MOVIEmeter
Top 500
Up 71 this week

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

8.9
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 8.9/10 from 702,810 users   Metascore: 94/100
Reviews: 2,986 user | 312 critic | 41 from Metacritic.com

Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.

Director:

Writers:

(novel), (screenplay), 2 more credits »
Watch Trailer
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 441 titles created 28 May 2011
 
a list of 974 titles created 10 Mar 2012
 
a list of 43 titles created 24 May 2011
 
a list of 100 titles created 28 Feb 2011
 
a list of 107 titles created 05 May 2012
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) on IMDb 8.9/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Top 250 #9 | Won 11 Oscars. Another 119 wins & 73 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

Photos

Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.7/10 X  

While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.

Director: Peter Jackson
Stars: Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.8/10 X  

A meek hobbit of The Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring and the dark lord Sauron.

Director: Peter Jackson
Stars: Elijah Wood, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8/10 X  

Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor's daughter, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead.

Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom
Hellboy (2004)
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.8/10 X  

A demon, raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.1/10 X  

The mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world from the rebellious creatures.

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X  

Captain Barbossa, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle.

Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.2/10 X  

The mummified body of Imhotep is shipped to a museum in London, where he once again wakes and begins his campaign of rage and terror.

Director: Stephen Sommers
Stars: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

Jack Sparrow races to recover the heart of Davy Jones to avoid enslaving his soul to Jones' service, as other friends and foes seek the heart for their own agenda as well.

Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.6/10 X  

Jack Sparrow and Barbossa embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too.

Director: Rob Marshall
Stars: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush
The Mummy (1999)
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.9/10 X  

An American serving in the French Foreign Legion on an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Hamunaptra accidentally awakens a Mummy.

Director: Stephen Sommers
Stars: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
Action | Fantasy | Adventure
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.8/10 X  

A vengeful barbarian warrior sets off to avenge his tribe and his parents whom were slain by an evil sorcerer and his warriors when he was a boy.

Director: John Milius
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow
Solomon Kane (2009)
Action | Adventure | Fantasy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6/10 X  

A ruthless mercenary renounces violence after learning his soul is bound for hell. When a young girl is kidnapped and her family slain by a sorcerer's murderous cult, he is forced to fight and seek his redemption slaying evil.

Director: Michael J. Bassett
Stars: James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, Rachel Hurd-Wood
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Noel Appleby ...
...
...
Sam
...
...
...
...
...
...
Sadwyn Brophy ...
Alistair Browning ...
...
Richard Edge ...
Jason Fitch ...
...
Edit

Storyline

While Frodo & Sam continue to approach Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring, unaware of the path Gollum is leading them, the former Fellowship aid Rohan & Gondor in a great battle in the Pelennor Fields, Minas Tirith and the Black Gates as Sauron wages his last war against Middle-Earth. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

The eye of the enemy is moving. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and frightening images | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Country:

|

Release Date:

17 December 2003 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

The Return of the King  »

Box Office

Budget:

$94,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$6,128,577 (Japan) (13 February 2004)

Gross:

$377,019,252 (USA) (28 May 2004)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (extended edition) | (Special Extended Blu-Ray Edition)

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

The deformed Orc leader Gothmog is only mentioned once in the original novel of "The Lord of the Rings" - identified only by name and as the Lieutenant of Morgul. His race is not given; it was the filmmakers' choice to make him an Orc. The name Gothmog is shared with the leader of the Balrogs in Morgoth's army in "The Silmarillion", J.R.R. Tolkien's history of Middle-Earth centuries before the events in "The Lord of the Rings". See more »

Goofs

When Aragorn's party rides to the Black Gate, Eomer is shown as riding with them (he can be identified by the white plume on his helmet). When they reach the gate, Eomer is missing from most of the wide shots, although he's shown in at least one close-up. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Deagol: Smeagol, I've got one! I've got a fish, Smeag. Smeagol!
Smeagol: Pull it in. Go on. Go on. Go on. Pull it in.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Concept sketches behind the credits show images of locations in the sequence they were seen in the film, ending on the rounded doors of the Shire. See more »


