Rating: 
Summary: STUNNING FINALE
Review: The LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy will become a classic because director/writer, etc. Peter Jackson had a vision, stuck to it, and gave us three masterpieces of cinematic excellence. Taking such a complex book as Tolkien's series was no easy task and in spite of many obstacles, Jackson delivered a trio of unbelievably well made adventures.
In this final chapter, Jackson's vision is beautifully realized with outstanding cinematography and editing; superb special effects and a wonderful cast of actors who were wrongfully ignored by Oscar for three years.
In this installment, Sean Astin becomes the "soul" of the movie, as he is willing to do anything to enable Frodo (the underrated Elijah Wood) dispose of the ring. Andy Sartis' Gollum is another epic piece of animation, effects and vocal talent, not to mention the way in which Sartis' physical presence was utilized in the making of Gollum. Miranda Otto and Bernard Hill are superb as the king and his daughter; David Wenham, Karl Urban, Billy Boyd (who comes to true maturation in this film), Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies, and of course the incomparable Ian McKellen finally gets the screen time he deserves and uses it well.
The battle scenes; the giant spider (probably the best ever captured on film); Howard Shore's magnificent score; the stunning visuals; the sets; the costumes. This is what movie-making is all about.
Whether you're a true Tolkien fanatic or just an average viewer like myself, you cannot deny the power and splendor of this magnificent achievement in film-making.
Congratulations to Jackson and all for their 11 Oscars!
Rating:
Summary: The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King
Review: I truly loved the movie - the music, the scenes, the feeling in the performances. It was a great ending to the trilogy. However, I bought the DVD hoping to see a preview of the special extended edition and got very disappointed when I found it didn't have one. Does anybody know whether there is really going to be one? In particular, if there is an extended edition, does anybody know whether PJ has written a scene where you can see even a sign that Faramir and Éowyn are going to fall in love as it happens in the book? I just feel that Éowyn and Faramir were such great characters that they deserved a little bit more happiness.
Rating:
Summary: Review the reviewers
Review: These movies blow away all others. The Matrix trilogy doesn't compare because the story line while it makes sense, is TOTALLY about special effects and doesn't concentrate on the actual dialogue enough to give less mentally fortunate people enough to go on to understand them. I mean one line in Revolutions is "Why Mr. Anderson, why do you continue to fight?" Neo answers with "Because I choose to." WHAT?! WOW, alot of thought went into that one!! Also while I love the Star Wars series, it has definitely lost something with the newer films. Lawrence of Arabia? One reviewer compared these films to Lawrence of Arabia and Ghandi? What are you talking about? Another person mentions he had to go through three DVD players to get his disc to not be "grainy" or have a yellow hue to it. THAT is why you rated this movie a 1 star? You're an idiot! Then I love these people who claim to be Tolkien "purists" and that they are experts of the books. WHO CARES!! That's just like having a conversation with some guy about the war in Iraq or something and the guy is like, "well I'm a doctor, so I know everything about everything." your credentials don't mean CRAP!!! Anyway, those of you who have seen these movies (theatrical releases) know that all the cut scenes and all the stuff the "purists" deem as unworthy of tolkien, realize that the extended version follow the books almost exactly to the tee. So just enjoy the most epic films of our time, quit trying to be a know it all "purist" and thinking that you know anything about how to make a film or transfer one to a DVD. These movies define what is to be human, EMOTIONS. It's what separates us from the animals. You have love, hatred, friendship, unity, greed, loyalty, action, adventure, fantasy, culture, and triumph all wrapped up into these films that climaxes with The Return of the King. Watch the movies and be amazed that you will find yourself completely swept up in Middle Earth and the fight to save it. If you don't like my review and don't find it helpful, that's fine with me, it's your opinion, but after you read what some of the other people are writing about these movies, i think if you read my review again, you will change your mind about how helpful it really is!
