This movie is supreme in every aspect: visualy, story-wise, directing and with an extraordinary soundtrack. My personal favorite ever since I saw it!

An epic book series ends with an epic movie series. Peter Jackson has taken J.R.R. Tolkien's books and brought them to the big screen. Well done Mr. Jackson. I really don't know how you could dislike these movies. He literally took the books and included as much as he could to perfection. Any negative comment don't listen to them cause they are ill advised ratings. Best book trilogy of all time = best movie trilogy of all time. 5/5 stars.… Expand

I think masterpiece is the word that summarizes the whole movie. Also, it has one of the best productions ever. The original story did not disturbed much. Moreover, the cast is the best cast possible.

This is simply a masterpiece.
You will never see a trilogy like this one, essential for your cinematographic culture. The Return of the King is the prove that third parts can be much better than the first or second one.

The best movie ever made.

the best movie of all time and the only one that nearly made me cry.

Thise who gave this movie '0' are shameful and tasteless.

The "worst" Lord of the Rings movie is a worthy and respectable end for the best trilogy that ever existed in film history.

Look, the movie was good. The best that can be done turning the compelling, but slow-paced and sprawling, Tolkein trilogy into a movie. I loved the books. I liked the movies fine. But I never understood the intense love-a-thon thrown to the movies - they aren't exactly masterpieces of anything but special effects (though the special effects were incredible). It isn't like there's any acting in the movie, and it isn't like they were somehow better than the books, you know?… Expand

I have been a Ring fan since the early 60's. I have followed the animated attempts and, while I appreciated each, none came anywhere close to doing justice to the trilogy. Jackson's effort was nearly perfect; the same spirit, drive and reach I felt in the books, without obvious flaws. Plus, it was gorgeous.

The greatest epic fantasy of all time. Movies will never be the same again!

Awesome.

This is perhaps the best film ever made! It's the most dramatic an epic end of a great trilogy ever imagined! Tolkien was definitely a genius and Peter Jackson is an excellent director. His vision of Middle Earth is simply amazing and "The Return of the King" shows it very clearly! Fantastic, unbelievable, magic, it's a film from a different world!

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

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 personally don't understand how someone could NOT give this movie 10/10. It's one of the very few movies that's both touchingly beautiful and downright disturbing. I don't really care about the length of movies to be perfectly honest, therefore the length of this movie doesn't bother me. And really, how many of us die-hard fans didn't shed a tear when Gandalf tells the Hobbits "I will not say 'do not weep,' for not all tears are evil." In fact, I was basically in tears from the point where all of the Humans were about to fight at the Black Gate. This movie is absolutely a perfect movie, and in my opinion it is THE best movie ever made.… Expand

My favorite movie of all time, perhaps the greatest movie of all-time, and definitely the greatest fantasy movie of all time. It seemed like it was a combination of both the elements of the the first to movies plus extra emotion and intensity. This movie movie is the definition of epic.

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!)

a

I have read and re-read these books for 25 years. When I saw them I was blown away. True to the story and CGI, visuals were excellent. The only time I was disappointed visually was when they used little people. It was not done well. And read the books.

Just to warn you, this might be my longest review. Ever. Lord of the Ring The Return of the King is directed by Peter Jackson, starring Elijah Wood and many others. It was released in 2003, following the previous two film, The Two Towers and The Fellowship of the Ring. Its success in the box office made it the 2nd most grossing film of all time back then. Then, a year after it's release, the folm got nominated for 11 Academy Awards. It went on to win all of them. Never had a film done so well financially, critically and with fans. Yes, this sparked one of the biggest franchise makings ever. With the longest lenght of game ever, one of the most character figures in stores, and so much more. Fans were never more pleased. And so, here I write the review on The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King, the film that changed the entertainment industry forever. The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King is based in the fictional world of Middle Earth. It follows a young Hobbit, Frodo, and his guides and friends (The Fellowiship of the RIng) as the journey on a quest to destroy the Ring and to bring man back to it's rightful throne. In the first film, the quest begins, in the second one, it is continued and more complexity is brought to the plot, and in the third film, it is at it's climax and is concluded. On the quest, the Fellowship seperates form the fact that they were attacked by a battalion of Orcs. They are seperated into 3 groups; Frodo and Sam; Pippin and Merry; and Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn (who are later meet up with Gandalf). We follow all three of the groups as they fight, survive, and save Middle Earth.

