The Lord Of The Rings - The Return Of The King DVD > Reviews

Advantages: Spectacular battle scenes..
Disadvantages: ...Overlaid with dull, tortuous dialogue and irrelevant pap

...bow down in reverence to the Lord of the Rings trilogy seems to have become a rare and unspeakable crime. With each film’s release, the hype and fervour has grown and grown to such proportions that by the time we got to part three, The Return of the King, people were claiming that it was the greatest film of all time. Indeed, the film has just won all eleven Oscar awards for which it was nominated – a first in film history. Personally, ... Read review

Advantages: An epic
Disadvantages: Three hours

...admit that when those in the know, in the cinema industry, start talking about turning one of the worlds most magical books into a motion picture I very often cringe. Such books are so powerfully written that the reader creates their own interpretation of the characters and the scenery that make the tale so absorbing, so believable. Our imaginations are wonderful tools. The ability to close your eyes and lose yourself between the words on a page is ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic. Brilliant. Perfect.
Disadvantages: A little too long if you're tired

Being the lucky guy that I am and living in the States, I got to see the third Lord of the Rings film last night, haha Americans get all the luck! First I will get the what-will-seem-like-hyperbole out of the way and tell you that this is probably the best film I have ever seen. I honestly cannot think in the vast stretches of my mind (rather the small empty space between my ears) of a better film I have seen. Honestly, and I’m not one prone to ... Read review

Advantages: Expands and improves on the first two installments. Epic in every sense of the word.
Disadvantages: One too many sepia-toned hugs?

...minutes after walking out of the cinema (checking my arse was still attached after the three-and-a-half hour stint) I was sitting in the pub, nursing a beer and smoking some cigarettes. Everything felt right with the world, because the final installment of 'Lord of the Rings' turned out even better than the first two. But I couldn't contain the sense of loss I felt. Maybe that makes me sound like a real 'Rings' nerd, but let me explain. I've ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic conclusion to a great trilogy
Disadvantages: You need to have seen the previous two films (so you'll know if you'll like it)

...exception. I wrote reviews on the first two Lord of the Rings films back when they were in the cinema and, having recently rented the DVD, thought I might as well complete the set. To be honest, perhaps there's not much point. Put it simply, if you watched the first two films, you'll want to see this. If you gave up halfway through The Fellowship, then probably not - of course, this is a very different movie, but you simply won't follow what's ... Read review

Advantages: fantastic special effects and performances
Disadvantages: length plus if read the books first

...on yet another Lord of The Rings film. Actually I am a fan of them. I was going to do reviews on the first two films in the trilogy, as it seemed strange just reviewing one, but thought again. Anyway here we go for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. Lets start with a very, very brief telling of the story up to this the third and final in the Lord of The Rings films. Once upon a time in a far off galaxy… sorry wrong series of films. The ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent
Disadvantages: It's over, eventually

As I sit on the sofa in my dressing gown, covered with my duvet, feeling sick as a pig and not thinking about what I am missing at school, I watch 2 hobbit like creatures in a fishing boat on a sunny day, one holds a golden ring that will bring him to his death, the other looks at the ring that will also lead him down the long and evil path at the end of which his fortune has already been decided. The start of Lord of the Rings is pretty impressive, ... Read review

Advantages: a stunning conclusion to the story
Disadvantages: if you got this far then...no

...amazing films already behind him, the world waited with baited breath for this the conclusion to the breath-taking tale that Jackson had brought to life. After the beautiful first film and the dark and brooding second, it would take quite an effort to top what had gone before. But somehow he managed to deliver the goods and The Return of the King is a majestic finale to the series. It would be very easy when making a film of this magnitude to fall ... Read review

Advantages: The best of the three
Disadvantages: No trace of Saruman...

Christmas arrived for the third time in this new millennium, and with it came the third installment of that familiar festive treat: The Lord of the Rings. In Return of the King, the concluding part, things are looking up for our heroes as we find Pippin and Merry celebrating their victory on the walls of Isengard (feasting and smoking, no less), the victors of Rohan celebrating their impressive win at Helm’s Deep in Edoras, and Frodo making steady ... Read review

Advantages: Pure escapism with striking characters and a superb story.
Disadvantages: It can't be bettered.

...illustrious or gripping opening to the most revered and popular piece of fantasy literature of all-time. Yet, Lord of the Rings was voted No. 1 in the BBC’s top 100 books last year by the British public: discerning bunch that they are. For atmosphere, for memorable characters (Gandalf, Frodo, Gollum etc), for narrative effect and for sheer inventiveness, it deserves that accolade. Middle Earth surely existed at some point in time and is ... Read review

Advantages: Everything
Disadvantages: Nowt

...so we can finally enjoy the ultimate climax to Peter Jackson's truly awe inspiring cinematic recreation of the Lord of the Rings legend with the third and final part. Truly excellent as it is, however, I'm left engulfed by the knowledge that now there's nothing else to look forward to as the show's over. True enough we've got some further episodes in the Harry Potter franchise, but undoubtedly the adventures of the boy wizard are a sad and shallow ... Read review

Advantages: brilliant
Disadvantages: long

...started, if you haven't seen the first two films, or read the book, this is going to be a none-starter for you. "The Return of the King" is the third part of a cinematic triolgy, directed by Peter Jackson and based on that fantasy classic, Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'. Consequently, little effort is made in the film to fill you in on the back story - there isn't time, if you don't know whose who and why they are doing what they are doing, it ... Read review