Are you feelin' it too? Go see this movie. Even Simon liked it.

This movie is awesome!!! I would give it an 11 if I could, it ROCKS! Go Orlando and Elijah (LoL)!

I realize that at the times this is being posted my review is on the bottom of a novel in itself. I realize that for every one movie with the size scale and hype of Rotk that there is going to be a mass of great reviews and a few bad reviews some from people with honest opinion, and others who want to feel special by bashing something popular. with that said this is a great movie that could have followed the books better but given the transition of medium does a good job on its own. The acting is superb the special affects awe inspiring, and the battles about as perfect as you can get from cinema. I ask that everyone who watches these movies read the books as well to get the full experience as thay are masterpieces of literature...that's right they are literature. I also ask that you not be swayed by a few pissants who want to be cool and go against anything popular so as to feel "special." … Expand

I give LOTR: Return of the King a score of 11!! HEY KAYLA YOU CAN GIVE THE MOVIE A SCORE OF 11 IF YOU WANT TO.

This is the best movie in the whole world everybody has to see it. I think that the books are better than the movies though.

This is a fantastic film!!! No more comments!!!

This movie was the best out of all three! people who did not like it are MAJOR butt heads, and orlando bloom and elijah wood made outsanding preformances.

Beautiful camerawork, breathtaking shots, majestic action and a perfect fantasy enviroment make up this conclusion. It's really long though, and I still believe it's overrated.

This is the best movie ever made! I have been an enormous Lord of the Rings fan my whole life, true, but I have been a "good movie" fan even longer. This movie has incredible acting (Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis, David Wenham, the whole bunch), simply unbelievable special effects, incredible directing and screenplay, wonderfully choreographed battle sequences, and a simply beautiful score. The whole series captivated me from the start...and it kept me subjugated for 3 years! The Return of the King, being in my opinion the best of the three, brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. If I could give grades to only two people for this film, I would have to grade as follows: A++ to Peter Jackson for a dazzling movie and the incredible retelling of the best story ever created, and an A++ to Sean Astin for his simply amazing portrayal of Sam, who was my favorite character when I read the books and remained such in the movies. It is a "must see!" Go, become enthralled in the amazing epic trilogy of J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings.… Expand

It is very unusual to see the 3rd movie of a trilogy that is so good. great ending to a great epic story. I found this movie to be very satisfying. would recommend to anyone.

This is the best movie I have ever seen! Everything was awesome - the special effects, the acting....... If you haven't seen it yet, it is more than worth seeing!

Awesome.

OK. I'm a girl and I absolutly Loved this (and the rest) Movie. Now the people that gave it a crappy review are phsyco and need SERIOUS HELP!!! It was excellent...the special effects, Orlando Bloom...EVERYTHING!

Illya Z. You should watch only "bold and the beautiful

Very Very Very Good Movie, The Best Movie I've Ever watched. It keeps you in suspense, it makesyou feel like your in the movie in a weird way.

The best movie of all time.

The greatest movie of all time. No other movie compares to its scope of production and detail as well as its level of entertainment.

After twice reading The Hobbit and The Lord of the RIngs, I would not have thought it possible to bring the books to the big screen. Having seen the films I can say that Peter Jackson did a masterful job and the films are excellent.

HE BEST MOVIE EVER!!!

The best of the trilogy, a film you can watch 30 times and still love. Shame its just out of the top 5. (hmm... none of the top 5 are recent films) But if it was up to me this would be #1 and the other two would be about #6 or 7.

I totally echo Chris H's sentiments about the detractors. As to the film, I am proud to say that it is my favorite film of my lifetime (1985-) and certainly one of the best of all time. Excellent performances by all and a job well done for Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, and the crew. My one tiny quibble: no Saruman. I understand the reasoning for leaving him out, but I and others who have seen it felt that it left that part of the story unfinished. Yet, that decision made the extended edition that much better.… Expand

I see some of you hated this movie. but that's silly because a LOT of movies are long and boring nowadays (and I was being sarcastic). LOTR was at least a good trilogy. in some of the boring bits, I tried to stay awake for the exciting parts, and yes it was a good movie.

The trilogy was one of the only ones that I've seen that actually matched the books.

A classic in every sense. These movies were essentially one 14-hour epic broken into three installments (just as the original is really one long novel broken into three books). Completely amazing, groundbreaking, and full of heart. It's set the bar by which all future epics will be judged.

It is cinema at its finest. The story, told through a genuine narrative, is very deep, as it is full of symbolism. Tolkien had vision when he wrote the books. Jackson then made the films. They were perfect. He envisioned one of the most imaginative world with so much skill, making every detail feel realistic. The beauty of the score and the magical atmosphere of the Elvish culture is simply unforgettable. The performances are really good. I didn't see actors, I saw mythological creatures. The film is full of emotions, touching themes such as friendship, courage and love. The films are deeper than what they seem, even philosophical, with Gollum being the most complex character of the series. His transformation is extraordinary, he could be a reflect of a psycho's psychology. The film is a cinematic achievement.… Expand

Everything but the acting was perfect. Not, the acting wasn't bad it was a bit more than ok even. Yes, i agree with that, and everyone who didn`t liked the series, but that isn`t the point! it`s a fabulos story told perfect it` doesn`t need even more exagerations from the actors to ruin it. it was acted as it should have been. Few movies ever made me cry this made me more than cry at the end.… Expand

Hands down best movie for all ages once you've seen the first two. This movie has a shot at being the best of all time.

This is the best movie ever.

Peter Jackson has saved the best for last. An exceptional finale to a great trilogy.

Just WOOOOW.. might be the best movie ive ever seen.

This movie is incredible. Thank you china town.