This film is like no other I have ever seen. And for that, i have to break it down into five parts. (1) Story (2) Acting (3) Vissuals and Cinematgrophy (4) Score (5) Directing.
(1) Story; When JRR Tolken fisrt wrote The Hobbit, he knew he could get farther with the story. After years of writing, he finally came up with The Lord of the RIngs. When Peter JAckson first started filming the movies, people said it couldn't be done. But oh, were they wrong. Never have I seen such a complex, exciting, and moving story come to the big screen. It's spectacular sense of drama and action all put into one is a masterpiece. Story: 10/10
(2) I don't know what idiots run the Academy, but I can tell you that they are some stupid people. To rob this fillm of any acting NOMINATION is just sad, sad supidity. When you got the only good acting from a fantasy film ever, you might as well congratulate it with atleast a nomination. But no, just go and screw up the voting proccess with not adding any actors from this film to the ballot. With the best acting coming from Viggo Mortenson, a supporting actor, he brought so much fun to the dull parts and to the exciting parts of thr film, as well. Elijah Wood also brought clear emotion and pain to his character, which is what was needed to make his character perfect. And he did make it perfect. Acting: 10/10
(3) When it comes to visuals and cinematgrophy, this film had the very best. Angles that blew your breatha way, and special effects that looked so real that you could tough it, critics just knew nothing could beat this in those two aspects (besides Avatar). With years of designing beasts, creatures, and other organisms for Middle Earth, the special effects team put those long years to good use. One scene, in which Gandalf and Pippin are climbing to the top of Minis Tirith, the angles and use of camera were so amazing, that no place on Earth could rest your pleading for Middle Earth to be real. But sadly, it's only real in the film, and that's good enough for me. Visuals and Cinematography: 10/10
(4) Score: Howard Shore's score for this film brought a sense of amazement, such as John Williams did to Star Wars. Intensity, sadness, and joy were all felt in the making of thsi score. When the score was needed most, this film gladly used it to it's best extent. I advise everyone reading this review to check it out one YouTube, for it can go with almost anything you're doing (peeling potatoes, drying yourself with a tower, etc.) The Academy Award winning song "Into the Woods" is being played while I write this review. Yup, one of the best scores ever. Score: 101/10
(5) Directing; Saving the best for last, the directing. Peter Jackson brought every, freakin good part from the books to every freakin scene in the film. 'Nuff said.

So, as I complete my longest review ever, I just wantn to say to all the haters: You guys hate, us lovers will love. Now this is probably my most unproffesional review, for I am just loving it and loving it for no reason. But you don't need reason to know that the best film in the world is the best for it's brotherhood, friendship, and love; The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King.
10/10… Expand

A fittingly epic end to a near-perfect trilogy. ROTK not only breaks the formula of third parts in the trilogy being the worst, it actually succeeds in bettering its predecessors. Luckily it has the privilege of resolving all the plot points from FOTR and TTT, and therefore doesn't suffer from their chief problem - they had to break off the story at some point. The finale is awesome in every sense of the word, from start to finish - from the colossal battle scenes to the quieter character-driven moments it sets the standard not just for fantasy films, but all films. The only real drawback of ROTK is that after watching it, you are finally forced to leave Middle Earth behind.… Expand

The best movie ever made. This movie is supreme in every aspect: visualy, story-wise, directing and with an extraordinary soundtrack (one of the best soundtrack - if not is - ever made

One of the best Epics to date. I Can't imagine this Film being better, the magnitude and scale was almost too much to handle but Peter Jackson Pulled it off in triumphant fashion. The characters were as pure and rich as ever before. What a treasure to have for the rest of our lives. Wonderful!

The Return of the King is an epic masterpiece. It's an emotional and satisfying end to a great story. Although, it is a little too long but that doesn't bother me. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4/4 stars.

Crying at the ending of this movie, pleeeeze? Sorry, not my cup of tea either.

Half way through this movie, my girlfriend and I lost interest and started talking instead - luckily, we were at the drive-in.

The best ensemble there is give us the best performances I have ever seen, with dazzling visual effects breathtaking action, and probably blowing anyone who sees it out of their seat with the emotional power of the franchise and the movie itself. I give this movie 100%.

I agree that the film is a masterpiece and not only shows Peter Jackson's direct skills at full blast but it shows that even now we can still produce a film that will stun you in the way that Return Of The King has.

The only problems with the film I have are this - The acting ,will solid through out, is no where near as good as any other part of the film and it is a bit disapointing. Also there are parts with the CGI and special effects look painfully obvious (usually when the actors are on the screen when they occur). Besides that, Its a great film.… Expand

"The Return of the King" is the best of the trilogy. It's passionate, and grand in scale and scope. An unforgettable conclusion to an already impressive series.

The best of Jackson's middle earth epics is also the longest, and rightfully so. Return of the King is a wonderful and gripping tale with ups and downs that despite its fantasy, make it seem almost relatable.

I suspect the people who give this or any LOTR movie a low score must be frustrated Matrix- or Star Wars-fans, jealous of LOTR's success.

I am a big fan of all three franchises, but in our hearts, we all know that LOTR far outshines the other two in most respects - acting, direction, cinematography, and overall story depth are but a few that spring to mind.

Make no mistake, this trilogy (which not long ago most thought would be impossible to make) is a cinematic achievement rivalled by few, and bettered by none.… Collapse

These films show film journalists and fans everywhere that fantasy films can be absolutely superb. And this film has been the perfect end to what has been an epic masterpiece and adventure.

The greatest film I've ever seen.

