The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Family FavoritePG-13

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The eye of the enemy is moving.

2003 • 201 min • Adventure · Fantasy · Action

Synopsis

As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.​

Our family guide

Best from age 12
87
Movie Knight Score
27014 reviews
  • 88 Reviewers · 8 · 75%
  • 85 Audience · 27006 · 25%

The War of the Ring culminates as armies battle for the fate of Middle-earth, while Frodo and Sam embark on the perilous final leg of their journey to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. The future rests on their courage and the unity of many races against ultimate evil.

Violence & peril
8/10
Language
1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking
2/10
Romance & sensuality
1/10
Scary moments
7/10

Heads up

  • Intense and prolonged battle sequences with many casualties
  • Characters face significant peril and frightening creatures
  • Moments of despair and sacrifice

What it models well

  • Bravery and sacrifice for a greater good
  • Unwavering loyalty and friendship
  • Hope in the face of despair
  • The corrupting influence of power

Talk about it after

  • The true meaning of courage, even for the smallest among us
  • The importance of standing up for what is right
  • How even seemingly insignificant actions can have a huge impact
  • What makes a true leader

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

Stream

  • HBO Max Amazon Channel
  • YouTube TV
  • HBO Max

Links go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.

Top billed cast

Director: Peter Jackson • Crew: Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh

Trailers & clips

Siege of Gondor Begins

You Bow to No One

Making The Return of the King

20th Anniversary Spot

Colorful Costume Design

4K Trailer

10 Minute Preview

Original Theatrical Trailer

Reviewer notes

Recommended

100/100 As the war for middle-earth grows to unbearable levels, Frodo and Sam's desperate attempts to get to Mount Doom and destroy the ring faces horrific resistance both externally and internally. Quite simply the best fantasy film ever made and, overall, one of the finest films ever made.…

Recommended

I've just seen this on the big screen for the first time since I saw it at London's sadly now long-gone Odeon at Marble Arch, which - at the time - boasted the biggest screen in the UK, and it has lost little of it's magic.…

Recommended

A fitting end to a classic trilogy. Frodo, Samwise, and Gollum journey through a Hell on what is called "Middle Earth", while Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas go to war. King Theoden must decide whether to help those who would not help him. Merry wants to war, but is too small. Pippin finds himself getting in more and more mischief. Lots of subplots. Never a dull second. Masterfully dierected.…

Recommended

As an avid fan of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings from long before New Line announced this movie "trilogy," I must say all three films were fairly large disappointments. Now, mind you, I am not your usual, "The book is better" movie reviewer. But it is almost like Peter Jackson went out of his way to take out the most crucial elements of the books and replace it with drivel.…

Recommended

An outstanding end to the trilogy. I expected a lot from <em>'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'</em> so I am delighted to see it produce on so many levels. I, funnily enough, wouldn't actually say it's necessarily the most perfect execution - what with the plot coincidences and extreme character armour.…

Recommended

Great finale to a great trilogy. The action and battle sequences were amazing and even though I've seen this a few times over the years, still thrilling to the end. I didn't even mind the multiple endings as I had in the past, nice each character got their due. **4.75/5**

Not recommendedTrusted family reviewers

Too much CGI, redundancy, clichés and drawn out “looks of love” for my tastes. RELEASED 2003 and directed by Peter Jackson, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” adapts the third part of JRR Tolkien’s popular fantasy trilogy about adventures on Middle-Earth: Frodo (Elijah Wood), Sam (Sean Astin) and Gollum (Andy Serkis) continue to try to make their way to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.…

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

And so all good things come to an end. For three years in a row, Peter Jackson has banished our winter blues with the individual instalments of his Tolkien trilogy, effectively shifting the focus of our cinematic excitement from the summer months to the end of the year. But now that his epic has been unveiled in its entirety, what will be the lasting effects of his achievement?…

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Gallery

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Details

TMDB audience
8.5/10 (27,006)
Age rating
PG-13
Status
Released
Budget
$94,000,000
Box office
$1,118,888,979
Franchise
The Lord of the Rings Collection

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