
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- 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.
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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
Recommended100/100 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.…
RecommendedI'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.…
RecommendedA 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.…
RecommendedAs 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.…
RecommendedAn 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.…
RecommendedGreat 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 reviewersToo 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 reviewersAnd 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
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
- IMDb
- tt0167260
- Official site
- www.lordoftherings.net
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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers2002 · 8.4★
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring2001 · 8.4★
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug2013 · 7.6★
The Lord of the Rings1978 · 6.6★
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey2012 · 7.4★
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe2005 · 7.1★
Willow1988 · 7.0★

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