I recently re-watched the entire trilogy. I can safely say, that these are my all time favorite movies. RotK has some of the best action scenes I've ever had the pleasure to watch. The love between Aragorn and Arwyn is so beautiful and well crafted that I myself started to love Arwen. Every character was fleshed out so much so that there is no question as to them being real. You really feel that this is more of a true story then a fantasy epic. The sets? My god, I want a scal model of Minas Tirith. These sets were so well designed, so well painted, that it was just, amazing. Special effects were easily the best I have ever seen. The Oliphaunts were my favorite effect next to the Fell beast, which was also an amazing effect. Finally, the story, its a fitting end to the best trilogy that i can think of. At four hours long (the credits accounting for the last twelve minutes or so), it doesn't rush, nor does it feel drawn out. This trilogy, not just the film, but the entire trilogy, set the bar for how book-to-movie adaptations should be made. Thank you, Mr. Peter Jackson, thank you for giving me my most cherished film series of all time.… Expand

An amazing finale to an epic trilogy. The first two out of necessity lacked the satisfactory feel of really ending, whereas this final film had the privilege of finishing all character arcs and loose ends and presents Tolkein's finest book in all its majesty. Even if it was 10 times longer I would have watched it to the end.

Anyone who doesn't like the lord of the rings can suck my ass. You dirty pieces of shit are the reason it has an 8.9 out of ten instead of one hundred. And all you purists can shut the hell up because its called a screenplay, which means it is made for the cinema and isn't going to have every fucking thing that was in the books in the movies. You stupid shitlickers

DA BEST MOVIE IN DA WORLD!!...i am mrs bloom yea!! legolas's wife..bow to da princess!! i love legolas!! lord of the rings rock!!!!! muahahahaha!!

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.

Who in their right mind would give this anything but a 10/10. Possibly one of the best films ever released, better than part 1 about the same as part 2. With some of the most epic battle scenes and strongest storytelling this one will be a classic for generations.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Although the eagle part is both kinda random and it kinda makes you think 'hey, let's just ride some eagles to Mordor instead!" And Gandalf is a disappointment ever since he got resurrected. All he does is hit people with a stick and shine bright lights. When he was Grey he actually used magic but now he's white (not the racist way) and he's nothing more than a human flashlight. When Orcs are attacking, they waited until they surrounded their entire army before finally attacking. And the whole reunion thing was kinda stupid. And the Gondor palace was at the top of a cliff with no handrails or anything. When Aragorn was getting crowned, it looked like somebody was going to fall off. However, all the temptation elements, and neglected second son elements along with the after-waiting-for-the-enemy-to-form-up-action completely make up for it.… Expand

If you hate these movies than you must hate movies in general theses are easily some of the most engaging and epic movies ever, which is saying a ton about a movie based on a book. Reviewers like J should not be able to use this website... period

Perhaps some of those who gave this masterpeice 0 should look at the screen and watch the movie next time they see one! ha ha ha! Idiots ones who give this a low score don't even know what a good movie is, perhaps they can go back to their cots and pway wive their tweddies!

This has to be the greatest movie I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Stereo-typically franchises lose their flavor as they progress, but this is absolutely untrue for the Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson has created what is probably the closes we will ever get to a perfect book adapted movie. It has the personal touch of the characters, the epic battles, the beautiful visuals and possibly the best cast ever assembled. A truly inspiring movie. Well done Peter Jackson.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is incredible . When I watch the backstage of the film I was surprised of the work to make this movie. The sword are real and produced by a smith . And the commitment of the actors . Second, the movie has played very well the Tolkien's book including environments, characters and plot.
I really love this film.… Expand

Is this perhaps the best movie I've ever seen? Yep. Does it have an awesome story with excellent acting and amazing scenes? it sure does! The Return of the King is just like the other two Lord of the Rings movies: a masterpiece!

The best of the three, this movie is the def. of epic. One of the best movies ever made.

This movie was true to the books. Everything in the movie looked the way I imagined it looking when I read the book long ago when I was a boy. Although, I usually don't like CGI, the CGI in this trilogy is absolutely great. As are the costumes and sets. Gollum is the first CGI character from a serious film that I have liked. It is probably because he was basically a virtual puppet that an actual puppeteer,controlled and they recorded the data points in a computer and then drew the CGI around his movements. Way better than Jar Jar Binks in Start Wars lol!… Expand

This film screams "OSCAR!" and it got annoying about half an hour into the film.

Actually, a 10 isn't nearly enough. It derserves every academy award it won. Emotional resonance is prevalent throguhout, acting is top grade, and the action is quite the eye-opener. If you thought the battle of Helm's deep in Two Towers was good, wait till you see The battle for minas tirinth. Possibly the best movie ever made.

The best of the three, made me cry, crap my pants, and everything. The best movie of the year by far with some of the best performances yet. And, this is the best movie I have seen in my entire life.

