Spoiler - Excellent battle scene and nothing more

Rating: Null/10 (2 January 2004)

The 1st LotR gets probably a 10 from me. Compelling story and action, impressive environment and deep, rich characters. Mainly, concrete improvements over the original work (quite an achievement).
The 2nd LotR gets probably a 9 from me. 3 different stories in parallel, an excellent battle scene (though the last ride from Gandalf was way too quick and kind of "here I am, rock you like a hurricane", period), again good plot with a diverse range of rich characters (including the Treebeards that most hated).
The 3rd one had the best battle scene of all three, a surprising different end. And that's it. A generous 8, just because I admire the huge tasks that were undertaken.
The rich characters of the first 2 stories were replaced by empty, physical presences, deprived of their souls so intensely provided by the great cast. Even Gandalf has been turned into some kind of strategist historian, at best.
The shocking removal of Saruman from this last chapter (where he should play a critical role in the end, by destroying the shire and, thus, partly making Frodo's vision of an enslaved, polluted and grim shire true)) is just incomprehensible. The idea of Christopher Lee as Saruman was such an awesome contribution for a character, whose presence demanded a unique voice and respect-demanding posture... That I could not believe it, when I saw right in the beginning Gandalf reaching the Orthanc and just say "He's not powerful anymore, let's go". Ridiculous! The dialogue between the two wizards would seal the fact that the pupil Gandalf is now the Master, when Saruman's staff is destroyed by Gandalf's Word.
Many did not understand why the Steward of Gondor, Denethor, went mad. Has he always been so? NO: He became mad, as he looked more and more into the Palantir (black crystal ball) that Gondor kept, and where he got despaired by seeing Sauron's armies grow in power so intensely.
Many things that could have been shown, were not. And we had to put up with the little hobbits and Aragorn's occasional (AWFUL!) singings and dancings... Let's face it: In 200 minutes there could be a lot of improvements and a really grand finale to this awesome trilogy.
I am very positifve I will NOT buy the DVD, nor will I recommend it to those who know something of the original work. Go watch it once, enjoy the excellent battle of Minas Tirith, but do not worry, if u arrive 20 minutes late and/or have to leave 20 minutes before the movie finishes, u won't miss a thing.