Rating: 
Summary: CLASSIC!
Review: Return of the King hits you on more emotional levels than either of the first two films. The viewer is intensely drawn into to the characters of Frodo, Sam, Merry & Pippin. This movie belongs to the Hobbits!
Naturally, Jackson has included everyone yet it seems the 'minor' characters own this tale.
Eowyn (Miranda Otto) is not only breathtaking but finally shows off her inner courage. Theoden (Bernard Hill) is splendid, more animated, more a part of Tolkien's world in ROTK than in 'Two Towers'. Gimli (John Rys-Davies) and Legolas (Orlando Bloom) are two major figures who while they share Aragorn's intense journey of self-discovery 'don't' figure much in the film.
Viggo Mortenson is even more credible as a man on the verge of greatness. He has found his comfort level in this conclusion of the trilogy and does it with a soft-spoken style and intelligence.Yet, primarily, ROTK is an emotional film about friendship and relationships. Sean Astin (Sam) and Ejiah Wood's (Frodo) bond reaches a height most of us could only dream of. Astin is fantastic, as he suffers along with Frodo. And Gollum reaches new heights of treachery as he guides the two Hobbits to Mt. Doom.
I cried in the theater and I sniffled at home with these characters so brought to life by Jackson's wonderful direction. This is a movie for the ages. The viewer can 'almost' forget the special effects for the trust, friendship and yes, fellowship that abounds in Return of the King.
Rating:
Summary: The Ring Is Complete
Review: The Return Of The King is the final part to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It perfectly completes the trilogy of which the three films rank amongst the finest achievements in film history. The film follows Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his trusty companion Sam (Sean Astin) through their ascent of Mount Doom to destroy the ring. Meanwhile their friends face a final battle against Sauron's forces to defend Minas Tirith. Aragon (Viggo Mortensen) must face his true calling as the King of men and Legalos (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) are by his side to fight the Orc forces. The battle scene is a visual masterpiece worthy of true epic stature. Andy Serkis who brilliantly voices the creature Gollum gets some real face time in the beginning of the film as we see the origins of Gollum. Ian McKellan is the films steady presence as Gandlaf and Liv Tyler and Miranda Otto bring beauty and strength to their roles of Arwen & Eowyn respectively. The film has so many intricacies and brilliant performances that they are impossible to detail. Behind all the amazing performances is the best performance of them all, director Peter Jackson's. Mr. Jackson's work is as good as any director's work in history and when you take all three films as a whole, it probably is the greatest work any director has ever achieved. The Return of the Kings was a big success Oscar night, sweeping all eleven categories it was nominated in including Best Picture and Director and tied Ben-Hur & Titanic for most Oscars for one film. With the six awards the first two installments received, it is far and away the most honored film franchise in history.
Rating:
Summary: An ending you can't miss
Review: This is the final edition of Lord of the Rings. It introduces Denthor the stuard of Gondor, well if you've seen the extended version of the Two Towers that actually introduces him. Also the ghost men that come to mens aid in the war.
Merry wishes to fight in war, but the men of Rohan don't want him as a burden to carry through war. Elrond gives Aragorn the blade that was once broke, but is now restored and tells him that the only way to win the war is with the help of ghost men that hide in the mountains. Only the king of Gondor can control them, in Return of the King Aragorn finally accepts his fate as the King of Men He along with Legolas, and Gimli go into the mountains and the cave that hold the dead army. This scene has the best special effects out of the whole movie.
Gollum tries and successfully comes between Sam and Frodo. Gollum leads Frodo and Sam up the secret stairs and tricks Frodo into believing Sam at the last of their food supplize, Frodo bids Sam to leave and he does. Gollum continues to lead Frodo up the stairs and they reach a dark tunnel filled with spiderwebs. Frodo realizes that Gollum has tricked him, but not soon enough. A giant spider attacks Frodo, he remembers that he has a special light that was given to him by Lady Galadriel. He uses it against the spider, and it seems to work.. The spider goes and hides and Frodo stays to regain strength, but he lengered to long in the spiders layer. The spider stabs Frodo and paralyizes him, then covers him in its web.
Sam ignores Frodo's request and comes back to Frodo's aid at his time of need. He scares off orc's and attacks the spider until it leaves. Frodo fears that the orc's have taken the ring but come to realizes that Sam took it while he was paralyized. Sam gave Frodo the ring back and they continued to the fires Mordor. They dress up as orc's and get to the outer rim of the tower of Mordor. Something outside gets the orc's attention along as the great eye's attention, it's a distraction created by Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, and a living army of men. They go to fight the orc's and give Sam and Frodo the chance to destroy the one ring.