Direction by Peter Jackson is bracing, sophisticated, stylish, lyrical, brash, romantic, and elegiac all in one. The cast conjures forth the best ensemble performance of the year, and Sean Astin finds himself with a performance deserving an Oscar nomination. Oh, and Miranda Otto does the females proud -- no doubt -- delivering the other Oscar-worthy performance of the film. Don't wait to see this one. Here is a cinematic beauty to behold in theatres.… Expand

I am not really a fan of fantasy literature or films but how can you watch these films and be anything but amazed, the sheer scope of these three gigantic movies envisioned by Peter Jackson blows me away, the mans sheer dedication to his craft is unprecidented, one only has to look back at his first feature Bad Taste and ok its not anything on this scale or level of story telling but that took him six years or so to make with no budget and a crew and cast of mates on weekends. After good but commercially unrecognised movies like The frighteners , and Heavenly Creature Jackson comes up with just about the biggest films ever mad. I can understand if this is not you thing but if you didnt think it was your cup of tea cinema go'ers then why pay the admission, i for one would not pay the entrance to see a 3hr Sandra Bullock romantic comedy!!! But in all seriousness this movie is about as good as it gets i for one am going back to the movies tonight just to remind myself how good it really is. This movie really is the best modern cinema can offer if you don't have respect for this then i suggest needle work or mabey stamp collecting!!!!!!!!!!… Expand

Cormac P., heres what i want u to do, BURN IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!! SO DON'T YOU ANDREW K!!!!!!!!! How can you how can you say that its nothing when everything about this movie is spectaculer. Even you, yes you Frieda L, you can suck my cup of tea. And everyone that disis it like Robert H, Leigh C, David R, Arleen, Dwayne R, Jawad S, Joe B, J R, Goliath, Harriet, Bob B, Sally L, Rebecca R, Fantasy, Jude T, Simon L, C B, Antonio A, John D, Joyce T, Rick S, Sweet angle, Brian K, Mike G, Jeffery G, Matt B, Eric M, Matt R, Maria T, Marcus B, Matt P, John S, Sam K, Joe C, i want you all to die and rott in hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have no joy in this series so all of you all are full of s&^%t!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you all are the weakest link. goodbye. … Expand

What an amazing achievement! I love this movie! Thank you to the cast and crew for making such a memorable final chapter to this dazzling trilogy.

Is this the greatest movie of all time? Probably not. Is Lord of the Rings the greatest trilogy of all time? Lets leave it a few years before making that judgement but I can think of two very good reasons why it may well end up being considered the best - Return of the Jedi and The Godfather 3. What this movie most definitely is however is a magnificent, thunderous, amusing, touching, beautiful spectacle of a movie, the likes of which we only get the privalege of seeing once every few years. Too much CGI? Not once in this movie did I stop and think "that was clever", I was totally immersed in the story and the fantastic images merely served to make the story more compelling and real. I can only think that people that give this movie a 0 do it for the simple purpose of dragging the average score down and to me that is childish, petty and annoying. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I've got no problem with someone thinking it was a little long winded in places, a bit boring for those who didn't buy into the first two movies or a little too battle heavy. Fine, so 5,6? No, 0. Come on!! While these people attempt in vain to get a life the rest of us can rejoice in movie making at its very best, the likes of which we may not see agin for many years to come.… Expand

Much ado about nothing. Too long.

This movie is as good as the originating material will allow. However, the Rings Trilogy is not a screenplay. It was written as immersing fictional history, not singular plot, story and characters. After watching the characters on the screen for nine hours, I still don't understand what makes them tick. This is a simple escape to a fantasy world, but done in such a way as to re-define what motion pictures are capable of in relating a long story (this is not just a simple tack-on, like most sequels). The Trilogy on film, taken as a whole, is one for the ages. This film, standing alone, is simply OK. Sure, millions are slaughtered, evil is vanquished and world order is restored. Fans of the books must be awed by how well the story is actualized on-screen. But it's a sprawling fairy-tale both in print and on film, not a concise nugget of entertainment, and it doesn't compete with the best movies that keeps the mind alert, engaged, and retentive. It's really not fair to rate this as a movie. It is something different and unique, an awesome allegorical theme park on film. … Expand

Tolkien deserves better than this trash. I miss you, Ghan-buri-Ghan.

It was great. I have to agree with some people that the ghosts left the battle something to be desired. The battle did last long enough though to make it epic. But, it really wasn't the epic battle of the movie. The battle at the Black Gate was honestly the epic one. If you think about it, they faced impossible odds, and they were all united to fight the odds. Anyway, the film was one of the best ive ever seen, and it is not overrated. Its actually underrated from my point of view. I reccomend this film to anyone who loves fantasy movies. Oh yeah, and CONGRATS to the Lord of the Rings cast and crew. You worked hard to make it, and you won alll 11 Oscars. HORRAY FOR LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING!!!!!!!… Expand

I wish there was a score of 11/10. This is the greatest movie of all time, next to "The Godfater" of course. Those who gave this film a score of 5 or less, you should have no right to post your score, because you obviously have no reason abilities, or know a good movie when you see one.

Ten doesnt even begin to tell how much i like this movie not including the others.

This is the best movie I have ever or possibly will ever see.

