Very well done and triumphant. Great pick for fans of adventure or Middle Earth.

Rating: 8/10 (25 October 2015)

The triumph of this film is pretty much only paralleled by the first two of the series. This is actually my least favorite of the three, but that's not at all to say that it's bad. The main reason I like it less is the ending, not because I didn't like how it ended, but because it doesn't have that much of an effect after the first viewing. The rest of it is very solidly done, though.
There are too many characters to address all of them, but I'll do my best to give them all some justice. Frodo is kind of our main character, but he's not very active and that makes him less likable. However, you do have to give him props for accepting the burden of the Ring and resisting it as best he could. He's still my least favorite of the many protagonists, but his subtle strength is noteworthy. Aragorn takes prominence in this installment as he makes himself a worthy king of Gondor and leader of men. We don't see quite as much of an internal struggle with him as in the first two. Gandalf continues to be the constant mentor and armour-less warrior we've come to love him as. But Sam is the one who really takes the cake here as Frodo needs him more than ever. His courage and companionship are what really brings the series full circle. Gollum/Smeagol is still a main antagonistic force as he submits to his avarice for the Ring and betrays Frodo. All the less important characters (Pippin, Merry, Gimli, Legolas, Theoden, Faramir, Eowyn, Eomer, Denethor) are also very prominent, important, and valiant in their own big or small ways, but I don't have space to talk about them all. All of them have a moment of heroism or have already had one in the prior films, excepting Denethor whose only accolade is winning Worst Fictional Dad of the Year. My top three characters are Faramir, Eowyn, and Pippin.
The story picks up near the end of the Two Towers book, which was probably a good decision even though the capture of Frodo at the end of book 2 led into ROTK a little better. The two main plot lines are Aragorn and Gandalf bringing Rohan and Gondor together to make a final stand against Mordor, and Frodo, Sam, and Gollum completing the journey to Mount Doom. It's pretty simple to follow, though remembering all of the characters and their names can be difficult. I liked the Gollum/Frodo faceoff at the end, even though it reduces Frodo's heroism. There's about 30 minutes worth of resolution after the Ring's destruction. The ending of Frodo having to leave the Shire forever is very bittersweet, and completes the theme of sacrifice.
The technical execution is amazing even ten years after its production. The CGI and effects are pretty impressive, but there are a couple of points where the graphics look a bit cheesy. Howard Shore gives us another great and vast score to accompany the Middle Earth landscapes. The script is well paced and the dialogue isn't bad for the most part. The ultra-dramatic language can get a little old, but that's all the screenwriters had to work with and they seem to have done their best. The acting is pretty good from everyone, but there isn't a place for any mind-blowing performances. Peter Jackson's directing is awesome. Say what you will about what he's done with the story of the Hobbit trilogy, but you can't deny that the guy knows how to call shots. Outside of the epic battle scenes, he does an excellent job introducing intimidating characters and creatures.
It is very long, so make sure you have it for a few days if you're renting it. I wouldn't recommend watching it too often, because I've fallen prey to that a little and it's not good. If you liked the first two, they are all basically equal in quality, so definitely watch it, but know that it may not end up being your favorite. Overall Rating: 9.2/10.