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Coming up is a summary of the critics view of LOTR as culled from Rotten Tomatoes...

The Fellowship Of The Ring

Top Critics

Unfavorable (3%)
"t goes on forever."
Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER (no link)

Favorable (97%)
"Certainly the most rousing and ambitious adventure film of many years and bodes well for the future of the Tolkien fan."
John Anderson, NEWSDAY

"It has real passion, real emotion, real terror, and a tactile sense of evil."
David Ansen, NEWSWEEK

"With this production, Jackson has used The Lord of the Rings to re-invent fantasy for the cinema in the same way that the novel provided the blueprint for the written word."
James Berardinelli, REELVIEWS

"Not since the original Star Wars trilogy has film dipped into myth and emerged with the kind of weight and heft seen in Peter Jackson's first installment of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy."
Jay Carr, BOSTON GLOBE

"Not since Gone With The Wind more than 60 years ago has a movie held up as well to the original book."
Paul Clinton (CNN), CNN

"An excellent film and a ripping yarn of a movie."
Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE

"A well-crafted and sometimes stirring adventure."
Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"Whatever it is that makes great movies stand apart from great theater or great literature, this film has it."
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

"Jackson's film feels like an honest attempt to use the power of cinema to engage the imagination and senses in deep-ranging and seriously engaged myth."
Eric Harrison, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

"Jackson's adaptation is certainly successful on its own terms."
J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE

"If we're not careful, Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings could give hype a good name."
Peter Howell, TORONTO STAR

"So well-made and well-cast that one can have no reservations about the rest of Jackson's monumental creation."
David Hunter, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"Spectacular scenery, stupefying effects and epic scope ... a dream come true."
Rita Kempley, WASHINGTON POST

"An audience looking for a Star Wars-like fix, albeit with wands and rings instead of light sabres, is sure to offer a healthy return."
Liam Lacey, GLOBE AND MAIL

"Watching it, one can't help but get the impression that everyone involved was steeped in Tolkien's work, loved the book, treasured it and took care not to break a cherished thing in it."
Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"This Lord reigns."
Terry Lawson, DETROIT FREE PRESS

"Here, at long last, is an epic adventure that's worthy of its source."
Glenn Lovell, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

"An utterly beguiling feast for eyes, pulses and minds."
Lou Lumenick, NEW YORK POST

"There is little doubt that those who grab the Rings at the start will anxiously await Frodo's trip into ever more perilous territory a year hence."
Todd McCarthy, VARIETY

"Jackson gets more feeling into Fellowship than he did with his previous films."
Elvis Mitchell, NEW YORK TIMES

"The production design is a marvel, and the special effects are dazzling."
Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

"A marvel."
Steven Rea, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

"Fellowship is exciting for two hours. How many other movies can you say that about?"
Steven Rosen, DENVER POST

"Thrilling a great picture, a triumphant picture, a joyfully conceived work of cinema."
Lisa Schwarzbaum, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"Maybe by his second year in Hogwarts, Harry Potter will learn the trick to making a movie this good but don't bet on it. It's one of the best films of the year."
Joel Siegel, ABCNEWS.COM

"McKellen plays Gandalf and, truth be told, his performance is worth more to the success of the film than all the effects, visual and aural, combined."
Susan Stark, DETROIT NEWS

"You can get gloriously lost in this."
Desson Thomson, WASHINGTON POST

"The real deal, a movie epic that pops your eyes out, piles on thrills and fun, and yet stays intimately attuned to character."
Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

"Made with intelligence, imagination, passion and skill, propulsively paced and shot through with an aged-in-oak sense of wonder."
Kenneth Turan, LOS ANGELES TIMES

"An extraordinary work, grandly conceived, brilliantly executed and wildly entertaining."
Michael Wilmington, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"Jackson ... handles the proceedings with both a flair for operatic grandeur and a respect for intimacy."
Philip Wuntch, DALLAS MORNING NEWS

"It would be an insult to say the picture merely lives up to its hype; it crashes the meaning of hype, exposing it as the graven image it is."
Stephanie Zacharek, SALON.COM


