Universal acclaim - based on 41 Critics What's this?

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Universal acclaim- based on 1838 Ratings

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  • Summary: Sauron's forces have laid siege to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, in their efforts to eliminate the race of men. The once-great kingdom, watched over by a fading steward, has never been in more desperate need of its king. But can Aragorn (Mortensen) answer the call of his heritage and become what he was born to be? In no small measure, the fate of Middle-earth rests on his broad shoulders. (New Line Cinema) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 41
  2. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. Reviewed by: Andrea Gronvall
    Ties everything together with a dazzling synthesis of pagan animism, heroic quest mythology, orientalism, Pre-Raphaelite imagery, 1950s sci-fi creature features, and Hollywood war epics.
  2. Reviewed by: David Hunter
  3. Reviewed by: David Edelstein
    It might be the cinema's most astonishing holy war film. The Lord of the Rings took seven years and an army of gifted artists to execute, and the striving of its makers is in every splendid frame. It's more than a movie--it's a gift.
  4. Reviewed by: Alan Morrison
    Those who have walked beside these heroes every step of the way on such a long journey deserve the emotional pay-off as well as the action peaks, and they will be genuinely touched as the final credits roll.
  5. Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
  6. 88
    There is little enough psychological depth anywhere in the films, actually, and they exist mostly as surface, gesture, archetype and spectacle. They do that magnificently well, but one feels at the end that nothing actual and human has been at stake.
  7. Add a lot of dull acting -- except Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis -- and you have an uneven movie with yawns aplenty.

See all 41 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 83 out of 711
  1. RamyCung
    Jan 28, 2004
    All those trashing the lord of the rings and saying such things as "predictable!" then first of all learn how to read and then pick up Tolkien's wonderful book and start reading. Many of you have trashed it so becasue your intellegence is below our standard level, and if this is an American site then it's probably normal so don't worry about it. Expand
  2. Aug 9, 2011
    It's a perfect epic. There's not one false step. The battles are incredible, the characters just as fun as ever. This movie is basically flawless. One of the best ever Expand
  3. AdnanA.
    Jul 19, 2008
    I don't remember when I watched the return of the king for the first time, but I know this. Watching it now, I can only say that this movie imparts a feeling which I cannot express it in words. The lord of the rings trilogy is and will always remain my favorite! Story... If you haven't watched the first two then it's gonna be difficult for you to keep up with the story but if you get the plot then it's a story that's gonna captivate you even after the end of the movie. Kudos to J.R.R.Tolkien for creating such a world and Peter Jackson for filling this world with life. Acting... Every character is special and all the credit goes to the actors. Each and every actor, has carried out his/her roles with dedication and devotion. No complaints. Direction... I'd only say that no other person in this universe could have made lord of the rings other than Peter Jackson. Visuals... I don't think any movie will ever be able to come up to the level of return of the king in terms of visuals. It's not easy for a 3 hour movie to keep you entertained for long but this movie makes you beg for more! Such movies are made once in a decade and to not see them is the biggest mistake of your life. THE LORD OF THE RINGS IS A JOURNEY OF EPIC PROPORTIONS!!!!!!!!!!! Expand
  4. Sam
    Feb 3, 2006
    Peter Jackson is an absoloute marvel at filmaking, even the spectacular action scenes have their share of emotional beauty. The Return of the King is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen, surpassed by Jackson's King Kong. Expand
  5. Dec 5, 2012
    "The Return of the King" is the best of the trilogy. It's passionate, and grand in scale and scope. An unforgettable conclusion to an already impressive series. Expand
  6. Jan 4, 2013
    Rounding off a trilogy on the right note is no easy task, but Peter Jackson and co. pull it off with ease in this third and final installment of their adaptation of the classic Tolkien tale - it's bursting with marvelous set pieces, heart-wrenchingly emotional drama, and that same plethora of charming characters that rightfully bring it all home. Expand
  7. LegionODorkS
    Dec 19, 2003
    This ZERO is for the pinheads rating this movie as 'BEST MOVIE EVER'. Yes, if you've seen only three movies in your life-- including the first two installments of this outrageously overrated series-- than yes, FANBOY, this is the best picture ever. If, on the other hand, you're over 3 years old, you may have seen... oh... I don't know... 200 better films, conservatively? Let me guess: George W. Bushole.. best President EVER?!? I thought so... Expand

See all 711 User Reviews

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