The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (12A)

Film

Fantasy films

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<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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Time Out says

The first thing we see is a maggot wriggling on the end of a hook, and behind it, the grinning face of Smeagol (Serkis). It's a typically incisive piece of picture-making and storytelling, taking us back before The Fellowship to a time of supposed innocence and the moment of corruption - the rediscovery of the ring on the river bed. What follows may be the longest climax in film history: more than three hours of mad kings, massing troops, battle cries and ballyhoo. In terms of spectacle, there's nothing like it. Jackson has weight of numbers on his side. But for the first time in this mammoth undertaking, the director seems overwhelmed by logistics - and if he isn't, we are. Return of the King is no less dynamic than the previous chapters, but too much of the dialogue sounds like an orientation exercise. Some story strands are crudely abbreviated; others fail to develop elements that were already well-established. Given the inordinate running time, it's hard to avoid the feeling that we've already been here, done this. As to how the trilogy's themes of leadership, self-sacrifice, loyalty and honour speak to our own troubling times, Tolkien's anti-fascist allegory doesn't allow for ambivalence or ambiguity.

Author: TCh

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 4/5 (22 ratings)

  • Well this was the 4th time i'd probably watched ROTK all the way through (including the Extended versions).. and I can honestly say the theatrical version just doesn't stand up against the Extended version. So much is missing that viewing the Theatrical is a dissapointment. Regardless, ROTK is definitely the weak point in the trilogy, when you look beyond the "spectacle".

    Neil Mon Apr 12 2010
    Rated as: 3/5
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  • Apparently most of the idiots making comments about this review forgot one important thing: not everyone has the same opinion as you. Grow up.

    Marc Tue Feb 23 2010
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  • wtf are you on about...logistics wtf?? the lord of the rings is the most amzing film ever made. your review seems to focus on the negatives of the movie and no substantial positives even though i can think of dozens.

    shayz Mon Feb 8 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • My God-you really seem to hate this movie-if you were going to hate it so much-why did you even watch it?-whatever it is the acting is top notch-and the direction- need i say more?-i hate reviewers like you who go to a movie just so that you can bash it down with some psycho babble about logistics.

    jonas Fri Nov 27 2009
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • As for me, I understood all the big words, and still disagreed. Return of the King is the peak of excellence for all involved, from director to composer to actors. Yes, Tolkien's original story was unyeilding with its defined lines of good and evil, but it can be forgiven in that it is by now an old fashioned fairy tale, created at a time when people wanted to see good triumph against evil. As for the film itself, it's no less than amazing. Not perfect, but as near to perfect as an action film will ever get.

    David Mon Sep 14 2009
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • The Lord of the Rings Movies are the greatest movies I have ever seen! They are AMAZING!

    daniella Tue Sep 1 2009
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • The Lord of the Rings Movies are the greatest movies I have ever seen. They are AMAZING!

    daniella Tue Sep 1 2009
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  • If one looks at the movie on its own, it was a great movie, especially the extended edition. Having read the whole mythology (The Silmarillion, the Children of Hurin, the Hobbit and LOTR), there are some interesting liberties, however, that Jackson takes that, I think, diverge far too much from the true story. I have to rate the movie at a 4 for that reason. It is a great film, but read the books. They're far better.

    Zachary Mon Aug 10 2009
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • I disagree with the last half of your review, particularly the allegory reference... the LOTR trilogy remained true to Tolkien's premise: the story is not an allegory. The only allegories are those the viewer decides to force upon history, which you seem to be keen on doing. Other than that, honestly the film (and the LOTR series) is a masterpiece and will be highly-regarded in cinematic history, unlike your skewed review.

    Brian Sat Dec 27 2008
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  • The lord of the rings is a great masterpiece, no matter which way you view it as a book or as a movie. Peter Jackson delivered the main plot missing out the scouring of the shire and other events, which would have made the movie even better (but also longer). Best movie ever.

    tom Thu Oct 9 2008
    Rated as: 5/5
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