There seem to be a lot of people complaing that "RotK" was too long and they should have cut out the last 20 mins. To these peopke I say.: READ THE BOOKS!!!!!

Secondly you have no right to critcise the endless work that both PJ and Tolkein put into this trilogy. All of the "Rings" films have been master pieces and well deserving of all the priase they have gotten.

The thing that makes them special is that they are not Hollywood movies. They are deeper and more meaningful then that. And to those of you who are saying it sucked, you are a very small minorty in a very big sea.

"Lord of the Rings" has been a huge success not only financially, but also critically, meaning that the vast majority of those who have seen these films agree that they are indeed excellent. Those not in this majority should just accept that either their opinions are not well formed or well thought-out, or that they simply do not understand the powerful themes and motifs that enrich these movies.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is a masterpiece. For those people who have said such silly things as "they should have edited it down properly, blah, blah, blah", I say to you: do your research. The fact of the matter is that "The Return of the King", like the other two films, was indeed heavily edited. All three films initially were over four hours in length, and in that form they still stood as a coherent narrative. In any case, they could easily have made "Return of the King" MUCH longer and still the story would have worked well.

Without the last 20 minutes of "Return of the King", many important themes would not have been illustrated. Ending it with everyone bowing to the hobbits would have given this film nothing more than a standard Hollywood ending, and this is anything but a standard Hollywood film. People need to be more open-minded about how films can be structured -- they don't all have to conform to some formula (and ones that don't are often far more memorable).

The world has gone crazy with "Lord of the Rings" hysteria and I'm here to quash it.

"Return of the King" is a drawn-out, ridiculous epic with ludicrous sub-plots. Miranda Otto's character was painful ("I am no man!"); the reunion of the Hobbits scene with candle-lighting and open shirts and slow-mo hugging; characters dying every five-metres with the safe knowledge that they'd be resurrected and why didn't those damn birds that saved Sam & Frodo from an erupting Mount Doom drop them off and save them all that trouble.

I HATED "LORD OF THE RINGS"... HATED IT!

Does "Return of the King" deserve an Oscar? No way! Did those three and a half hours just fly by? Not for this black duck! I was not a huge fan of the first or second "Lord of the Rings" films and found them too long and sentimental, but I had to see this last installment to see Frodo get rid of that ring!

I liked the fight scenes and the scene with the huge warrior elephants but the film was too long! It could have ended right where everyone bows to the hobbits after the wars are won and rings are burnt - leaving out at least twenty minutes.

I give "Return of the King" ten out of ten for special effects but no stars or cigars for the long drawn-out sentimental tripe that padded the rest of this film.

The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy has become one of the most well-known movie trilogies of all time - but "Return of the King" is certainly the best film of them all.

This film has one of the most graphically detailed fight scenes in all the movies I have ever seen. "Return of the King" is simply stunning in itself but with all the amazing costumes and scenes such as the hundreds of horses running into war, this film is one of the most pleasant experiences to watch on the big-screen.

Peter Jackson has done a brilliant job working on this trilogy and deserves a big pat on the back. Viggo Mortensen plays a wonderful role in this movie along with the rest of the stars.

If you liked the first two movies in the series you ain't seen nothing yet! I personally give the cast and crew of "Return of the King" 110% for all of their effort.

Given it is a brilliant film worthy of being in a category of its own (not withstanding the squillions of movie awards it is bound to win), one can not help but question what Peter Jackson was thinking when he was hiring the film's editors.

Edit, by definition, means to cut out the unnecessary parts in a movie such that it fits nicely into a 2 1/2 hour time slot. "Return of the King" is an epic tale that went on for more than 3 hours. (Really, do we need that entire monologue from King Theoden?)

In short, the movie in all its magnificence and glory, could have withstood some vicious editing. There were parts in the movie that neither added to its integrity, nor imparted any significance to the storyline.

The movie rates an 8/10 in my book. Overall, it was a brilliant work by Peter Jackson. He lost points when we were forced to endure another 30 minutes of Frodo's life in retirement after the last battle.

Finally, after three astonishing films, the journey of the fellowship has come to an end and we are all left in the wake of what has been a significant time for cinema.

"The Lord of the Rings" has lifted the bar of standards that governs the movies we see. But why is this so? Why are we so captivated by these films?

