Best of the three

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2003)

I think this one is the best of the three movies. Not coincidentally it is also the one that stuck the closest to the book. I really felt that there were some glaring weaknesses in the first two movies (though still excellent films) that were for the most part avoided in this one. I thought the story flowed well, and the action sequences, particularly the battle for Minas Tirith were spectacular.
My only complaint about this one is the ending. While you would typically expect some denouement after the climactic battle, this movie seemed to meander about to it's conclusion for about 30 minutes. It might not have been so bad except for all the times the movie faded to black or white, making you think it was over, only to keep going with another meandering scene.
That complaint aside, this was an excellent movie, well worth the price of the admission. A stunning conclusion to a very good trilogy of movies. In this case the best was indeed saved for last.