Rating: 
Summary: Superb!
Review: When a movie comes along that is true to it's orignal book form, has an excelent cast, great screen writers, is moving, and visually stunning, how can you not give it 5 stars? You won't be disappointed if you pick up this box set of all 3 movies.
Now granted it does have one drawback: While wonderful in their own right the theatrical versions just do not stand up to their extended version counterparts. But just basing my rating off how good the quality of the box set is; well you can't go wrong with this one.
5 Stars! And if you like these versions you HAVE to pick up the extened versions as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Movies in not such a great package.
Review: This is a review of the DVD package not of the actual movies. Unlike other die hard fans arguing the relation between the book and film. The DVD should be reviewed as just that a Dvd compilation. The extras and sound are top par as always, with no signs of Video flaws. The 5.1 Sound will have you shaking in your seats. But I do tend to agree with others when they say to wait. I feel like there will be another Trilogy coming out soon maybe with a leather case and better looking so it can be a better collectors item. As for the extended version that is a totally different animal from the Theatrical cut. This compilation is near perfect. If you loved the theatrical release this is for you but if your a die hard fan of the books you most likely are not going to buy this anyways.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent item but wait for the Extended Editions
Review: This trilogy is almost certainly among the greatest movie achievements in movie history. I could never imagine how anyone could actually successfully adapt Tolkien's three novels into movies after those horrible animated editions but with the help of director Peter Jackson and a stellar cast, they really did it! They have brought much of the richness of Tolkien's continent of Middle Earth to life on the big screen and almost everything that could succeed does so on not only the first and second but all three of these movies. (Minor spoilers may be present but hopefully nothing major). LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: This is the first part of the three part movie trilogy and when first seeing it, "The Fellowship of the Ring" literally altered my world forever. I had never seen such a powerful and epic masterpiece ever before than when I first saw this on it's opening night. It all begins in the quiet isolated Hobbit community of The Shire. Hobbits have been very much into their own community and have been so for untold generations. However, a powerful and evil artifact called the One Ring of Power, is brought over by Bilbo Baggins who found it after a gaunt creature named Gollum lost it after carrying for over 500 years. The Ring was forged by a dark Lord Named Sauron who used it to pour his malice and will to dominate all life on Middle Earth and after more than 3000 years, it's power has awakened and gradually begins to corrupt all who carry it. Bilbo Baggins is told about the Ring's dangerous power by a powerful Istari wizard named Gandalf and after much persuasion, he gives up the Ring and his home to his nephew Frodo Baggins. LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS: This second part in the trilogy blew me away when I first saw it in the movie theatres when it opened in December of 2002. This part finds Frodo and Sam continuing on their quest to Mt. Doom when they in fact, are confronted by Gollum who had carried the Ring for 500 years before Bilbo found it. Now Frodo and Sam have no choice but to follow Gollum on their quest to Mordor and to destroy the Ring at Mt. Doom. Meanwhile Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, the remaining fellowship are now trying to find Merry and Pippin after they've gone missing and find themselves in the kingdom of Rohan where it's king Theoden has been withered and aged because of Saruman's power having a strong hold over him. Saruman's armies have been unleashed against Rohan and have begun their acts of death and destruction on Rohan and will do the same on Gondor. Can they save Rohan from death? The epic scale grows much more intense and epic and the whole story gets darker and more dramatic. This second part builds on the greatness of the first. LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING: This final part of the legendary trilogy brings the epic Lord of The Rings to a glorious finish. This is arguably the darkest and more intense of the three and is very scary. The dark forces of Sauron have now expanded beyond Mordor and the last free kingdom of Middle Earth, Gondor is in grave danger when the armies of Mordor are unleashed but also the free kingdoms are also being invaded by evil men from the South and East and join with the orc armies to destroy the free kingdoms of Middle Earth. Meanwhile Frodo and Sam are on the edge of Mordor. The power of the Ring has gotten a lot stronger and is taking a hold of Frodo as they are every closer to the fiery chasms of Mount Doom. The odds are strongly against the free peoples of Middle Earth and the darkness of Mordor has grown powerful and the armies are massive. Only Frodo and Sam with the help of Gollum who Sam does not trust, can be able to save Middle Earth from doom and destruction. This finale made me cry like no other movie in my entire life. Not even "Titanic" made me weep like ROTK did because it feels so much like what's happening to our planet with corrupt forces running rampant and terrorist organizations going out of control. These three movies are the greatest fantasy films ever made but it goes outside just mere fantasy. It is a powerful tale of bravery, friendship, courage, and hope and these are emphasized more than on any other movie in history. The CGI effects on this trilogy are cataclysmically amazing and a lot of the special effects are so realistic that one would barely or not even notice that some of the scenes are computer generated. While I'm not brushing this edition of the movies, I would recommend the Extended Editions over the regular versions. There are so many extras on the extended editions of all three Lord of The Rings movies that you will find yourself missing out on so many amazing documentaries on the 4-DVD editions plus the extra scenes in both movies expand the scope of them so this 3-movie set containing just the theatrical editions of the three will leave a lot to be desired. I am not saying that I would ask to avoid this product necessarily but that the Extended Editions would be a far greater investment if you have the money. Then again this is a very awesome trilogy and this set is a must-have if you love this trilogy. In all honesty, I don't even consider it that because I view this as one long movie broken up into three separate films and they all must be watched in order to really experience them. I don't think any of us will ever experience movies like this ever again in our lifetimes but who knows. Movie making doesn't get any better than this!
