This version of Peter Jackson's great film should have been the one that appeared in theaters. Having the film more than 3 hours long would have probably earned this movie the Oscar for Best Picture. Otherwise, this film is still great, even on the home screen. It incorporates about 30 minutes more into the film, making Tolkien's world of Middle-earth come alive even more brilliantly. The audio commentaries are great, especially the one including Peter Jackson because he reveals cool details about the 3rd film. The special features on the 2nd and 3rd discs are also amazing! I've had this DVD for 3 months and I still haven't finished all of the bonus features. This version of the film is great because although it still ends with a cliff-hanger, you've seen so much that you don't even think about film 2 or 3 and you sit there just totally baffled at what you have just seen (Like I did). In conclusion this film is the best DVD of 2002 and the best movie I've ever seen!