Frodo is to week to continue, Sam realizes he can't carry the ring, but he picks up Frodo and starts to carry him. They are attacked by Gullom who is still trying to take the rin from Frodo. While Sam and Gollum continue to fight Frodo finds the currage to take the ring to fires of Mordor. The men recieve help from large eagles, who fight the nazgul in mid air while men attack the orc's on land. Sam meets Frodo in the mountain and bids Frodo to distroy the ring. The Ring seems to have to much control over Frodo and he keeps it. Frodo puts the ring on and starts to leave the mountain, but is attacked by Gollum. They fight, and Gollum bites the finger that has the Ring off Frodo but its not over, Frodo pushes Gollum with the ring into the fires of Mordor. Gollum and the Ring and everything evil are finally destroyed.
The tower of Mordor falls and fire spreeds and burns. Sam hurr's Frodo out of the mountain and onto a high rock excaping the lava or "fire". Once the ring is distroyed Frodo starts to remember his life in the Shire. Sam remembers his crush on Rosie, and says he wanted to marry her. Frodo and Sam fear it's the end for them, only to see Gandalf come to their aid with a giant egal. The Egal picks Frodo and Sam up with their feet and fly them to safer grounds. Frodow then wakes back in Rivendell with the sun on his face and the sound of calming birds near by. He realizes he's still alive and see's Gandalf for the first time since he fell in the Misty Mountains. He then is happily reunited with Merry Pippin, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, and Sam.
Next you're taken back to the white city of Gondor. To the crowing of Lord Aragorn, the king of all men. He is crowned by Gandalf the white in front of the city of Gondor. Aragorn sings a song in elvish, and walks up to meet Legolas and group evles. He sees Arwen and Elrond. Arwen walks up to him and he gives her a kiss. Together Lord Aragorn and Lady Arwen walk up to the hobbits who bow to them. Aragorn tells the hobbits that they boy to no one and the city of Gondor all bows to the hobbits.
Frodo ends Bilbo's story of their and Back again that was started in the Fellowship of the Ring. The hobbits finally return to the shire. They try to pick up their normal lives again but find it difficult. Sam finally gets the courage to ask Rosie to marry him. They show the wedding of Rosie and Sam. Frodo can't settle back into his own life and realizes he must leave the Shire again. They take Bilbo head to the harbor to the last ship to leave middle earth. No one expects that Frodo is going to leave with them until he takes his place besides the elves. He asks Sam to completely finish the story. The end by showing Sam returning home to Rosie and his kids.
This maybe a long movie, yes but if you've seen the other two movies it's well worth the time! I give it an A along with the other two versions of the Lord of the Rings. I hope sometime soon I can see the extended version of Return of the King.
Rating: 
Summary: Sam has won Paradise...
Review: Maybe the Real State Agencies of the Shire have very good prices and Sam does not have to worry about buying a round house,otherwise I cannot understand why Sam did not throw Frodo into the Mountain of Destiny....and get Rosie to live as kings at Frodo's.
Suffering starvation (only eating that strange extradry bread), carrying all the luggage, and doing a Master on Hobbit's Psicopathologies, not to mention the problems of having a good shower every now and then....
Is there anything that we do not now?....Could it be that Sam has some debts to Godfather Bilbo...?mmmm
Talking about other things, the film, for instance. I enjoyed it very much, it goes straight to the point, to see Frodo's going into that ship to Sam's rejoicing..
I think the director is quite good, and knows the book perfectly. I also like the cast very much.
I do not give it a 5, because I cannot give a 5 either to the book, because it is a chauvinistic one. Although it is a masterwork.
Rating:
Summary: A Breathtaking Masterpiece
Review: This wonderful movie will just blow you away. The movie is extremely acurate to the book. Easily the best of all the three. Also in history there have been only three movies that have gotten 11 well deserved Academy Awards and this is one of them. Arguably the best movie ever made. The cinamatography, acting, computer generation, script, and directing make it one of the best movies you can ever get.
You will never look back getting this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy THIS version. Do buy the EXTENDED edition
Review: This is an excellent film, the most enjoyable of the three LOTR movies. The battle scenes are magnificent. The love and friendship between the characters will move you.
However, I cannot give 4 stars to this DVD because a better DVD exists... the Extended Edition of this movie. If you love this movie enough to buy it, you should spend the extra cash to get the extended edition DVD (which has an extra hour of additional footage).