A truly incredible experience. I wish I could thank Mr. Jackson in person. He may be the greatest director that has ever lived.

The best movie of its type ever made. Period.

This is without a doubt the best film in cinematic history.

Awesome. Just Awesome.

This movie is the reason Peter Jackson is the BEST!!!!!

The battle scenes are arguably the greatest ever filmed: the splendor of "Lawrence of Arabia" combined with the gruesomeness of "Braveheart" and the gosh-wow pyrotechnics of "Empire Strikes Back." But the best part of the movie is the final twenty minutes, where the emotional after effects of the battles can be seen on the faces of the characters and in their eyes.

Perfect.

A near-perfect conclusion to the greatest trilogy in cinema history.

This is quite possibly the best movie ever made, and is definitely the best fantasy movie ever made.

Godly.

Thank God for Movies like these. Inspirational beyond compare!

The best installment of the trilogy. If you haven't set your path upon seeing these movies for whatever reason, resolve yourself to see them now! Start today! Rent Fellowship and Towers as soon as you can! You don't want to miss RoTK on the big screen!

So this is how it ends... (sigh) Well, we can only hope that Pete Jackson hands the franchise off to someone just as talented for the fourth movie. (But just between you and me, I think the fourth one is gonna TANK. We'll just have to hope for a solid comeback with the fifth one...)

Not only is the final chapter excellent, but the whole trilogy.

Anyone who gives this movie less than a 90 deserves to lose all credability as a critic.

It's laughable that the main criticism of the film is that there are too many endings, as the TV Guide reviewer states. By all means, cut out even more of the source material to pander to the lowest common denominator. Despite the tremendous commercial success of the films, Jackson appeared to strive for something more than box office. He aimed for art, and hit his mark. Has there ever been a finer trilogy of films? … Expand

A great end to a truly great trilogy.

Hell yes. Minas Tirith is a helluva battle and Jackson and team did phenomenally well. The movie wrapped up the trilogy nicely. Can't wait to see the expanded DVD. ;) 10 thumbs up.

Rarely does one see such a cinematic event in their lifetime. I was truly mesmerized!! This movie gets only a 10 because there is no 11+ on the metacritic scale. My parents had The Godfather trilogy, my big sister had Star Wars, and today we have TLOTR trifecta. Surely to go down in cinematic history. I'll bet those who rated this movie a 1 or a 0 haven't even seen it. I stood in line for 4 hours to see this movie and I would do it again. Thank you New Line Cinema for taking a chance. The Hobbit anyone?? … Expand

To those of you who get off on bashing this truly great rendision of a fabulous story just to lower its rating, please, save it. Even at its thinnest points, this movie rates no lower than an 8, and you well know it. Or perhaps the combination of multiple story lines, courageous acting, and heartfelt themes is too much for your faster-bang-em-up-forget-the-story sensibility that seems to be movie making as of late. Return of the King, and the Lord of the Rings series, make me hope again... if not for the cultural soul of this country, for the chance of being entertained most weekends of the year. … Expand

Best movie ever.

Someone gave this a zero, I noticed. Who would do such a thing? This movie made me so incredibly happy. My friends and I saw it last night and we all agree that it was perfect. It completely overshot our expectations. Anyone who cannot enjoy something that is so much fun probably enjoys absolutely nothing.

Someone gave this a zero, I noticed. Who would do such a thing? This movie made me so incredibly happy. My friends and I saw it last night and we all agree that it was perfect. It completely overshot our expectations. Anyone who cannot enjoy something that is so much fun probably enjoys absolutely nothing.

Go see this. No words can describe the magnificence of this movie. It will blow you away. You've never seen anything like this and it'll take a long time before you'll see something near that perfection.

This movie was, in a word, awesome. The stunning visuals and the scenes of massive armies clashing. There were a couple scenes that i wasn't as fond of, but the rest of the movie more than made up for it. The acting on all parts was terrific. Very powerful, very emotional.

Don't listen to Maria, she just has the attention span of a tomato.

All you people who gave this film a 0 need to understand that people aren't going to a movie like ROTK to see Oscar-worthy performances, they're going to be entertained...and as far as that is concerned, this film was one of the most entertaining that I have seen. If you don't like CG, then you may as well never go to an "entertaining" movie again...'cause that's the way it's gonna be from now on! Great film!… Expand

Absolutely phenomenal. Even with the numerous cuts and omissions that will undoubtedly be noticed by fans of the Tolkien books, Peter Jackson has set a new standard for movie trilogies. All of those who were wounded by the anticlimactic disappointment of the MATRIX trilogy can be healed by the overall excellence of the Lord of The Rings. This one is truly a cinematic achievement! I bow before the vision of Peter Jackson!… Expand

This is a beautiful, beautiful film. Unlike anything made before, and likely for a long time. It transcends the etheral overtures of The Fellowship of the Ring (the ultimate fantasy film) and resonant humanity of The Two Towers (the ultimate action/adventure film). Return of the King is at heart an art film with strong elements of fantasy and action. Though some may disagree with the creators' choices, the least they must feel is respect. I feel nothing but love, joy and immense gratitude for this amazing cinematic gift.… Expand

This piece is certainly the best movie to appear on film. There will never be a movie that can top it. The masterful creation of the battle scenes and the emotion of the quest to destroy the ring all pull together to bring the fantastic trilogy to a magnificent end. Tolkien would be proud.

HOLY TOLEDO, what a fantastic experience. The three hours flashed by in a heartbeat; I was stunned when I realized that the movie was coming to an end. Not just the movie, but also the years of excited anticipation, the speculation. I was glad I brought an extra package of Kleenex :-)... I was a water faucet by the time the credits rolled. Kudos to Peter Jackson and his crew; they had better score bigtime at the Oscars next year. … Expand