Simply breath-taking!!

Rating: 10/10 (17 December 2003)

What can one say about this stunning finale to the trilogy? There are no words in any tongue (be it in the real world or in the fantasy realm of Middle Earth) that can do justice to this incredible creation.
The acting is exceptional, the costumes and sets are perfect, the camera work is excellent, the direction and production are inspired, the action sequences are pulse-racing, the battles are mind-boggling, and the cinematography is awesome. I loved the first two films with a passion, but Return Of The King is, in my eyes (and in many others from what I hear), the best of the three.
Be warned: this is a long movie! But if you're a fan of fine motion pictures you honestly won't notice the time go by. Because of the nature of the story in the third book (the meeting of certain characters who had been separated), the film doesn't have that slightly fragmented feel of The Two Towers - which in some subtle ways suffers from the all-to-common middle movie disjointed syndrome. While there are still multiple threads in Return Of The King, it somehow seems more settled and flows more easily.
There are a few ommissions from the storyline, but they don't detract from the movie at all. And if the previous two movies are anything to go by, these scenes and threads will probably appear in the Extended Edition later next year. Most importantly, it really was necessary to leave them out of the theatrical release, otherwise the plot would have dragged. I don't want to say what they are and spoil the experience for others, but if you've read the book you'll easily spot them.
The thing that was most pleasing about this movie was its ending. It really does give a sense of closure to the trilogy. Some might say it drags on too long, but in my opinion it is like good food or fine wine - it is something to be savored and enjoyed.
I wouldn't be surprised if Return Of The King doesn't win the Best Picture award at the Oscars. Not because of the movie but rather because the Oscars have nothing to do with awarding the best in the industry. Sadly they have simply become a back-slapping exercise for Hollywood insiders. And like many of the time-honored classics, the Lord Of The Rings trilogy was made by outsiders with genuine passion and fresh ideas.
But the opinions of the movie goers and the box office sales cannot deny it: this is and will remain the best movie of the year. And the trilogy will grow in stature as time goes by.