Rating: 
Summary: Makes up for the shortcomings of the Thatrical release
Review: The movie I watched in the theater was in many ways a disappointment, because I had read the Tolkien book(s) twice, to say nothing of the supporting supplements published posthumously. In other words, I was a Middle Earth Junkie, and the theatrical version really hurt. It was promising, but ultimately disappointing.This edition makes up for it in many ways. The Two Towers flows more smoothly from this extended edition than from the theatrical release. In addition, there are nearly six hours of commentary from the actors and the technical folks that fans will appreciate. The actors provide a running commentary, and the contributions of the hobbits and the Dwarf (Sean Astin - Sam Gamgee, and John Rhys-Davies - Gimli, son of Gloin) and Boromir (Sean Bean) are notable, as well as the occasional remarks of Ian McKellan. (Viggo Mortensen is not featured in the commentaries.) I echo the sentiments of the editorial reviewers and the other private reviewers; the extended edition is excellent in every way. I think that the casting is superb. The editing in this DVD leaves little to be desired. A wonderful achievement. Archimedes
Rating: 
Summary: Almost as boring as the book
Review: In the beginning, the dark lord forges a ring of immense power, which he intends to use for conquering all of Middle Earth. The Good and Evil go to battle. The good guys are winning, until the dark lord shows up with the ring. The leader of the race of men is killed; his son injured. The dark lord goes in to finish him off. The son picks up the broken sword and cuts the dark lord's ring finger off. The dark lord is destroyed, and the world is saved. The new leader gets power-hungry - instead of destroying the ring, he wants to keep it for himself. He is ambushed and shot in the back. The ring is lost again. A half-human creature finds the ring and tries to hide it from others. He is captured and tortured by the bad guys. So much for the power of the ring... The rest of the movie relates how the ring, being so "powerful", tends to corrupt its owners. One of the Hobbits eventually finds the ring, and his Elf friend Gandalf advises him to give it up. As the spirit of the dark lord tries to re-unite with the ring, the good guys must find someone to take it to the mountain where it was forged, and that is where it can be destroyed. And that duty falls upon the shoulders of Frodo, our Hobbit hero. Question: Why not just let the dark lord have his ring back, and cut off his finger again in battle? Elijah Wood as Frodo has a total of 4 expressions: wide-eyed joyousness, wide-eyed sadness, wide-eyed fear, wide-eyed bewilderment. The rest of the cast try hard. Unfortunately, the real stars of the movie are the computerized effects and elaborate sets. The problem is these visuals are so grandiosely artificial and instantly forgetable. Sci-fi fans should stay with Star Trek and Star Wars - they are much more fun and less heavy-handed.
Rating: 
Summary: The Theatrical Cut Is Still Better
Review: I've seen the theatrical cut a few times in the theaters and a few times on DVD, and I just bought the extended version. I'm happy to have had an excuse to see the movie again. But frankly, the scenes Jackson cut to make the theatrical cut slow the movie down without adding much richness. If you want the whole story, read the book. If you want one of the best movies of all times, see the theatrical cut. If you want to see how a brilliant editor can make a good movie great, watch this cut after you've seen the theatrical cut. This version is strictly for fanboys like me.
Rating:
Summary: Should be mandatory
Review: What can I say that hasn't been said already? This is quite possibly the best action film ever made, and the DVD only makes it better. This and The Matrix should be in EVERYONE's DVD collection, and I mean EVERYONE. Special features are great, as is the bonus footage. Unlike the pointless "Special Editions" of Star Wars and ET, I can't tell what was originally in the movie and what wasn't; it all blends in perfectly. Simply outstanding.
Rating:
Summary: Almost perfect...
Review: There are only two ways this collection could have been better. 1. If somehow they were able to put the movie on one disc (perhaps by putting putting the film on two discs, and putting two commentaries per disc) so you didn't have to change discs, but I'm no data-compression guru, so I can't complain too much. and 2. If Cate Blanchett were married to me and not Andrew Upton, and were that she was on the commentaries, if she were to give me a "shout-out". But she was absent from the commentary. Okay, maybe that's two things, but the part about her being married to me instead of Andrew Upton is more of a non-disc related issue, and more of a "I-need-to-get-a-life" issue, so I decided not to list it as a seperate issue with this disc.
Rating:
Summary: The Lord of the stories of all times: a short review.
