The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003, Fantasy/Adventure, 3h 20m

274 Reviews 250,000+ Ratings

What to know

critics consensus

Visually breathtaking and emotionally powerful, The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King is a moving and satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

The culmination of nearly 10 years' work and conclusion to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy based on the timeless J.R.R. Tolkien classic, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" presents the final confrontation between the forces of good and evil fighting for control of the future of Middle-earth. Hobbits Frodo and Sam reach Mordor in their quest to destroy the `one ring', while Aragorn leads the forces of good against Sauron's evil army at the stone city of Minas Tirith.
  • Rating:
    PG-13 (Intense Epic Battle Sequences|Frightening Images)
  • Genre:
    Fantasy, Adventure
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Peter Jackson
  • Producer:
    Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh
  • Writer:
    Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $377.8M
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    New Line Cinema
  • Sound Mix:
    Dolby SR, Dolby Stereo, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    Scope (2.35:1)
  • View the collection:
    Lord of The Rings

Cast & Crew

Elijah Wood
Frodo Baggins
Ian McKellen
Gandalf
Liv Tyler
Arwen
Viggo Mortensen
Aragorn (Strider)
Sean Astin
Samwise 'Sam' Gamgee
Cate Blanchett
Galadriel
John Rhys-Davies
Gimli
Bernard Hill
King Theoden of Rohan
Billy Boyd
Peregrin Took
Dominic Monaghan
Meriadoc Brandybuck
Orlando Bloom
Legolas
Hugo Weaving
Elrond
Miranda Otto
Eowyn of Rohan
David Wenham
Faramir
Karl Urban
Eomer
John Noble
Denethor
Andy Serkis
Gollum, Smeagol
Voice
Ian Holm
Bilbo
Sean Bean
Boromir
Lawrence Makoare
Witch King, Gothmog
Peter Jackson
Director
Peter Jackson
Writer
Philippa Boyens
Writer
Fran Walsh
Writer
Robert Shaye
Executive Producer
Michael Lynne
Executive Producer
Mark Ordesky
Executive Producer
Barrie M. Osborne
Producer
Fran Walsh
Producer
Rick Porras
Co-Producer
Jamie Selkirk
Co-Producer
Andrew Lesnie
Cinematographer
Richard Taylor
Special Effects
Grant Major
Production Design
Jamie Selkirk
Film Editor
Ngila Dickson
Costume Design
Howard Shore
Original Music
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Critic Reviews for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

All Critics (274) | Top Critics (65) | Fresh (256) | Rotten (18)
Full Review… Jonathan Romney Independent on Sunday Full Review… James Christopher Times (UK) Full Review… Antonia Quirke London Evening Standard Full Review… David Stratton sbs.com.au Full Review… David Germain Associated Press Full Review… Keith Phipps AV Club Full Review… Film Companion Staff Film Companion Full Review… Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Full Review… Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) Full Review… Kaleem Aftab The List Full Review… Sr. Rose Pacatte Sister Rose at the Movies Full Review… Alex Casey The Spinoff
View All Critic Reviews (274)

Audience Reviews for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

  • Jul 21, 2016
    A fantastic ending to the amazing adaptation of the Lord of the Rings books. This final chapter in the trilogy easily surpasses the previous entries with amazing battle scenes, amazing oscar winning performances, and very beautiful scenery. The best features in this movie are its emotional depth and its battle sequences. This emotional epic ends the trilogy on a very satisfying note that will leave you in tears and applause.
    Tyler H Super Reviewer
  • Jun 08, 2014
    As I was watching a NBA Playoffs game with my dad the other night, a commercial for the Warcraft movie came on. He asked me "Why is your generation so obsessed with the fantasy movie genre?" This is why. Return of the King is my personal favorite of the LOTR franchise. It has the same strengths as its predecessors - powerful film score, solid performances across the board from an ensemble cast, and incredible visual effects that still hold up to this day. What sets this movie apart from the others is the finality of it all. Yes, there are 3 or 4 end scenes in the last 20 minutes, but I look at that as a celebration of the accomplishments of this series. Not only is this movie solid from beginning to end, but it has some of my favorite moments in cinema history (SPOILER WARNING): the shot of Aragorn leading the undead army into battle, Faramir's troops charging into battle with Pippen singing in the background, and, of course, "You bow to no one." If you haven't seen LOTR, you're doing yourself a disservice!
    Ben B Super Reviewer
  • May 25, 2013
    Wonderful on every level. Love the characters and special effects. One of the biggest, most massive battle scenes ever put on the silver screen. A great end to a monumental epic.
    Christian C Super Reviewer
  • May 24, 2013
    An epic masterpiece that runs long, but holds sufficient attention.
    Jason 123 D Super Reviewer
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