Rating: 
Summary: What were they thinking?
Review: I watched this movie with a growing sense of disbelief and horror. What the hell were these guys thinking? The Hobbit, yes, it's a simple enough tale. but to see this made into a musical number had me alternating between rage and hysterical laughter. This actually made Ralph Bakshi's movie look GOOD. The horror!
Rating: 
Summary: Good entertainment, but don't try to compare it to the book.
Review: As a die hard Tolkien fan,(my husband & I have each read the entire series at least 10 times between us and still do every 2 or 3 yrs.)My Grandaughter saw the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings which only left her hungry for more since she didn't know how the story ends. She's only 7 and is still too young to really understand the books, however, she was satisfied to see the Return of the King since it gave her closure. I have explained to her that the movie differs from the books in several ways and she's looking forward to reading the series when she's older. So the bottom line is, even though the movie leaves alot to be desired compared to the books as far as detail and storyline goes, it is very entertaining for children largely due to the songs. As an added bonus, it inspires them to want to read the series. My grandaughter actually preferred Return of the King to the movie Lord of the Rings because of the whimsical animation and the music. It's too bad the movie The Lord of the Rings left you hanging with no part 2 to show how it ends. I've heard rumors for all you Tolkien fans that there may be an actual movie (not animation)in the works. Let's hope whoever undertakes such a large task does the books justice.
Rating:
Summary: nice animated kid's movie
Review: It's not a bad movie. Most people who see it seem to like it. Unless, of course, they've read the books, and realize that Hobbits don't speak in some stilted old fashioned language w/ thee's and thou's, Aragorn respects and understands Gandalf's advice, Sam does NOT find the Ring lying on the ground outside the Tower of Cirith Ungol, Orcs don't sing, Gandalf knows more than the viewers about what is going on and is an awful choice for narrator, etc, etc... So, they rewrote the story and changed the characters. This is NOT Tolkien's Return of the King. It is an interesting movie for kids though, and I'm sure many kids enjoy watching it. In their defence, Eowyn is ok, and Frodo and Sam's trip thru Mordor is ok, barring the beginning and end. I think they did a much better job on the Hobbit and should have stopped there.
Rating: 
Summary: As usual, books are better story tellers
Review: When I first saw this film, I watched it again and again and again. The characters facinated me and I hungered to know more each time I watched it. I give this movie credit for plunging me into the fantastic middle earth of Tolkin. Because of the efforts of it's animators, I was inspried to sit down and acutally read! That was a feat at the time, because there was nothing I would rather not do. Since the movie left me with so many questions, I was compelled to read the entire series, including the Hobbit, within 7 days! On its own, the movie stands quite well. Pick up "The Hobbit" and watch it first, that will help, too. "Return of the King" is actually the mashing of bits and pieces of the trilogy into one story, so it can get a little confusing, especially if you have read the books, because you want the film to be more detailed. It simply can't do that. The music will stick with you and you will find yourself singing the ballards. It is exciting, cast with wonderfully complex characters and chock full of battles and mysteries that you don't have to completely understand to follow the story, but it may leave you wanting more, so read the books, too.
Rating:
Summary: Ok, but adulterates the story.
Review: This movie was a bit too lighthearted to truly reflect the books that it was based on. It also grossly alters some of the characters in a way that would offend anyone truly familiar with the books (Aragorn, in particular, is robbed of a fairly substantial portion of his dignity and majesty). This is decent entertainment if you don't take the series seriously, but if you are one of those people that knows every plot twist in the books, this movie suffers from the typical malaise of movies based on books with plots too complicated to really stuff into the amount of time a movie gives it. Good for kids, but for serious Tokien fans, don't bother.
Rating:
Summary: The movie is entertaining, just not anything like the books.
Review: The movie is just about as good as you can get with the story it was based on and understanding the fact that Return of the King is geared toward children, unlike The Lord of the Rings. The makers of this movie used their "artistic liscense" quite liberally and left an entertaining, albeit candy-coated version of the original story. If you got a copy of The Hobbit for the kids get this for them too and if your not looking for tolkein's exacting detail just something fun you will like it too.
Rating:
Summary: Here's an inspiring animated tale with a dark edge.
Review: This movie makes for great action oriented family entertainment while remaining true to the wonderous spirit of Tolkien's LOTR trilogy. I found "Return" to be suprisingly darker and more violent than "The Hobbit" movie. Fans of Bakshi's abruptly ended "Lord of the Rings" will find this to be a capable sequel, well animated and mature enough for adults. A must see for animation fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Some good animation, but disappointing nonetheless!
Review: If you're expecting to really experience Tolkien on film, this isn't it! For some reason, the producers of this version of Book 3 in the LOTR trilogy decided to make major changes in the book. Why? I don't know! For example, King Theoden of Rohan was attacked by the Lord of the Nazguls, right? Not in this version! Here, he just falls from his horse for NO REASON and dies! And Sam & Frodo reached Mount Doom just about the time the battle before the gates of the Morrannon were opened, right? Not here --- in this version, they spent several days wandering inside Mount Doom! Why did they make these silly plot changes?!!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent adaptation for the young at heart
Review: Though it does not cover all the events from the book, it manages to capture the feeling and intensity of the story. As an animated film made several years ago, it is difficult to encompass all that happens in a story as vivid and powerful as The Return of the King. Still, I think that the creators of this film have done an excellent job and I highly recommend it to those who are still young at heart and enjoy Tolkien's classic tales.
Rating:
Summary: Return of the King is a let-down
Review: I remember watching the Hobbit for the first time on video, and I absolutely loved it. When I saw the Lord of the Rings as an 8 year old, I loved the animation, and the gore, which was amazing to me. Even now, I still love both movies, but I can't say the same for Return of the King. The Hobbit works fine as a musical adventure, since it is intended for kids. The Lord of the Rings series of books is a much more darker tale, and it is horrible in the movie when they keep pausing for songs. In the Hobbit, where you can get away with kitty-action, in the Return of the King, it takes away from the story, because it is based around a war. All and all, very lame.
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