It's a movie with a lot of war i love it.

Flawless CGI really brings Tolkien's creatures to life in this film. Peter Jackson has done it again, he was made for adapting long books to long films. With King Kong the plot had to be stretched because Jackson obviously wanted another long film, like one of these LotR movies. But with Jackson working with Tolkien's books he couldn't have gone wrong. He filled the cinematic Middle Earth with almost everything Tolkien described, and followed Tolkien's sequence of events quite closely. At some points the film sores to give a feeling that you're watching a true legend unfold before your eyes, like the scene where the Witch King gets killed by Eowyn. Sir Ian McKellen is a terrific actor and some of the lines which actors say carry real wisdom in them. The musical score was absolutely beautiful, the best of any movie I've ever seen and probably ever will see. The plot was the most engaging and interesting ever, with fight-scenes all over the place to keep the less taken-in among us in our seats. Even the fight scenes have their own emotional beauty to them. And although the ending of the film was heavily criticized for being too long, I feel it was necessary as it was not a case of ending the film, but ending the film for each character in turn. The film deserves all the 10/10s it recieves, and is truly a masterpiece.… Expand

It's a very messy, dull and unfaithfull retelling of a silly, confused and overrated book.

If you like to see creatures banging hammers on the heads of other creatures, this is the movie for you. Otherwise, it is pretty boring.

Peter Jackson has taken a beautiful story and ruined it. Lost is the scope, theme, and moral of the story. Changed are the plot and characters. Added is Hollywood sap and cheese. Sickening.

It's amusing to watch the reaction of Star Wars and Godfather fans as many professional critics slaughtered their sacred cows by proclaiming Lord of the Rings trilogy better -- which it is. At 37, I have viewed those other trilogies many times. I love Stars Wars and the Godfather movies, but the Lord of the Rings is both grander and more subtle. And the Return of the King distills its best qualities to their essence. Their has never been a better blend of operatic grandeur and intimacy, and there won't be until someone takes decades to create world and its history again.… Expand

There are three things that make Peter Jackson a bad-ass: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and of course the final and dramatic masterpiece The Return of the King. From the moment I was able to sit through The Fellowship of the Ring I knew Peter Jackson had done something amazing. I was just upset that I had to wait so long for the conclusion of the trilogy. The Return of the King gave me tears more than once and when I sat down in the Special Preview the Night before at 12:00 AM technically on the 17th (very early morning) I could hear people making the same sobbing noises I was making and it made me realize that I was not the only one obbsessed with the power of the "One Ring" and the One Triligy. The Lord Of The Rings really does Rule them all. Once Again in the words of Gandalf "Authority is not given to you to deny the return of The King!!!" Amen.… Expand

It was one of the best movies I've ever seen.

I don't understand why so many people are bashing the show. The film may not be 100% faithful to the original films they were based on...but this is a very commendable effort. An entertaining show which left me smiling at particular scenes. People need to lighten up.

At last it is over. The most horrifying trilogy of movies to ever insult the screen are finished. Made me wretch almost as much as the new episodes of Star Wars. These movies, like Titanic and Star Wars, are made popular by morons who listen to what the movie industry tells them. Anyone who can seriously step back and evaluate this movie will see that is a joke. If you read the books, you are completely let down by the stupifyingly modern take on everything and the fact that most of books have been left out. If you didn't read the books and could follow what was going on, well good for you. Peter Jackson: next time you attempt to turn a book into a movie, try reading the book first!… Expand

Folks, I had the stamina and time to go through all the comments on this here thread. And I think all that should have been said to acclaim the movie was said, but here is the interesting thing i noticed... 80-90 percent of all 0 ratings are submitted by the same dork who uses similar dorky wordings like too busy, too long, not impressed, much ado about nothing, not my cup of tea etc. But even with the dork bending over backwards to diminish the score it still got an 8 plus... Just goes to show how great this movie is ... Long live the true craftsmen of the cinematic art!!!… Expand

This movie, along with the entire series, is a slap in the face to J.R.R. Tolkien. Besides for changing the characterizations of nearly all the major characters (aka Pippin, the idiot in the book, tricks Treebeard, one of the smartest characters, into invading Isengaurd????????) changing the basic mythology about dwarfs and elves ( The first scene in the two towers i EXACTLY OPPOSITE as it is in the book. You couldn't make it more opposite if you were actively trying to destroy Tolkien's work.) It also adds a pointless and time consuming romance between Aragorn and Arwyn that was just plain cheesy. And finally, in the book, if any character could kill a OLIPHAUNT you would have expected it to be one of the MAIN characters such as Gandalf or Aragorn or even Frodo. But no. Instead, Legalas, in the books one of the supporting characters but in the movies he might as well have been the star considering the airtime he gets compared to other supporting characters such as Gimli, kills an OLIPHAUNT. I have never seen anything more ridiculous in my life. Meanwhile, scenes that ACTUALLY HAPPENED in the books such as Pippin defeating TWO CAVE TROLLS is cut in favor of more shots of Legolas's face and more romance crap between Aragorn and Arwyn. And don't even get me started on the camera work. It's like all the cameramen took a bunch of speed before shooting and were unable to prevent the camera from shaking uncontrollably. All in all I'd have to say congratulations Peter Jackson you managed to turn a masterpiece into a sensationalized, special effects ridden piece of Hollywood crap that any real fan of the books would be utterly disgusted with.… Expand