Soundtracks

"The Green Dragon"
Music by David Donaldson, David Long, Steve Roche (as Stephen Roche), and Janet Roddick
Lyrics by Philippa Boyens
Performed by Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan
Courtesy of Mana Music
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Not only the best of the "Lord of the Rings" series, but sets a new standard of epic filmmaking.
16 December 2003 | by (Washington, D.C.) – See all my reviews

Saying that this film starts where `Two Towers' left off is somewhat misleading, for the film starts a great distance from the walls of Helm's Deep. `Return of the King' opens with a flashback of Smeagol (Andy Serkis) obtaining the one ring of power and an origin of his deterioration into the creature Gollum. This opening recaptures an emphasis that was somewhat lost within the epic battles of `Two Towers,' at that's the ring. The first installment, `The Fellowship of the Ring,' provided heaps of exposition on the ring's importance and influence, and in `Return of the King,' we see it pay off, big time.

After the armies of Isengard have been defeated due to an allegiance between Theoden (Bernard Hill), the king of Rohan, and the elves, the main threat to middle earth is now concentrated in the kingdom of Mordor, controlled by the dark lord Sauron. Sauron has turned his eye towards the realm of Gondor, the last free kingdom of men, and the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) must warn Denethor (John Noble), Steward of Gondor of the impending attack, while Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson), heir to the throne of Gondor, and Theoden gather men to aid against the armies of Mordor. The dark lord Sauron needs only to regain the one ring of power to conquer all of middle earth, and two hobbits, Frodo (Elijah Wood) the ring-bearer and Sam (Sean Astin), must continue their journey, directed by Gollum, to Mount Doom, the only place where the ring can be destroyed. Got all that? If not, you need to bone up on your `Lord of the Rings' before expecting to follow this film.

Since all three epics were filmed simultaneously, each individually has the feel of being part of a larger picture - except for this one. `The Return of the King' is just too big, the most epic of a set of epic films. Now that director Peter Jackson has brilliantly constructed the characters and plotlines throughout the first two films, he puts them to use.

All of the characters have their best moments within this film. The pair of mischievous hobbits, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), are no longer the tree ornaments they were from `Two Towers,' but are split-up, and take their characters in completely new directions. Aragorn, played with an unmatched sense of honor by Viggo Mortenson, is about to meet his destiny as the future king of all men, while Andy Serkis continues his expert portrayal of Gollum (Serkis' provided not only the voice of Gollum, but also assisted during production by acting out the scenes of the computer-generated character with his fellow actors).

However, the real acting triumph of the film is Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins. He continues his descent into corruption with an incredible talent that many could not pull off. Wood's performance is so critical to the film because it determines the ring's power to corrupt, which, needless to say, is absolute.

The first two films established Jackson as an incredible visionary, shooting vast landscapes from his native New Zealand. With `Return of the King,' Jackson really gets a chance to show off. With, hands down, the most beautiful visuals of the trilogy, Jackson makes `Return of the King' a gorgeous feast for the eyes, while never resorting to McG level over-the-topness. Jackson stays very grounded in his characters, not letting the effects tell the story, but only assist the wonderful dialogue and characters. Think of `Return' as a mix of `Fellowship' and `Two Towers,' with enough action and character development worthy of ending a film event of this magnitude.

The bottom line, fans of the films will not be disappointed. Hardcore Tolkien lovers might be upset by plot changes and interpretations made by Jackson and the other writers, however, it is unrealistic to expect a completely true adaptation of the novels, being that film is an entirely different medium. Despite the alterations, Jackson consistently stays true to the major themes and ideas from the original text, while adding some of the finest filmmaking ever put to screen. `The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' is one of the most finely tuned and cinematically perfect films ever made. Not only the best of the trilogy, but a crowning achievement in epic filmmaking.


655 of 813 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
The inclusion of the Aragorn-Arwen Relationship.... davie4u
Sauron or Voldemort? fernandopraveen99
Aragorn beheading a messenger of Mordor under a banner of truce? Jay667
Where did Bilbo/Frodo/Gandalf/E lves go at the very end? Jennifer1277
The End of All Things FrodoLives3950
Those Orcs are lame fighters homelandinsider

Contribute to This Page