Rating:
Summary: A Great End to a Great Triology
Review: I don't think anyone can say enough about how great this movie was. I think that the three LoR movies might even surpass the Star Wars Triology as the greatest Movie Triology ever. My only complaint was the the Scouring of the Shire was not placed in the movies because it gives a little purpose to both Merry and Pippin at the end. But outside of that the movie was wonderfully done. The last few final scenes were powerful. As for the technical stuff, the widescreen ofcourse is the way to go, the audio is great especially heard with surround sound. The video quality sharp and crisp. The disc is loaded with speical features. I waited and got the Triology as one set and of course I have the extended versions as well, which I think are much better then these versions. I would recommand getting this video but if you don't have all three then pay the extra money and get the triology set.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful, but not Perfect
Review: I have been a Tolkien and Lord of the Rings buff since I first read it over 30 years ago. My countless readings of it have naturally shaped my judgement of the movie, which was really done well.Saddest was the fact that much of the detail was cut -- something which cannot be avoided considering the time factor -- but major things like Ghan-Buri-Ghan, the Houses of Healing, and (one of my favorites) the Scouring of the Shire are completely left out. That leaves the fate of Saruman and Wormtongue up in the air.... I also felt that the relationship between Frodo and Smeagol was exaggerated a bit too much while Frodo was meaner to Sam. (He doesn't tell him to go home in the book.) Also, the action and fighting was well and complete while the lighter, humorous portions were cut way down if not deleted altogether. As a Lord of the Rings purist, I could go on and on, but I will end by saying that the movie is a great version of one of the greatest classic fantasies. However, if you really want to savor true Tolkien at his storytelling best, read the books. And for the best, roundest understanding of it all, take my advice: start with The Hobbit, then read The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: "The Return of the King" Marks the Return of Ingenuity
Review: Admittedly, I wasn't really into that whole "Lord of the Rings" hype at first. J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was one of my favorite childhood books, and though I haven't read the "LOTR" trilogy, after watching Peter Jackson's ("Bad Taste", "The Frighteners") first installment, "The Fellowship of the Ring", I was mildly disappointed. I felt that the film, despite boasting some great performances, and spectacular special effects and cinematography, was a little too self-indulgent and grim. In addition, I thought that the pace was lethargic - the film had too many 'helicopter' shots of the main characters striding towards their destination. Since two more chapters were yet to come, I felt that the film should have had more than just numerous close-ups of weepy Elijah Wood's mug to compensate for the awareness that the goal would not be reached until the third part of the trilogy. After all, this was supposed to be a grand fantasy for kids, and Peter Jackson failed to supplement the intermittent grandeur of impressive visual effects and mildly riveting suspense with the spine-tingling awe of, say, Wolfgang Petersen's "NeverEnding Story", or Bob Zemeckis' "Back to the Future" trilogy. "Fellowship of the Ring" was all impressive production value and epic scale, but no zest.
"The Two Towers", the second installment, further disheartened me - I considered its structure messy, its pace even more languid than in the previous chapter. The constant identical close-ups of Elijah Woods expressing distress annoyed me doubly, as did Elrond, played by Hugo Weaving in 'Agent Smith' mode. The talking trees kept my attention for a while, but then their mumbling, interweaved with gorgeous shots of the protagonists walking through snowy mountains and endless plains, soothed me to sleep. I did wake up to watch Arwen (Liv Tyler, unnaturally gorgeous with elf-ears); I was enthralled by Gollum (the subsequent media dissection of the character, how it was made, and the actor Andy Serkis diminished some of Gollum's wondrous appeal); I enjoyed Ian McKellen's wizard Gandalf (who, I think, kept truest to Tolkien's magical spirit); and the final battle was startling in its scale. Still, I walked out of the theater somewhat confused: why wouldn't Frodo and Sam (Sean Astin) just fly one of those long-necked dragons all that way to the ring, instead of conquering monsters in caves and all that stuff? And what's all the rage about Orlando Bloom's Legolas, who comes off as a sissy with his elfish ears and long shampooed blonde hair?
With the third chapter, "The Return of the King", Peter Jackson manages to validate his commitment and affection for the saga, if not the preposterous publicity his films have triggered (one could get a specially designed "Lord of the Rings" Harley Davidson bike - what association does a motorcycle have with J.R.R. Tolkien?!) After watching the final episode of the saga, I recognized and grew to appreciate the fact that essentially, the director kept true to his vision throughout, handled a hell of a yarn, and ended it with a blast. The virtuosity of Peter Jackson's grip becomes most apparent in "The Return of the King" - the film made me temporarily forget how much I criticized the first two installments.