I think that I would give 1 point for the cinematography, 1 point for the use of New Zealand as the shoot location, and 1 point for the selection of actors to portray the characters, but the movie was a different story from the book. I find it hard to believe that Peter Jackson could make all of the plot changes that he did and still get away using the book title: The Return of the King. The left out a Pippin and palantir scene, added and took away plot points to the Battle of Pelennor Fields, added Gandalf attacking Denethor, left out the Grey Company and added Elrond giving Aragorn "the" sword, left out all of the Houses of Healing, I guess that they just lost the gates of mordor part of the book and rewrote it, on every scene with Sam and Frodo I wanted to stand up and chant "Rudy!" for Sam's over-dramatized monologues and corny one-liners, the final scenes of the movie were a crock! they seemingly made a commentary on society through Aragorn's final and put in the movie but isn't in the book speech, and three(3) chapters worth of story were left out at the very end! I will say thank you for the scene with Cirdan the Shipwright at the end of the movie, but with all of these special effects you would think that Bilbo would not look like an alien at the end in the Grey Havens.… Expand

While some of you, given the great reviews this stinker has gotten, may be brainwahed, or rather pressured into loving this trilogy of CGI crud, I ask everyone else to stay far away. This movie is obviously inspired by some sort of Al Qaeda training video, teaching us how "the enemy" (the good ole US of A) can not be reasoned with and therefore must all be slaughtered. You who live by this movie should rethink your life. And about three-quarters of the way through, Return of the King suddenly becomes laugh-out-loud awful, with dreadful, lame lines delivered painfully badly - as if a different screenwriter and director had taken over for the movie's final act. From Gimli's "we'll surely die... let's go" speech to anything coming out of the mouth of neurotic man-beast Elijah Wood, this movie is a clunker. And why'd they have to kill Legolas? It doesnt work, and wasnt in Tolkiens original book. They also should have kept in the scene where Frodo and Sam fight the spyder. I was sad to see that they left it out of all three movies entirely. Overall, miss this crappy movie and see a real mans movie like Dirty Dancing 1 or House Party 4. Avoid this torrid flimsy piece of messy crap at all costs, unless you wish to be overtaken by boredom. This is one ring you won't want to be the lord of.
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Whoever gives this movie anything higher than a 1 needs their head checked. That goes for The Two Towers as well. The Fellowship of the Ring well I gave it a 4. These movies are just an over rated and disappointing adaption of the book I was looking forward to great things and I heard about how close it was to the book I thought this is going to be great. When the 1st of the Trilogy came out I thought ok this is doing a pretty good job of capturing the feel of the book and its been nicely adapted however there were parts that I dearly wanted to see. Then the 2nd came out yuck I fell asleep halfway through the movie and walked out of the cinema angry that Peter Jackson was allowed to make such a mess of the book. This 3rd part of the Trilogy I walked out after 30 minutes peed off to the extreme. I even asked for my money back I was so angry. Tolkein would be rolling in his grave. The essence of the books was entirely missed. Parts were added to the movie that were never in the book as well which completely ruined the entire experience. Jackson cut out much of the books why couldn't he just use some of the material that he cut instead of adding his own quasi-creative bits in. Its overacted, fails to immerse the audience, and grates on and on. Peter Jackson is a talentless fraud who deserves everything bad in life and I will never watch another movie made by him ever again.… Expand

Quite possibly the most satisfying and epic conclusion to an already perfect trilogy, the Return of the King is a testament to both the genius of the filmmakers and the original author J.R.R. Tolkien. It blends seamlessly with the Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers to create the journey and story that , and yet stands on its own as a masterpiece, a masterful piece of cinema that will endure till the end of days. Its visual grandeur, cinematographic excellence, musical dexterity, haunting narrative, and ultimate perfection coalesce to create a tale, unlimited in emotional richness, that will resonate through the ages. Every viewing of the film for me is a journey in and of itself, one that ultimately ends in tears (I hear Gandalf lamenting right now "I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil"). I fondly recall the midnight premiere of film and how, when I looked around at the audience during the Grey Havens scene, there was not a dry eye in the house, including my father who has (forgive me for the clicheness ) the emotional range of a teaspoon. If that isn't evidence for the profound emotionality of the film, then I don't know what is. Little scenes throughout the film as well elicited such powerful reactions from the audience I couldn't help but feel even more emotion because of that. The Ride of the Rohirrim, Aragorn's speech, Gandalf and Pippin's moment during the Siege of Minas Tirith, and many other scenes throughout the film, whether they induced goosebumps or tears, created an energy in the theatre that was both palpable and moving. Once the text "The End" appeared on screen, there was a moment of silence, and then an uproar of applause and cheering. Once again, brought to tears. In any case, the Return of the King is and will ever be a Goliath among films, and I cannot imagine that a film will ever be made that will come to dwarf a film such as this.… Expand