Other Critics

Unfavorable (7%)
"It is remarkably well made . . . too bad it wasn't equally entertaining."
Alex Sandell, JUICY CEREBELLUM (the follow up re the EE edition is very interesting)

"Endless close-ups of Wood’s icy eyes and repeated zooms on the golden ring fail to draw us in to what’s supposed to be a riveting quest."
Sean O'Connell, ECLIPSE MAGAZINE (no link)

"It is imaginative, fierce, even thrilling in spots. Nevertheless, as the curtain comes down, the credits should read Game Over, not The End."
Thomas Delapa, BOULDER WEEKLY

"For all of its good choices, there’s something deeply wanting about Jackson’s vision"
Jason Clark, MATINEE MAGAZINE (no link)

"definitely an epic undertaking, long with intermittent brazen fight scenes"
Ross Anthony, HOLLYWOOD REPORT CARD

"It's a collection of spectacular set pieces without any sense of momentum driving them into one another. The damn thing just goes on and on."
Sean Burns, PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY (no link)

"The sights are ga-ga, but the storytelling gets fairly turgid."
David Elliott, SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

"Everyone on screen is all exercised about Frodo’s mission, but after three hours it’s hard to see why anyone in the audience should be. "
Daniel M. Kimmel, WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

"The only thing worse than a bad movie that thinks it is good is a three hour long bad movie that thinks it is good."
Blake French, NUTZWORLD

"..I still came away empty, wanting more. I was expecting something that I could get lost in but instead found myself wading through some things that were less than satisfactory."
Josh Gilchrist, BILLINGS OUTPOST (MONTANA)

Favorable (93%)
"An accomplished movie for everyone who ever longed to hit the road and who welcomes adventure."
Jeffrey M. Anderson, COMBUSTIBLE CELLULOID

"Battle-scene overkill aside, there's no denying the eye-popping majesty of Jackson’s epic spectacle."
Todd Anthony, SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL

"The movie year's most compelling thrill ride."
William Arnold, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

"It's obvious that the editors were hard pressed to leave any of this splendid film on the cutting room floor. Lucky for us."
Bruce Bennett, SPECTRUM (ST. GEORGE, UTAH)

"What could have been a monumental failure has become one of the greatest examples of how to bring a classic book to the screen."
Charlie Brown, FILMSTEW.COM

"If Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the Citizen Kane of martial arts films, The Lord of the Rings does the same thing for the fantasy quest genre."
Robert W. Butler, KANSAS CITY STAR

"Becomes breathless in a way that even Tolkien couldn’t manage; the second half feels like the kind of grand action picture we’d been missing all year."
Shay Casey, DAILY-REVIEWS

"At this point, I have no negative criticism to offer. I am speechless."
Jim Chastain, NORMAN TRANSCRIPT

"By the time its three hours were over, I found myself out of breath."
Jeffrey Chen, WINDOW TO THE MOVIES

"My only complaint about installment number one of the trilogy is that I have to wait for so long for the rest."
Robin Clifford, REELING REVIEWS

"Director Peter Jackson's awesome three hour film, seeming like half the time, is the handsomest fantasy film ever made. (Published 12-22-01)"
Steve Crum, KANSAS CITY KANSAN

"Anyone with an extra pocket calculator may as well hand it over right now. Call me a freak, call me a geek, but I really enjoyed this movie."
Matt Easterbrook, MATT'S MOVIE REVIEWS

"The look of the movie is astonishing; The Fellowship of the Ring looks as much like Middle-Earth as anyone could ever expect."
Curtis Edmonds, TXREVIEWS.COM

"Credit Tolkien for originality but give Jackson and his team their due for realizing Tolkien's vision and putting it up on the screen."
Michael Elliott, MOVIE PARABLES

"Get thee to a theater and see what everyone is talking about!"
David Forsmark, CREDO

"Nearly a half century after The Lord of the Rings was published, film technology finally caught up to bring the magic to the screen."
Jack Garner, ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE

"Jackson's flights of fantasy bow before Tokien and are quite unlike anything you are likely to ever see on film."
Ed Gonzalez, SLANT MAGAZINE

"Once you've got your breath back one thought will prove hard to escape: George Lucas might have a few sleepless nights between now and 2003."
Harry Guerin, RTE INTERACTIVE (DUBLIN, IRELAND)

"When the awe on the characters' faces is mirrored on your own you know you’re in the presence of a film that makes an objective assessment redundant."
Andrew Howe, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"Good, but not as great as many have proclaimed."
Jim Judy, SCREEN IT!