The answer comes in the essence of character. Tolkien has developed all of his characters in consideration of each other. These relationships are what drive the plot of the movie. It is as simple as this - the tale takes a backseat to the characters' personalties.

"Return of the King" is justifiably the best of the three movies and a fitting tribute to JRR Tolkein's masterpiece "The Lord of the Rings".

The audience continues to follow our heroes as Frodo and Sam, accompanied by Gollum, edge closer to Mount Doom via the perils of Cirith Ungol.

Theoden's speech and battle cry are as stirring as they come. The shrill cries of the Nazgul will send a chill up your spine, and you will be moved by Eowyn's proud defence of her King against the Witch King of Angmar.

A large amount of the movie is associated with battle scenes, though it has been wonderfully edited with other parts of the story so that everything fits. Legolas and Gimli continue to provide some of the lighter moments.

The models, miniatures and CGI are state of the art, and the City of Minas Tirith is magnificently portrayed. So much happens in the third book it is simply not possible to include it all in a 3-hour film. Hence purists will have to wait for the extended version to come out on DVD to see more (but not necessarily all) of these other scenes.

When you appreciate what is involved from a movie making perspective, this is a film more than worthy of nominations for Best Director and Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Hail to Peter Jackson - the King returns!

This movie above all fails to fall within a category amongst the rest. Through "Return of the King", Peter Jackson has mastered the art of making a film into a visual masterpiece and in doing so, has taken whole audiences with him.

The hours and weeks of constant work and dedication has paid off in this last instalment of the trilogy, where we follow our loved characters through the tears, laughter and heart pounding action to the grand finale - and the closure of three years of brilliance.

This film has been well worth the wait - and definitely well worth clawing through crowds to see on the big screen. Don't miss your chance on this one - it's precious.

The overall size and scope of this film will have you sitting in your seat with your mouth wide open in wonder.

Peter Jackson has accomplished something truly wonderful, without taking anything away from the original story.

You will find yourself connecting with the characters, sharing their pain and despair, as well as their joy.

"Return of the King" is an absolute must-see. The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy has set a new standard that will be hard to match.

One can't but expect great things from the final film in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. But that isn't really fair, because it's very hard to top what is already very good and highly rated.

With this in mind, I expected the third film to be about the same as the rest, with some people being let down, because they had unrealistic expectations. And so it is - it's more climactic, more emotional, and more bold, but not necessarily better.

The special effects are strained by the demands of the story more so in "Return of the King". Don't expect miracles and you will appreciate the film for what it is.

Even more has been changed from the book than the first two films, but of course the key elements are all there. As a fan I almost wished I didn't know the story, because I was looking for too many elements, rather than letting the film flow. But the second viewing cured me of this.

Bring on the extended version.

10/10

How do you begin to review such an epic?

The movies were beautifully executed and I congratulate Peter Jackson, all of the cast and crew, and to whoever else was involved.

I sat in the cinema for over 9 hours enjoying myself, even though I had already seen the first two movies. The movies are so true to the books it is hard to believe. I was only disappointed a few times when important scenes were not included in "The Return of the King".

The trilogy is a truly satisfying experience and worth the money. Any true "Lord of the Rings" fan would agree with me. Again I congratulate the cast on a truly superb performance and I thank all of those who made the "Lord of the Rings" experience so wonderful.

"The Return of the King" concludes the story beautifully and it was worth spending the money to watch it along with the other two films. I would recommend seeing the trilogy to anyone who is a "Lord of the Rings" fan.

Where does one start and how to limit the words?

In one word - WOW!! To elaborate on that - there is not enough space. Sure the film is a much abridged version of the book, sure there are many 'bits' missing, but lets not be hasty.

Peter Jackson has done a marvellous job and the three-year wait has been well worth it.

The trilogy is a masterpiece and story lines wind up well. The cinematography, choreography and effects are the icing on a delicious cake. A must see for all.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is a breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat final instalment to a fantastic journey.

The film includes fantastic battle scenes and heart-wrenching moments that will have tears flowing. The characters we have seen endure so many challenges, attempt to overcome some of the biggest yet.

This film wasn't as overwhelming as "The Two Towers", and is clearly the best of the Trilogy by far. I was lucky enough to experience a preview screening... this film is a must-see!