Ahh? glorious hype! There?s nothing better ? except when that hype is realised and a film actually lives up to a monstrous billing. And I for one had no doubts at all that RotK would be every inch the film I dreamed it would be. Problem is, having seen it I realise that I was wrong. Okay, before I get into the meat of the review, let me first garnish it with a little perspective: 1. I absolutely loved FotR, I came out the cinema describing it as ?a mother###### of film? and I found the extended edition to be substantially better. 2. TTT was better than FotR. 3. I HAVE NEVER READ THE BOOKS. Actually, this last one is the only garnish you need. As far as I can tell, whether you merely like this film (or are disappointed) versus whether you think it?s the greatest thing since [insert great film here ? let?s say Shawshank] depends almost wholly on your ability to fill in the gaps in this film with your knowledge of the novels ? after all, no film can be convincing unless the audience believes in what they are seeing. But this raises an interesting question; is this a film in its own right, or a adjunct to the book? Or is the book an accompaniment to the film in this final completion of a grand LotR story? I?m sure Tolkien did not write it with the film in mind and given that the film does not hold to the book?s plot, is it not right to view this trilogy of films in isolation? Is it not right to expect to be able to watch and enjoy this film without having read the books? I would like to think so. And I certainly never doubted that throughout the first two films. Sadly this did not last through RotK. I would dearly like to wipe every over-ecstatic reviewer?s memory of any knowledge of Middle-Earth and sit them down to watch the trilogy from start to finish (okay, brain-washing is a little harsh; I?ll let them have toilet breaks between films :P ) I wonder how many would give it the same mark? How many people can honestly say that had they not known (and bought into) the story before-hand that Aragon finding himself next to an evil mountain full of easily-influenced dead warriors a little too convenient? What about the conspicuous absence of the Dark Lord Sauron then? Would making one of the nine Nazgul tougher than the others seem a little like last-minute compensating if you hadn?t known about it in the book (and even worse if it is the same in there!)? Maybe Gandalf leaving in the middle of the potential massacre of the inhabitants of Minas Tirith to stop a king killing his already half-dead son (who let?s be honest isn?t going to help all of his people if the hordes of Sauron get through the gates) seemed somewhat tactically naïve? Well, I can go on and on with such instances ? it?s my pet hate in films; lack of believability ? okay one more: Did Arwen?s fate being ?bound to the ring? make no sense at all?? Yet no one who had read the books complained ? even a little ? clearly they had remembered these characters their motivations and relevance, or perhaps it is enough to have known that you enjoyed the book to accept the reality you are presented with? There were other issues I had with the film; Gollum disappointed me ? his language and grammar started to sound a little too? contemporary for my liking (like his MTV award acceptance speech). And it was a shame that the dichotomy of the Gollum character was solidified in this film ? no more wrangling between friendship with Frodo and seizing the ring which was part of what made the TTT so superb, in RotK he chooses evil and stays that way. I know a lot has also been said about the omission of Saruman and I will say only this; the film missed Lee. Gone was the embodiment of evil (and what a magnificent embodiment he was) and it made the hurried introduction of the leader of the Nazgul even harder to stomach and the war of good against evil somewhat unfocused. And why should everyone live? (Did Galadriel not say that Frodo came to realise that the quest would claim his life?!). This is a story about the how the next age of middle earth began, surely these heroes are some of the greatest ever remembered? Nothing frames a hero quite like death. Perhaps when Frodo fails to throw the ring into the fiery chasm, Sam grabs him and takes them both over the cliff into the lava? Or how poignant would it have been if Frodo and Sam had been enveloped by lava on the slopes of mount Doom, forgotten heroes? There are any number of endings that the trilogy could have had, but instead they chose an hour of schmaltz ? and even that failed to make sense until someone later told me that ring-bearers could not stay on Middle-Earth (and Sam consequently has to leave too). And that made me realise that not having seen the film was not the only problem with seeing this film; that it had to stick to the fundamental storyline of the books is also a problem. That the ending chapter and its own end was not altered to make it ultimately more of a message and less of a curtain-call lessened the impact of the whole trilogy. So we come full-circle; expectations. I expected to come out of the film having learned something about sacrifice. Some truth about humanity that I and my friends can celebrate, a realising that while something may be the right thing to do, it may not come without great cost. That some beliefs are so great that they are worth fighting for and maybe even giving your life for should the need arise. But I learned only that people like happy endings. So I have to rate this now, and before I do, I had better just say this: believe it or not, I enjoyed the film. I sat through 3h 20 and didn?t even think about the toilet. The CGI were good, acting good enough ? and I was never bored (except at the end). It was a really good film. It was also well below my expectations given LotR and TTT. Ultimately, the greatness of the trilogy lies in how it was made, the vision that was realised, the spectacle that appears on screen rather than the intricacies of the plot and character motivations. Viewed as a 10h trilogy, it is an exceptional piece of work, viewed individually, it is 2/3rds exceptional, 1/3rd very good. I just wish that third had come first. … Expand

MASTERPIECE!!!!! My favourite film of all time. Amazing scenes that will leave you breathless and scenes of real emotion are crammed into every second of this long and entertaining movie.