Frodo and Sam continue their quest, as the film opens with a little prehistory of Gollum, revealing his origins. Back in the present, the little bastard cunningly attempts to grasp hold of "the precious". In the meantime, the power of the ring is taking hold of Frodo, who struggles to resist its evil, abandoning loyal Sam in the process. This is soon followed by a giant spider scene, which I feared, having just suffered through two painfully tiring hours of watching hundreds of CGI "Eight Legged Freaks". However, I found myself on the edge of my seat at the sight of unconscious Frodo getting tangled up in sticky web, as Sam hurries to his rescue. More than that, I remained on the edge of my seat almost until the end, as opposed to slouching back all the way through the first two chapters. The reason for that is: "The Return of the King" works as a separate film, with freshness introduced to the material. Aragorn's (Viggo Mortensen) asking the ghost army for help is a brilliant scene that leads to a stunning pay-off. Aragorn's romance with Arwen also feels fresh - it lacks the sentimentality of their previous encounters. Legolas proves he's not a sissy in a jaw-dropping confrontation with a giant elephant (the elf literally SURFES on top of the creature, killing off the enemy in the process, as well as slaughtering the mammoth, and it all looks real.) The battle goes on forever, and is executed flawlessly - it is almost impossible to tell where the CGI is, and when an army crashes through the combating legion, the thunderous power of it all will take your breath away.
In "The Return of the King", Peter Jackson has taken the best elements of the two previous chapters - the action, the effects, the cinematography, Ian McKellen - and elaborated them into unreserved sumptuousness. The exhilaration and the palpable enthusiasm of the director overshadow small inconsistencies reminiscent of the preceding chapters, such as some stretched-out parts, a lengthy triple-ending which is just about groan-inducing, and, of course, the frustrating determination to win 'Best Puppy Eyes' contest on Elijah Woods' part - kid's acting range is clearly limited. Sam's the one we're rooting for from beginning to end, but annoyingly, Frodo gets all the credit. In actuality, director Peter Jackson and his team of filmmakers deserve all the credit, for making the last installment of the saga the most faithful to the spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien, or so I feel, even though my judgment is solely based on my memories of "The Hobbit". True aficionados of the writer might enjoy all three of the chapters, but in my opinion, only "The Return of the King" is the inspired cinematic masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Six Months later, 11 Acadamy Awards and I Still Love It
Review: Yes, I know I'm, breaking tradition and writing a review that is destined to be one of hundreds of 5 star reviews, which in all probability will not be widely read but write I must. For those of you who have skipped the first two movies (I can't imagine who hasn't seen the first two) and figured you'd catch up on the finale, do yourself a favor and rent or buy (you may as well buy because you'll buy eventually), "The Fellowship of the Rings" and "The Two Towers", for you will surely be lost if you don't. Lord of the Rings The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a classic Good versus Evil saga. The Dark Lord Sauron, a maleficent creature, who was once thought to have been destroyed, resurrects himself in the temporary form of an evil eye and rebuilds a malevolent empire consisting of various kinds of evil creatures and ultimately plans to unleash them on his neighbors. Purpose? The annihilation of humanity. To this end, he is assisted by the mighty Wizard Saruman, who once was a force for good but because he believes Sauron cannot be stopped throws his lot in with his evil, once enemy. This evil is countered by many heroes, some who give their lives fighting Sauron's hordes. The story revolves around a lost ring, one of several, but the most powerful, which was created by Sauron to conquer and enslave humanity in Middle Earth. "One ring to rule them all, One ring to find them. One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them" I must stop and explain here that humanity in Middle Earth consists of Man, the immortal Elves, Dwarves and Hobbits (diminutive manlike creatures with rather large feet). They are confronted by evil creatures which include Orcs, Trolls, Uruk-hai (vicious Orclike creatures made from mud), Ringwraiths (once human kings, now all powerful Sauron lieutenants) and various and assorted other creatures, the likes of which you have never seen. The Return Of The King There is so much to tell here I don't know where to begin. Gollum plots to lead Frodo and Sam into a trap with Shelob, a giant man eating spider. Sams hears parts of the plan as Gollum talks to his wicked other self and confronts Gollum who twists things around on Sam and makes Frodo believe he is the danger. Gandalf finds out that Sauron plans to attack the Gandor, fortress city of Minas Tirinth and hurrys to warn the Royal Steward, who is insane and grief stricken and will not undertake the defense of the city. Finally Gandalf usurps his authority and starts to organize a defense. In the meantime, with Pippens help and without the Stewards knowlege, Gandalf manages to light bonfire beacons and send word to Rohan of Gondor's plight and Rohan's King