Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure, Fantasy, Monsters, Witches, Wizards & Magic, Epic, Ghosts, Vampires, Suspense, Marriage, Animals, Tragedy, Gore, Deception, Murder, Betrayal, Love, Cult Classic
Tagline: This Christmas the journey ends.
Plot: THE RETURN OF THE KING, the third and final film in Peter Jackson's THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, finds Middle-earth on the cusp of great change. Weary hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) venture further into the dark realm of Mordor, guided by the increasingly desperate Gollum (Andy Serkis), the two-faced former owner of the Ring that Frodo must destroy in the fires of Mount Doom. Meanwhile Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) contend with the deranged ruler Denethor (John Noble) at the once-mighty city of Minas Tirith, as Merry (Dominic Monaghan) joins Éowyn (Miranda Otto) and the Riders of Rohan to hold back the forces of Sauron. Amidst the chaos, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) must rise to his destiny, aided by Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) in assembling allies for a massive battle that will decide the fate of Middle-earth.With RETURN, Jackson brings J.R.R. Tolkien's world-renowned tale to a stunning conclusion. As with THE TWO TOWERS, the director deftly weaves various storylines together in one remarkable scene after another. Spectacular visuals complement Jackson's sharp focus on the characters and their emotional battles. While the special effects help to create huge battles and frightening creatures on a previously unseen
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 With a sweeping narrative, mind-blowing battle sequences and gut-wrenching performances, could there be a grander finale to a classic epic? Not in this millennium.  --Kit Bowen (Hollywood.com)
Expectedly, the special effects set a new standard. The CGI participants of the major battles look more like real combatants than cartoonish computer creations. The locations, set design, and costumes are without flaw. By building many of the elaborate locales, Jackson achieves a sense of verisimilitude that he might not have attained by relying more heavily on computers.  --James Berardinelli (ReelViews)
The final chapter completes "The Lord of the Rings" series in thrilling style -- and restores faith in the idea that popular entertainment can soar to majestic heights.--Andrew O'Hehir (Salon)
"Return of the King" is such a crowning achievement, such a visionary use of all the tools of special effects, such a pure spectacle, that it can be enjoyed even by those who have not seen the first two films. --Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)
Yet despite maddening liberties and narrative asymmetry, "Return" works well enough on its own terms of rousing, whistle-stop spectacle.-- (Boxoffice Magazine)
What makes this enormous undertaking work so well is the interweaving of the small- and large-scale plots.--Desson Thomson (Washington Post)
The third part of Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy delivers everything we have been led to expect: stunning battle sequences, glorious scenery, jaw-dropping special effects and wonderful performances. Please make The Hobbit, Mr Jackson – you know you want to…  --Matthew Turner (ViewLondon)
Jackson has now completed his trilogy and I cannot imagine the films being done better. --Carl Lazarevic (MovieWeb)
The most massively epic film you'll ever see and the perfect ending to a timeless story. --Brian Balchack (MovieWeb)
Without a doubt, the most epic film in the history of cinema. --Joshua 'Clark' Bertram (MovieWeb)
Majestic, moving and immense, The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King is about as awesome as cinema gets. Sure, there are some problems, but it's hard to imagine a more assured adaptation of the final volume of JRR Tolkien's fantasy masterwork. --Nev Pierce (BBC Films)
As a single three-hour plus film, "The Return of the King" is outstanding entertainment, staging battle sequences that make "The Last Samurai" look small and pathetic, crafting suspense sequences that left imprints of my clutched fingers on the arms of my seat.--Jeffrey M. Anderson (San Francisco Examiner)
The battles themselves are beyond spectacular, both in the long shots filled with marvelously convincing computer-generated armies and in the ferocious hand-to-hand combat. There's so much happening so fast, there's no time to notice the seams of specialeffects, even knowing they're there. --Jack Mathews (New York Daily News)
Quite possibly the best movie ever made. 10/10--Gary Panton (Movie Gazette)
On the whole, Return of the King is a smashing success. It looks great, but it’s also the only film in the series to generate a real emotion from the audience and tell us something about how Jackson looks at life and how J.R.R. Tolkein might have as well.  --Christopher Null (FilmCritic.com)
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| Written by |
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings |
 | Frances Walsh
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, King Kong |
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| Cast |
Noel Appleby
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Navigator: A Mediaeval Odyssey, The Shrimp on the Barbie |
 | Sean Astin
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 50 First Dates |
 | Sean Bean
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Troy |
 | Cate Blanchett
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Aviator |
 | Orlando Bloom
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl |
 | Billy Boyd
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World |
 | Marton Csokas
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Bourne Supremacy, Kingdom of Heaven |
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| Music By |
Howard Shore
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Silence of the Lambs, Se7en |
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| In place of pure emotion and dependable character interaction, “Return of the King” is one long (205 minutes) battle sequence that robs the story of what it really needs: a breather. C+ --Brian Orndorf (FilmJerk.com)
There's not a whole lot more I can say without spilling some beans that readers may not want spilled so I'll just say "Return of the King" was time well spent and ended to much applause and many tears. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with this magnificent ending to Jackson's masterful telling of Tolkien's series. A--Amy Lawrence (FilmJerk.com)
The movie's refusal to end will likely test the patience of even the most ardent Lord of the Rings fan, and it's a shame that the series ends on such a flat note. Still, there's no denying that The Return of the King is, viscerally, one of the most exciting movies to emerge out of Hollywood in a good long while.  --David Nusair (Reel Film Reviews)
If there are flaws in the film, they seem to be flaws inherited directly from Tolkien's original conception, rather than newly minted movie flaws.--Stephen Hunter (Washington Post)
Who can resist right now a classic fantasy adventure that never drags and is simply ravishing to look at thanks to the thousands of craftsmen, performers, animals and postproduction refiners?-- (Hollywod Reporter)
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