Rating:
Summary: One Trilogy To Rule Them All!
Review: Never in the history of cinema has anyone attempted and so successfully mastered the transfer of an epic to the silver screen as Peter Jackson with his acclaimed "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Spanning the better part of a decade in its production, Jackson has taken a literary epic that rivals any in western culture and breathed life into it in a way that will leave audiences marvelling at the sheer grandeur and beauty of his personal vision. Tolkein's 1400+ page story of a fellowship set out on a quest to destroy an ancient evil is faithfully depicted in this series of three feature films, each running more than 3 hours long. The story begins with "The Fellowship of the Ring". It is the story of Frodo (Elijah Wood), nephew of Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm), who inherits the "One Ring" from his uncle when his uncle goes on holiday after his "eleventy first" birthday. The "One Ring" is actually part of an ancient evil that once ruled over Middle Earth, an evil which is growing once more in strength. With the guidance and revelations of Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan), a powerful, good wizard, Frodo embarks on a quest to destroy the one ring, aided by fellow Hobbits Samwise Gamgi (Sean Astin), Meriadoc 'Merry' Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan) and Peregrin 'Pippin' Took (Billy Boyd). When trouble befalls the small band of Hobbits, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) appears, coming to their aid and warding off the evil Ring Wraiths. As their quest continues, the Hobbits travel to Rivendell, home of the elves, where they are joined by Gimli of Gloin (John Rhyes-Davies), a dwarf, and Legolas (Orlando Bloom), an elf, as well as Boromir (Sean Bean). This newly formed fellowship sets out to Mordor, to cast the "One Ring" back into the fires of Mount Doom. The "Two Towers" finds the fellowship fractured after the appearant demise of Gandalf after a confrontation in the Misty Mountains. Similarly, Merry and Pippin are captured, believed to be the carriers of the "One Ring". Frodo and Sam, having slipped away from the rest of the fellowship after a battle that leaves Boromir dead, head off alone to Mount Doom, without the aid of their peers. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, realizing the path that Frodo and Sam have chosen, pursue Pippin and Merry instead, hopeful to rescue them from their captors. As the story unfolds, the quest takes Frodo and Sam ever closer to Mount Doom, unwillingly aided by the sinister and quirky Smeagol/Gollum (Andy Serkis), a creature obsessed with the ring, his "Precious". Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are re-united with Gandalf the White, who has been transformed into an even more powerful wizard. Learning that Pippin and Merry have been saved and are secure in the care of a "tree-hearder", the foursome set out to Rohan to begin building an army to fight the growing evil of Mordor. Finally, in "The Return of the King", the war of Middle Earth has reached a pass, and the evil of Mordor is unleashed against all the peoples of Middle Earth. The war begins on the doorstep of Gondor, the great city of Kings as legions of Orc and Oraci rise up against the strongholds of the great walls of this massive city. In a cinematic battle unlike any seen on the silver screen before, the fate of Middle Earth is decided, even as Frodo and Sam travel ever further into the heart of Mordor, into the fiery depths of Mount Doom. This very brief synopsis does nothing to accurately depict the sheer grandeur and depth of these movies, and should be read with that understanding. Combined, these three films run over 10 hours in length, and, even in their theatrical format (which this trilogy provides) packs so much adventure, action, story, and characterization into each frame that these films are worth multiple viewings. (Jackson has also offered an "extended edition" of each of these films (with "The Return of the King") scheduled to come out later this year on a 4 disc set.) Each movie provides a second DVD with plenty of extras that offer an in-depth perspective on the development and creation of these amazing films. The real gem though, in this collection, are the movies themselves. Rarely does a director bring together such a collection of talents across the gambit-from cast to crew, music, production, special-effects, costuming, set design and sound, to provide such a completely realized vision of such sheer beauty as scarcely to be believed. Jackson balances visuals with an adept storytelling that will keep his audience completely engrossed for the duration of all three films. These movies perfectly balance tension, compassion, the brutality of war with the tenderness and enduring grace of friendship to bring a story which is far more than just a fantasy tale of good and evil, but a true epic of a kind rarely seen in this 21st century culture. This is truly a collection worth the purchase price and a great addition to any DVD library. -Scott Kolecki
Rating:
Summary: Just a comment
Review: Just had to make a comment about what a reviewer said about Eowyn's killing of the Witch King being "politically correct". If you read the passage in the book, the scene shown in the movie was very accurate to the book and not a politically correct interpretation. The fact that Eowyn was a woman was important both in the movie and in the book because the Witch King knew that no "man" could defeat him. Instead, it was a woman (and a hobbit) who ended his life. We can debate on an on about whether or not Tolkien was trying to say somethign about sexism or feminism, but in terms of pure events, what happened in the movie was what happened in the book. That aside, can't WAIT to get this DVD. THE GREATEST MOVIE TRILOGY OF ALL TIME!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Trilogy Ever But...