Theoden rounds up his army. Aragon is with Theoden and together they realize that Rohan's six thousand men at arms will be pitifully small against the combined might of Sauron's dark armies. Enter Elond, known to some as agent Smith but thats another story, who hands Aragon the rebuilt sword that destroyed Sauron two thousand years ago and implores him to take his rightful title as King Of Gondor. Yes, Aragon, our hero, is a descendant of the Kings of Gondor. If things are getting complicated, stand by. Elond strongly suggests that the only hope to defeat Sauron's army is to go into a haunted mountain, into the Paths of the Dead and get the spectres to honor a pledge they broke in antiquity. Gollum springs his trap on Frodo and he's cocooned by Shelob but Sam, who had been sent away saves Frodo but before he could free Frodo, Sam has to hide from approaching Orcs. Will Aragon recruit his mystery army? Will Sam free Frodo? Will their Quest succeed? I invite you to see the movie. Conclusion The actors were great. After three movies you really get to appreciate these guys and gals. Despite the morose subject matter, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan tended to lighten things up with comedic antics and tongue in cheek humor. Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen had the parts of a lifetime and they ran with it. And for me, a great part of the movie was Sean Astin's portrayal of Sam. I am disappointed that at least one of them was not up for an Oscar but you know the Acadamy. Do I recommend this movie? If I've yet to make that clear, let me say this. I know this movie is not for everybody and you know who you are. For the others this and the two predecessors, each individually and collectively are the real greatest movie and story ever told.
Rating:
Summary: Wow ...
Review: I never thought this would top The Two Towers, but it did. Simply put, the finest and most intense of the entire trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: *****
Review: Well the Battle for Middle Earth has already begun...The Return of the King concludes the War of the Ring and ties up the destinies of all our favorite fellowship members (the ones who didn't die atleast). Everything is on tenderhooks with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum. Now that Smeagol/Gollum has gone back down into his treacherous ways it's easy to see the difference between the eager-to-please Smeagol in The Two Towers and the evil and scheming Gollum that has won the mastership over Smeagol. What I really thought was great and an unlooked for bonus in the movie was the back story of Smeagol and his discovery of the ring. His guilt and the arrival of the alter ego Gollum that is both tormenter and tormented. The ring grows more powerful and even at the begining you can see that Frodo is irrevocably entranced yet not quite ensnared by the ring. The sense of urgency seems to be a never ending feeling through out the trilogy especially in The Return of The King, ironically the movie is 3 hours and 40 minutes long. This film is by far the most emotional. Aragorn has now to choose his path, which is hard enough with out having to lead an army of the dead. Though death is a huge theme in the movie there is always an uplifting note. After all "death is just another path..one we all must take" as Gandalf explains to Pippin. Through the whole story love is the driving force. It pushes all the major characters to fight. Mainly, I think, it's the love for life or different aspects of it. A life that would cease to exist under the rule of Sauron. Most evident of all is the love between Sam and Frodo, and also Faramir's love for his father. All sacrafice themselves, though not exactly resulting in death, they each go knowingly into almost certain death. The DVD extra features give short documentaries on the making of the trilogy from casting to digital effects. I thought that the "Digital Horse Doubles" featurett was really fun to watch. I was, however, disapointed not to find a music video of Annie Lenox performing her song "Into the West", especially since the other films in the trilogy have a music video featuring the theme song to that film (i.e. "may it be" performed by Enya, or "the gollum song" performed by Emiliana Torrini). Pehaps it will be in the special extended version... I sincerely hope so. Middle Earth is there and seeing it makes you want to go there yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting
Review: I am not a big fan of fantasy genre movies or tv shows, but when the first and second LOTR movies came out I was stunned by the brilliance of the people in front of and behind the camera. The same mostly goes for this last installments, but it also just seems to maudlin - there are probably 5 different endings to the movies and it just drags on. I certainly respect the director and his crew for putting so much effort into making the books come to life, such an epic movie on such a grand scale has not been tried in recent memory with such aplomb, but I feel unlike those grand pictures of before, LOTR goes more for show and special effects to make its impact rather than dialogue and simplicity. Lawrence of Arabia was an epic film, yet it had so many great lines and the acting was magnificent. The Last Emperor and Gandhi, big sweeping films with wonderful visuals, were just as great too. Unfortunately, LOTR can never compare to these grand films of yesteryear.
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