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The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Widescreen Edition) Customer Reviews (10 - 12 of 70 Reviews)

Each installment of Peter Jackson's masterful interpretation of the classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien have been incredible, weaving an intricate and beautiful story into images that are completely mesmerizing, allowing the viewer the chance to experience Tolkien as never before. Yet, as good as the first two installments, the massive and robust "The Fellowship of the Ring", and "The Two Towers" are, "Return of the King" is that much better.

This third and concluding chapter in the "Ring" series draws together the quest that was begun with the fellowship of nine in the original film. As Mordor prepares to launch war on Middle-Earth, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin), under the mis-direction of Gollum are nearing their destination, Mt. Doom, where the one-ring can finally be destroyed. Gollum, whose mind has long been corrupted by the ring, has devised a plan to kill Frodo and Sam so that he can re-claim the ring for himself.

Elsewhere, Aragorn (Viggo Mortinsen), Theodin (Bernard Hill), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gimli (John Rhyes-Davies) and the powerful wizard Gandalf (the incredible Ian McKellan), are preparing for the ensuing battle that is about to be unleashed on the kingly city, Gandor. In a desperate effort to raise an army, this small alliance of man, elf, dwarf and wizard set out to recruit every able-bodied man to fight in a war that will decide forever the fate of Middle Earth.

The massive scope of this film is, at times, unbelievable, in that it is far more colossal than any depiction of war ever seen on screen. The battle sequences, which contain armies in the tens of thousands, are filmed with a level of complexity that put audiences on the battlefield with the characters on screen. At the same time, the film balances the intense war sequences with the tender and intimate relationships that defined the fellowship from the very beginning.

As Sam and Frodo, in the final third of the film, are about to enter Mt. Doom, Frodo collapses, and, in a performance worthy of the Oscars, Sam consoles his friend, and then lifts him onto his shoulders to help Frodo complete the journey they set out on together. The moment is tender, in spite of the intense situation they find themselves in. It is that balance of humanity and action that makes the movie more than a fantasy story, but rather a true epic in every sense of the word.

Everything, from the ground-breaking special effects, to the costumes, weapons, sets and set-pieces are so well thought-out, so completely and meticulously detailed, that Middle Earth truly feels like a real place; like something lifted out of history instead of simply a fictional world created for a movie. The beautiful city of Gondor is breath-taking: set in the side of a mountain, it looks like one of the great cities found in Italy during the hightimes of the Roman empire. In contrast, the horrific realm of Mordor oozes with the abysmal darkness of an evil that is both ancient and powerful.

If there is going to be a set of films that will define as this time-periods classics, then the entire "Lord of the Rings" series could very well be the ones, with "The Return of the King" standing as a pinnacle in the achievements of one director's vision to bring to life one of the most beloved, most read novels of all time. Already, this film has been recognized by every major film association, sweeping awards in both the Golden Globes (winning the best picture amongst others) as well as the highest achievement in film, the coveted best picture Academy Award (in addition to a phenomenal 10 other awards including best director (Peter Jackson)).

Critics from around the world have celebrated this film, and almost universally it is agreed that this is one of the great ones, and as a film, even amongst the other installments of this trilogy, it stands alone. Aptly named "The Return of the King", its majesty is untouchable...and it truly is the crowning masterpiece of the "Ring" series, and, undeniably, one of the greatest films of our time.

-Scott Kolecki

Movie Expert
The third installment of perhaps the greatest film trilogy of all-time, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King draws the epic journey of the One Ring to highly-anticipated end.
Director Peter Jackson displays his finest work to date, as the film flawlessly weaves in and out of different sub-plots while balancing action with dialogue to perfection. Jackson also takes his boldest stab at adapting the LOTR series by straying away from the novel's plot and dialogue more than the other two books. Jackson even took the liberty of adding a different beginning and end to the film.
Viggo Mortensen stars as the Northern Ranger Aragorn, whose return to native Gondor is highlighted in the film's title. Although ROTK sets the stage for Mortensen's standout performance, he fails at times to be more eminent than the scenery. When he voices his climactic speech prior to the culminating battle of the movie, one becomes reminiscent of Mel Gibson's riveting performance in Braveheart. Unfortunately, Mortensen comes nowhere near to matching the Aussie star's electrifying deliverance.
One of the better performances of the film, however, comes from Sean Astin, who plays Frodo's companion, Samwise Gamgee. Like Mortensen, Astin's character receives a lot more focus in ROTK, but he comes off leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Astin convincingly embodies the courageous and caring attributes of Gamgee so well, that the audience is able to connect with his character the most.
While the acting had its ups and downs, the special effects were all around spectacular. The Battle of Pelennor Fields was a true visual achievement, as the armies of Rohan, Mordor, and the Dead clashed in one of the greatest battle sequences ever put on film. The special effects crew also did exceptional work in one particular scene, in which Aragorn summons the dead warriors of Gondor to fight for him. The phantasms of the cursed men were generated with such eerie detail that it intensified the atmosphere with haunting suspense. This suspense, however, was exceeded by the still uncertain fate of the ring.
By the time of the film culminates, viewers are left with some sense of fulfillment, whether it be by viewing high intensity action sequences or finally knowing how the epic ends. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King fittingly caps off the extraordinary saga that has drawn more attention to the classic novels than Tolkien himself would have ever imagined. If you take away all the publicity, all the awards, all the money; and all the recognition the LOTR films have attained, you're still left with an appropriate tribute to Tolkien's legacy.

Brilliant ending to the trilogy
With 'The Return Of The King', Peter Jackson finishes up the filmed version of Tolkien's 'Lord Of The Rings'. And as the third part of a trilogy deserves, he does so in style.

This movie has it all. Excitement, romance, amazing special effects, humour, battles (of course), and a brilliant ending.

After the 'Fellowship Of The Ring' and 'The Two Towers', both of which were amazing, many wondered if Jackson would be able to top the incredible job he did. These worries, however, can be set aside. He absolutely managed to pull it off!

The story picks up where 'The Two Towers' finished. Frodo and Sam, accompanied by the creature Gollum, try to make their way into Mordor, unaware of the sinister plot Gollum is playing on his fellow companions. The Ring starts to make Frodo's task heavier and heavier, and Gollum is not exactly helping.

Merry and Pippin join Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and the Riders of Rohan. It quickly becomes obvious that though the battle of Helm's Deep was won, that was but one victory. Already, Sauron has cast his eye on the land of Gondor, determined to bring down the kingdom of men in one quick mighty blow.

Aragorn questions whether or not he is able to live up to the task laid upon him by his heritage: To rule all of men. Only courage and hope will ensure that in this time of despair, mankind will pull through. While it seems like a battle that is lost before it even started, the people of Middle Earth realise it is all or nothing, and go forward to meet the enemy.

The movie will keep you on the edge of your seat. The heroes we all came to love are cast into the adventure of a lifetime.

Jackson manages to tie up any loose ends he had left, and pulls the story back to where Tolkien intended it to go.

Without any doubt, this is the most anticipated movie of 2003, and maybe even the century. It was absolutely worth the wait, and it will be interesting to see whether the Oscars will reward Jackson the way he deserves.

This is an absolute must-see. 5 stars, and then some!