Without the additional footage, this film still works. Everything in the story makes sense and is held together well. However, the extra footage ties up more loose ends and gives you the pleasure of spending a little more time in Middle-earth. And who wouldn't want that?
Rating:
Summary: I give this movie five stars despite some flaws
Review: the reason is that the movie surpasses just about every other movie on several levels. The battle scenes are spectacular and the other-worldly aspects of good and evil make this movie a remarkable accomplishment. The attack of army of Rojan was the most spectacular battle scene I can remember.
This movie did drag on at the end however. I worried we might end up attending Sam's retirement party if it kept on going, but it did finally end.
Rating:
Summary: Hollywoodisation - Yeah right mate!
Review: PJ, is a New Zealander, perhaps the greatest film maker we have produced. The Hollywoodisation of the film, has been executed by those in hollywood. Watching the extended version of the film, I felt somewhat relieved that PJ had in fact shot the film acurately, and the producers cut it down, leaving out many small, but important features. All the same it was an excellent film that on its own, and with its two earlier films will take a long time to top.
Having a lot of the film literally filmed in my back yard (example the scene in LOTR: FOTR - the forest where the hobbits hide from the Nazgul) - Mt Victoria.
As a proud New Zealander I encourage all Kiwi's to buy part of this history.
Rating:
Summary: If you are not fan don't buy idiot
Review: I was not impressed by Jacksons treatment of the series, i expected far more value for what Tolkiens script had to offer. My main gripe lay with the acting, i thought the acting of nearly all the characters lacked Gravitas. Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Eowyn, Theoden were all boring in the film yet interesting in the book. The only exceptions were Ian Mckellan as Gandalf, The guy who did Gollum, Christopher Lee as Saruman (perfectly cast - acting with his eyes), Hugo Weaving as Elrond and the guy who played The Steward of Gondor. Then there is the issue of Jacksons judgement. The friendly rivalry between Legolas and Gimli for example was just a side issue yet in film 2 it was blown up into a big issue, perhaps Jackson was trying to be too completist, and a little more selectivity would have been in order, it made those characters look thin and childish. Another huge gripe is the Hollywoodisation of the film, i know the huge battle scene is important but in this film it is given the central role even over Frodo's Quest (which is central in the book). The battle scene was boring, you can only see orc creatures with bad make-up being slaughtered like children by long haired men with swords a limited number of times before it becomes tedious. Hollywood figured...'lets give them huge cgi madness, it will look good in the trailer'. The central plot of the third film should have been Frodo's slow succumbing to the power of the ring, this would have required a much better actor than the guy who played Frodo here, it would have required a deep ability to portray madness and personality change.
Tolkien's book extremely well written and atmospheric but it is far from perfect, it almost seemed as though he wrote it with Hollywood in mind given it's slightly saccharine ending. I felt little emotion watching this film yet great emotion reading the book, something has been lost in the translation....
Rating: 
Summary: Keep those scissors away from The Hobbit!
Review: Make no mistake, I think with the first two films Peter Jackson pretty much buried the term 'unfilmable book'. They were two brilliant films and surpassed my expectations. It was with a real sense of excitement that I sat down in a cinema to watch this the third and final instalment, and in a nutshell it was a let down.
The issue that makes Return Of The King go wrong is its editing. To cut out the crucial character of Saruman and the role that he plays througout this part of the book and right at the end is probably the most glaring.
I would have like to have seen on screen the battle for The Black Ships Of Umbar but it is not there.
Another cut is the confrontation between Gandalf and The Witch King at the Great Gate of Gondor. In the book, this was one of the crucial elements of the battle of The Pelennor Fields and its exclusion badly detracts from the menace of the Witch King.
Also missing is the showdown at the Gates of Baradur between Gandalf and the Lieutenant Of The Tower which is a crucial lead in to the battle that follows almost immediately afterwards.
The ending itself is changed from that of the book so that instead of the enormous black, lightening crowned figure of Sauron filling the sky, we have the Eye in the Tower only collapsing in on itself which is frankly an anti climax.
On a more positive note, the Battle Of The Pelennor Fields is superb with the various armies, The Nazgul dive bombing the city, and The Mumakil crushing all before them.
Equally The Army Of The Dead is superbly realised, as is the walk into their mountain city beforehand.
Also the restoration of some of the cut scenes is also apparently in the extended version which I have still not seen yet, such was my disappointment with the theatrical release cut....
To sum up though this could of and should have been a much better film, it does not compare with the book or the first two films that have gone before.
Sorry Peter but it really does not hack it. When it comes time to film The Hobbit, please, please leave the scissors at home!
|