"It could not have been more of a masterpiece if Tolkien had directed it himself."
David Keyes, CINEMAPHILE.ORG

"Such an engrossing picture that you completely lose track of the time and the 3 hour running length just flies by."
Kevin N. Laforest, MONTREAL FILM JOURNAL

"It does have one major fault: It will just kill you when you emerge from the theater and realize that it will be a whole year until the next installment in Jackson's Tolkien trilogy appears."
Shawn Levy, OREGONIAN

"The good news is that Jackson follows the book pretty faithfully."
Eric Lurio, GREENWICH VILLAGE GAZETTE

"...the latest unavoidable cultural wonderment"
Philip Martin, ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

"Nothing less than a masterpiece of art and integrity, capturing with vast magnitude the grandeur, majesty, and surreal whimsy of Tolkien's mythical Middle-Earth."
John R. McEwen, FILM QUIPS ONLINE

"Captures both the grandness and the intimacy of Tolkien's masterwork."
Sean Means, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

"Die hard fans have to wear double layers of diapers to survive their enthusiasm watching this. It speaks volumes about how Jackson has touched the heart of the book."
Karina Montgomery, CINERINA

"The worst aspect to Fellowship is the fact that we must wait another year before the next film. I may have to take up reading Tolkien!"
John A. Nesbit, TOXICUNIVERSE.COM

"You think Harry Potter had expectations?"
Christopher Null, FILMCRITIC.COM

"Jackson et al. seems too willing to expect unknowing audiences to sit for that length only to feel like they have only watched a 3-hour trailer for the next film."
David Perry, CINEMA-SCENE.COM

"A perfect blend of action and fantasy, of special effects and thoughtful storytelling, and, in a time when the two seem anything but mutually exclusive, blockbuster juggernaut and arthouse darling."
Jon Popick, PLANET SICK-BOY

"Sr. Jackson: ¡vaya valor! (¡vaya par...!), y ¡vaya logro!... La espera será larga pero usted la ha hecho válida ..."
Alex Ramirez, CINENGANOS

"For those of you who, like me, were disappointed by Harry Potter, New Line has the perfect answer: The Lord of the Rings."
Steve Rhodes, STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS

"Jackson was undeniably the right choice for the material. He exceeds all reasonable expectations in crossing the book over. The epic literary journey becomes a cinematic event."
Nathaniel Rogers, FILM EXPERIENCE

"Every frame of Fellowship bursts with finesse and imagination, demonstrating what miracles a moviemaker can accomplish with his head, hands and heart fully engaged."
Steve Schneider, ORLANDO WEEKLY

"When it's not stopping your heart, it's breaking it, filling it or lightening it."
Eric D. Snider, ERICDSNIDER.COM

"Despite certain stumbles and fumbles, Jackson has captured something of the depth, breadth, and melancholy grandeur of Tolkien's vision."
L.J. Strom, BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE

"The most entertaining fantasy/adventure movie since Excalibur."
Gary Thompson, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS

"In a word wonderful!"
Tony Toscano, TALKING PICTURES (U.S.)

"This film affirms my faith in the medium."
Rob Vaux, FLIPSIDE MOVIE EMPORIUM

"Whether you're a fan or can't tell a Hobbit from Lorena Bobbitt, you're bound to enjoy this film's three hours of escapism."
Phil Villarreal, ARIZONA DAILY STAR

"Grand cinema, as director/ co-writer Peter Jackson has struck a skilful balance between story, characters, visual images and action."
Brian Webster, APOLLO GUIDE

"Though the pace slackens here and there, it is always gorgeous to look at and intelligently acted."
Wendy Weinstein, FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

"A movie that engages the heart and mind and actually makes you anticipate the next chapter."
Glenn Whipp, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