This whole thing just doesn't make sense. 1 star for the pretty nice visual effects.

Extremely long winded and surprisingly boring. As far as I am concerned it is much overrated. Should appeal to children as the accolades it has received are not justified.

Awesome but kind of weird. There's cool sequences, like when the guy from Master and Commander lights these beacon fires, and when Legolas takes out a heffalump, but why does Faramir's dad want to burn him alive? And why is this dad being so crazy and such a sloppy eater? I didn't understand that dad's story so I just had to enjoy how cool it was when he threw himself off the top of the city--even though it kind of interrupts this way better battle scene. It made me think the film-makers were just sticking in stuff, hoping it would all work out. Plus, the only people who had changes in their stories were Gollum and the fat hobbit. The others have to stand around and say the same things a lot. But that heffalump scene is pretty awesome. These 14 year-old kids behind me all yelled and started applauding.… Expand

Darned good movie, and a very entertaining series, but nothing compared to the original Star Wars trilogy. Those films were technically magnificent, exciting, funny, captivating. The LOTR films do a nice job of bringing the literature to life, but they certainly don't do what the first 3 Star Wars films did. Generation Y never got a chance to see the originals on the big screen AT THAT TIME, when nobody was doing movies like that. Props to Peter Jackson, but let's lighten up with the "Best Ever" comments, Kids.… Expand

Found it very childish with redundant battle scenes. Not my cup of tea. Sorry.

Bambam BooBoo you're name is redundant and I have now seen all three sagas and it is not my cup of tea either. Too long for my taste and that ending, well I thought it would never end? But I am glad that the majority thought it was wonderful.

I get the feeling the naysayers had their opinions formed on this trilogy before it was even released a couple years ago. I have seen ROTK three times now and watched other people in the audience cry through the ending(s). This is really having an impact on people who see it. An epic for the ages. I think the quote taken from Michael Wilmington's review sums it all up best: "Like all great fantasies and epics, this one leaves you with the sense that its wonders are real, its dreams are palpable."… Expand

I absoulutely loved this movie. The fight scenes were spectacular, making the locations look utterly believable. That coupled with the emotional story creates a beautiful story, that has all the necessary elements to make it a blockbuster hit. The love story between Aragorn and Arwen, the friendship between Frodo and Sam, and the evil of Gollum draws you into the story. I have watched it three times and have not yet grown tried. Director Peter Jackson has created an ultimate classic from a classic book. It is a movie that will live forever as one of the most magical films of all time. The characters are delved into more deeply. Overall, a very wonderful movie.… Expand

Return of the King is a radiant, heartfelt, compelling, transcendent film. It is a tribute to one of the greatest literature epics. It is a film made with flair and verve by filmmakers who evince love and respect for their source with every scene, every frame. It is a historic achievement. And it is an amazingly good movie. It is shameful that certain persons involved in other films have resorted to dirty tricks and classless campaigning against it. But in the end it doesn't matter, because this movie trilogy has risen above such temporary pettiness. I personally don't care what awards it wins or doesn't win because it doesn't need these things for people like me to love it or for it to be validated as a truly great film. … Expand

Stunningly beautiful and genuinely touching. I really love this movie. It's scope ranges from the widest battle shots to two hobbits crawling up a mountain. Every scene, every character, every line is part of tightly woven epic that reaches an amazing culmination. The wistful conclusion gently demonstrates the full meaning of their quest: what has been won, what has been lost, and how everything has changed. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, etc. have delivered a complete triumph of a movie that will be remembered.… Expand

The Best!!

What can I say? This is a gorgeous, inspiring epic, lovingly made. The artistry is consistently astonishing. The ensemble cast comes into its own. Wow. It took my breath away.

Oh my God. It's already won the Broadcast Film Critics Awards, the Golden Globes, the Producer's Guild Award, and the Director's Guild Award! And all of them deservedly so! This is a grand, gorgeous movie and an unparalleled achievement in filmmaking. The way it has captured Tolkien's vision is nothing short of miraculous.

Far too overrated, but still pretty good.

That was an awesome movie, you can really attach to the charactors, you feel that you know them. The battles are great and also the acting. Overall, one of the best movies I have seen in my life.

A fitting end to the greatest film trilogy ever created. Everything, from the acting, to the cinematography, to the special effects, to the score, is flawless. Return of the King retains Tolkien's ascending level of excitement and suspense. Yes, Jackson removed some scenes, but in the interest of time, it was worth it. Lord of the Rings is spectacular in every regard; LOTR is to our time what Star Wars was to the late 70s-80s....purely amazing filmmaking.… Expand