Review: I agree with other reviews, it would be better to wait for the extended editions to come out as a set. Most Likely people have already bought the first two instalments, I have, I couldn't stop myself from buying them as soon as they came out and be sure I'll end up buying The Return of the King on May 25 so I believe this set is best for people who are just being introduced to LOTR (btw, if you're just getting into it now, were you hiding under a rock? hehe). So take note, I can't wait for all 3 extended editions to come out as a set.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing movie, why would you only want 60% of it
Review: OK... this is, in my opinion, one of the truly great SF/Fantasy movies ever made. The cinematography is amazing, every shot means something. So WHY would you ever want to throw your money away on just over half the picture. Full-frame DVDs destroy the vision of both director and cinematographer and give you a movie which bears a passing resemblance to what they wanted you to see. Do yourself a favor, click your "back" button, and click on the link that says "Widescreen edition". Hey, that way in 3 years when you have a widescreen TV you won't have those "annoying black bars" on the sides of your screen all the time.(...)"Remember: with widescreen you lose part of the screen. With Full Frame you lose the director's vision and artistry."
Rating:
Summary: The Lord of the rings is an epic that NO ONE should avoid!
Review: Look, This is one of the BEST and most fabulous and excelent Three Films I have seen in my whole life! LOTR has dodged the "Sequel plague" ( sequels and sequels after that from the original are crap....). The trilogy is about frodo has the ring and must destroy the ring in Sammath Nuar in Mount Doom. While they journey to Mordor, The fellowship break up after they follow Frodo to his journey, and they defend themselves from the evil forces of Saruman the white and Sauron. These films are perfect and there is hardly anything wrong, ( ther is bound to be many bad things but all of the bad things are like ratio 1:999 from the good parts)
The acting and the casting are superb and you can feel their emotion which makes us connect with the film. The special effects are realistic, its like your there. The battle for Helms deep and the battle of the pelennor fields are great! non stop- action, no boring parts, pure exitement. It is sad that the Films have ended and the theare experience is gone. however, the films are here to stay, in your hands and you can go back to the fabulous Middle earth whenever you like. I have watched the films ( all three: 7-10 times and still do not get sick of it. maybe its because I am obsessed fan but I became obsessed when I looked at this film and I saw the exelence of the three films.
This is definently the best film I have ever seen, all the oscars they have won, they purely deserve. The score music by Howard shore is Phenominal and I am a fan of the music and the music makes you connect with the film, setting the backgreound emotion.
Lord of the rings is not just fioghting, but emotional film. and the battles are also emotional, they are fighting for freedom, for peace. and we are facing those type of things everyday in our lives. These films you should get!!!!! there will not be an extended edition box set so get that if you want. JUST GET THE WHOLE TRILOGY!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will be worth your money! Three great films to add to your Library. When you get it, treasure it, just as the treasure of the lord of the rings have opened up infornt of your eyes when you first watched the fellowship of the ring, the two towers and the return of the king. THIS MOVIE SHOULD NOT BE AVOIDED!!!!!! BUT CHERISHED! Thanks peter jackson for the incredible journey you have taken us to middle earth... ( and also to Jrr tolkein :) )
Rating:
Summary: "One Ring to Rule Them All..." An extraordinary achievement
Review: The making of the Lord of the Rings trilogy may constitute one of the greatest stories in film history. Take an unknown director, a cast of mostly unknown actors, move them to New Zealand for months of filming, use an obscure special-effects company named after a native insect, and stake nearly 300 million dollars and the reputation (and existence) of a movie studio on it somehow working. Granted, director Peter Jackson (whose love for the material and unwillingness to condescend is apparent) and his cast had great material to work with: the beloved novels of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, complete with a dedicated fan base that gave the trilogy instant name recognition (and credibility). The question became: Could this Kiwi director and his group of unknowns create films that would satisfy both Tolkien's fans and the general moviegoer? Would this be "Star Wars" for this generation, or the most memorable flop ever? Well, as we all know, "The Lord of the Rings" has gone on to net Oscars, billions in box-office returns, critical acclaim, and popular appeal. Fans all over the globe have embraced this most incredible achievement and its timeless messages, giving it the kind of universal appeal rarely seen even in our more open and