Review: Adventure, sacrifice, friendship, solidarity, all this issues lead us unavoidably to the greatest story imaginable. A clear invitation to all who feel little, to feel great; all who feel alone, to feel accompanied. The one story for those searching for inspiration and hope, The Fellowship of the Ring, is the movie we should watch...and even better, the book we should read.
But watching the movie in its DVD Widescreen Edition brings us the chance to perceive with extremely precision all the hidden aspects of this magnificent tale. Extraordinary direction by Peter Jackson and outstanding choice and performance of the cast, and of course, the excellent technical features that made this super production come to life, all these aspects make this, without question, "the one movie to rule them all, for those who will live to remember".
Rating:
Summary: "Extended Edition": Epic Fantasy At Its Best
Review: Despite its hefty 3 & 1/2 hour length, the 4-disc "Extended Edition" of "The Fellowship of the Ring" is the absolute superior version, and, in my opinion, the only version. Peter Jackson and Co. didn't simply insert new cuts and scenes inbetween the original cut; the entire movie has been re-edited to accomodate the new footage. Viewers can choose between four different sets of commentary as well. There is much more to this film, for fans of the book or for people who simply liked the theatrical release and wanted to delve further into it. Though I was highly impressed with the theatrical release, I always felt that the movie was a little bit too hurried, as if there were things left unresolved, underdeveloped, or simply passed over. The new version is much more in the vein of Tolkien's whimsy and enchantment. There is greater depth in the character development, particularly Bilbo, Aragorn, and Gandalf. There are significant additions to the movie, some straight from the book, and events of great importance later in the trilogy- the deleted scene, "The Gift Giving" in Lothlorien, is of paramount importance to the rest of the story. There are also a lot of small touches here and there that all add up to a more substantial film- hobbits drinking and singing at the Green Dragon, elves that are leaving Middle-Earth, Aragorn singing by himself at night, and the Fellowship paying homage to Gandalf in Lothlorien. These are but a few of the numerous additions throughout the film that contribute to a more satisfying and memorable experience. The supplementary discs offer many hours of information, regarding practically every aspect of the movie, from early concept to final cut, and there are dozens of interviews that add further understanding to the production. My personal favorite is the very first documentary, which, if the viewer doesn't know anything about J.R.R. Tolkien, or the mythological, philological, and philosophical nature of the books, is incredibly vital. The "Extended Edition" is the final say in fantasy film-making and totally worthwhile to anyone who even has a passing interest in the original version, and the supplementary discs are highly resourceful as well. 100% recommended.
Rating:
Summary: own this wonderful dvd
Review: This is a wonderful addition to your dvd library if you love "The Lord of The Rings" - you've read the books and yes the movie doesn't follow it _exactly_ it's still the best adaptation so far and most likely will ever be. There are some great features this has and the special effects are impressive. It's absolutely fascinating to see how Elijah Woods plays his part so well. And Liv Tyler is great. It seems this cast is perfectly suited for this movie. Frodo lives.
Rating:
Summary: Extended IS better!
Review: I've seen the film twice in the theatre, have almost finished the book, but when I watched this version of the film it smoothed out the rough spots that I felt during my intial viewing. With the added scenes and the additions to the sound track, it was so much more fulfilling. Peter Jackson has surely demonstrated his love of the "Rings" story. What will be even nicer is when the entire three parts are released and there is a super jumbo, seamless film on DVD for all of the ardent followers. This version is recommended above the intial DVD release.
Rating:
Summary: An amazingly good movie
Review: I had seen the first movie without the special extended edition and loved it. But this extended version is 10 times more amazing. The new extended parts of the movie just add more delight to an already delightful movie.The commentaries by the actors and actresses are funny and eventhough it is rather long I have watched it over and over again.The movie shows how they make the hobbits shorter than the men and Elves , how the Hobbits makeup , feet and wigs are put on and how the actors keep themselves busy.They show costume design and so much more that there is just to much to list. The extended scenes either 1 , make more sense out of the movie or 2 , make the movie more enjoyable. I have read the first book and I am on the second book (which , by the way I have seen in the movie theater 2 times because it was so good)and the movies really keep to the story.Elijah Wood as Frodo , Ian McKellen as Gandalf , Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn , Sean Astin as Sam , Sean Bean as Boromir , Orlando Bloom as Legolas , Liv Tyler as Arwen , How can you get any better? New Zealand is so beautiful as Middle Earth you really can not beleive that it is part of our world. My advice to anyone who loves Lord Of The Rings as much as I do(and that is alot)should spend those few extra dollers and buy the special extended series , trust me you won't regret it.
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