global society. Although some Tolkien fans have taken issue with some of the changes wrought by Jackson, many have welcomed these films as grand representations of Tolkien's work, and have applauded the renewed attention it has brought to the books (the greatest amount since the trilogy was embraced by the Sixties generation). It's the rare pop-culture phenomenon that also has highbrow literary appeal. The films represent an extraordinary trilogy, but each one stands alone as a great film. Of the three, "Return of the King" may be the best, not due to its eleven Oscars but due to its perfect blend of heroism, epic action, and emotion. (This is true of all three films, but it is greatest in "King.") The battle of Pelennor Fields sets the bar higher than any film ever; directors will probably spend the next decade attempting to top it. "King" also packs an emotional punch, largely due to the familiarity we now have with these characters and the sheer desperation of Frodo's quest, which begins to claim both his health and his sanity. If the film has a flaw, it's the extended ending, but that's forgivable. Perhaps the only problem with "Fellowship" is that it begins slowly, unraveling gradually in a way that may seem tedious to some. However, this is necessary to introduce characters and plot. Having Cate Blanchett (as Galadriel) open "Fellowship" with an introduction that explains the film's backstory and introduces the conflict to those unfamiliar to Tolkien's work was a stroke of genius. "Towers" suffers from a somewhat uneven midsection but redeems itself with the amazing Battle of Helm's Deep (which required three months of night shoots) and a fascinating, film-stealing performance by Andy Serkis as the twisted Gollum. (Favorite moments: The Balrog (WOW!); Boromir's last stand/act of penance; Helm's Deep; the march of the Ents; Pelennor Fields; the madness of Denethor; Shelob (WOW again!); the courage of Samwise Gamgee time and again). As ensemble acting goes, it's hard to top these films. Each actor was tasked with giving emotional heft and believability to their roles, embodying characters dear to many, and each one succeeded; I cannot think of a single weak performance in the trilogy. Every part is perfectly cast, with some standouts: Ian McKellen makes Gandalf a gruff but wise, compassionate, and endearing character; quiet, soft-spoken Viggo Mortensen (who took method acting to new heights by sleeping in his outfit and dwelling in the woods at times) is ideal as the reluctant Ranger-King Aragorn; Elijah Wood gives Frodo both emotional depth and strength; Serkis as Gollum; veteran actor Christopher Lee adds gravitas and menace to his role as Saruman; and Sean Astin (who steals nearly every scene in "King") makes the steadfast and loyal Sam come alive. Many critics (and some fans) had issues with "King's" multiple endings, but having spent more than nine hours with these characters, it was nice to grant them a long goodbye. There are some flaws in the films, however, though they are largely minor. Jackson's direction is first-rate, though he over-uses slow-motion and tracking shots. (I'm being picky, I know). Some have taken serious issue with the exclusion of the Barrow-Wight and Tom Bombadil from "Fellowship;" the presence of Elves at Helm's Deep and the changes made to Faramir's character in "Towers;" the alterations to Denethor and the somewhat foreshortened ending of "King," sans the "Scouring of the Shire" that concluded the book. Some of these have been amended or explained in the Extended Editions, and some are left out altogether. The only change that bothered me was the coarsening of Faramir's character. Why? Although some see Bilbo as the character most like Tolkien, the author once told a friend (I think it was Charles Williams, though I may be wrong) that Faramir was the character closest to him in nature. Altering Faramir to be more like his brother and less the scholarly, reluctant warrior he was in the books may make for more dramatic cinema, but it does lessen the man as represented by Tolkien. (This, however, is rectified somewhat in the "Towers" Extended edition by his brief soliloquy over a fallen soldier and his eventual refusal to be ruled by either the Ring or his father). Of all the changes, this is the only one that I have trouble reconciling, but it does not alter or change my perception of these films as extraordinary epics. Fans of the Star Wars and Matrix trilogies may argue with me about this, but I have to say that this now ranks as the greatest trilogy of films ever made, and is one of the landmark accomplishments in cinema history. (Sorry this review was so long).
Rating:
Summary: The Ring Lord
Review: Lord of the Rings will more then likely be remembered as the movie of the 21st century. Or rather movie trilogy I guess. The fact that they were finally able to bring together this series live action is wonderful.
The music, costumes, scenery, and what else has you. It all coincides. It's so close to the books. Not 100% but remarkably close considering how most book movie adaptations are blunders.
This is a beautiful edition to the legacy that Tolkien has given to us all.
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