"Not since Excalibur have I been this impressed by a sword and sorcery epic."
Staci Layne Wilson, FANTASTICA DAILY

"Blazing across the screen like the masterstrokes of a true artist, "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" is true epic entertainment in every sense of the word."
John Larsen, LIGHT VIEWS

"It's a satisfying adaptation."
Jason Anderson, EYE WEEKLY

"The bar has been raised, and the world of film entertainment will hereinafter be better for it. "
Jeanne Aufmuth, PALO ALTO WEEKLY

"In the end, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring succeeds as the event blockbuster that it was so clearly designed to be."
Joe Baltake, SACRAMENTO BEE

"For once, here's a gigantic-budget movie that wears its outsized grandiosity well and lives up to its hype and ambition."
Rob Blackwelder, SPLICEDWIRE

"An experience audiences are unlikely to forget."
Paul Cantin, JAM! MOVIES

"a jaw-droppingly successful film adaptation...stunning on every level"
Carlo Cavagna, ABOUTFILM.COM

"There are moments in The Fellowship of the Ring that I have only seen in my most winsome and wildest fantasies."
Walter Chaw, FILM FREAK CENTRAL

"I’m positive that when all three have been released, we’ll be looking at a complete, inspiring epic from Peter Jackson. But we’re only a third of the way there."
Erik Childress, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"Jackson's films are sure to take the "Star Wars" mantle as beloved mythic epic for a new generation."
Laura Clifford, REELING REVIEWS

"...patience through the long stretches will be rewarded with some fine examples of pure cinema magic."
David Cornelius, HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP

"A nerve-jangling, pictorially beautiful, mostly engrossing phantasmagoria of ghouls and warriors, oozing ambitions and towering dark castles, waylaid only by an occasional dip into the bog of exposition."
Manohla Dargis, L.A. WEEKLY

"A film of incredible vision and surprising emotional involvementa rich tapestry of old-fashioned storytelling and modern-day technical marvels. An instant classic."
Mark Dujsik, MARK REVIEWS MOVIES

"I left exhausted, happy, intoxicated."
David Edelstein, SLATE

"Featuring amazing performances on nearly all counts, deft action and stunning cinematography, Rings is the kind of adventure we don't see every year."
Dan Fazio, CITYSEARCH

"A marvel. Director Peter Jackson's exuberance is evident in nearly every frame."
Bryant Frazer, BRYANT FRAZER'S DEEP FOCUS

"Does manage to recreate in the viewer's mind those powerful, fantastical images of the magical land of Middle-earth."
Yazmin Ghonaim, CINEPHILES

"Visually, Grant Major's production design and the CGI effects are amazing."
Susan Granger, WWW.SUSANGRANGER.COM

"It will be remembered because its strengths tower over its faults. It will be remembered because it places story above all else. And it will be remembered because it’s an epic in an era of the ordinary."
Forrest Hartman, RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

"A solid start to the three-part adventure."
JoBlo, JOBLO'S MOVIE EMPORIUM

"Stunning, but you see one battle and you've seen 'em all."
Harvey S. Karten, COMPUSERVE

"It enchants and enthralls."
Jim Lane, SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEW

"A must-see event movie."
Emanuel Levy, SCREENDAILY

"As an allegory of war and world dominance, Ring is weighty stuff, and Jackson gives it appropriate resonance."
Moira MacDonald, SEATTLE TIMES

"Using rollercoaster pacing, Jackson milks the three-hour running time for all it's worth, the peaks and valleys of the adventure giving the characters, particularly Frodo, time to develop while allowing the audience time to catch its breath."
Drew McAnulty, JAM! MOVIES

"The best compliment I can pay the film is this: I'm looking forward to the next two installments."
Mike McGranaghan, AISLE SEAT

"To borrow an icon from another legend of English origin, this is the Holy Grail. The big one has finally been delivered to us, and it is a beautiful thing indeed."
Tim Merrill, FILM THREAT

"Storytelling in the grandest Homeric tradition."
Roger Moore, ORLANDO SENTINEL

"It pulls the viewer into the heat of battle and makes him believe that the fate of the Earth rests on the small shoulders (and furry feet) of an ordinary person."
Jon Niccum, LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD

"The Fellowship of the Rings delivers like FedEx and UPS only dream of."
Nick Nunziata, CHUD

"It reaches down your mouth and rips out your throat."
Mark Palermo, COAST (HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA)

"Funny, scary and, totally involving, Peter Jackson's assured adaptation of JRR Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings turns the book's least screen-worthy volume into a gripping and powerful adventure movie."
Nev Pierce, BBC

"Rejoice in the cheerful good spirits of Hobbiton; drink in the beauties of Rivendell; relish the spookiness of the Old Forest; and savor the appearance of every orc."
John J. Puccio, DVDTOWN.COM

"An ambitious and generally enjoyable film, especially for those who might desire a little more narrative coherence and depth than Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has to offer."
Todd R. Ramlow, POPMATTERS

"Sadly, once you’ve seen it, everything else will seem anti-climactic."
Audrey Rock-Richardson, TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN (UTAH)

"Not since Lawrence of Arabia have we seen such an epic saga of adventure and heroism."
Mike Ross, JAM! MOVIES

"This is fantasy at its richest and most vivid. The eyes are nearly overwhelmed by the bone-crushing beasts, fiery pits, the emerald-green forests and purple-blue skies that spin across the screen."
James Sanford, KALAMAZOO GAZETTE

"This is a cult book from yesterday that makes a popular film for today..."
Dennis Schwartz, OZUS' WORLD MOVIE REVIEWS

"Only Jackson would have conceived of having a dwarf, in the middle of battle, declare 'NOBODY TOSSES A DWARF!' and only Jackson could have gotten away with it."
Peter Sobczynski, CRITIC DOCTOR

"Triumphantly successful...long but never dull, filled with incident but surprisingly clear, and even at some points quite affecting."
Frank Swietek, ONE GUY'S OPINION

"A towering achievement."
Tor Thorsen, REEL.COM

"As a feat of sheer endurance and courage, The Fellowship of the Ring is astonishing. As an achievement in filmmaking it’s triumphant."
Urban Cinefile Critics, URBAN CINEFILE

"Its ability to take audiences to a completely different land and time may remind them of how they felt when they saw Star Wars or The Wizard of Oz for the first time."
Jeff Vice, DESERET NEWS, SALT LAKE CITY

"No other movie this year has provided as many 'I can't believe what I'm seeing' moments."
Scott Von Doviak, CULTUREVULTURE.NET

"The copious action sequences are kinetic and thrilling while the exposition scenes and 'character moments' are wonderfully free of anything resembling 'camp'."
Scott Weinberg, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"Probably the best comment I could give it is that after sitting through the first three hours, I would have happily sat through another five."
Ron Wells, FILM THREAT

"A fully-realized epic."
Dave White, IFILM

"The special effects are stunning."
BEATBOXBETTY.COM

"Here are beauties that pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a [film] that will break your heart.’ "
Steven D. Greydanus, DECENT FILMS GUIDE

"The result is not just a faithful transcription of a classic, but a wondrous reimagining of one."
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS

"The one thing that strikes me most about LOTR: FOTR, besides its seductively masterful and majestic elegance, is simply how utterly right it is."
MaryAnn Johanson, FLICK FILOSOPHER

"Jackson has ... adapted the complex world of J.R.R. Tolkien's imagination for the screen, maintaining fidelity to Tolkien while never losing sight of his own artistry"
James Kendrick, Q NETWORK FILM DESK

"A marvellous way to begin an adventure."
Bruce Kirkland, JAM! MOVIES

"One movie to rule the box office."
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel, 3BLACKCHICKS REVIEW

"The greatest fantasy epic of all time."
Wesley Lovell, OSCAR GUY

"Forget Harry Potter: THIS is what the fantasy epic is all about!"
Andrew Manning, RADIO FREE ENTERTAINMENT

"Jackson evokes an almost palpable sense of the will to power trapped within the ring."
Maitland McDonagh, TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE

"The bulk of thanks should really go to Peter Jackson, who has obviously lavished much love on this project with respect for the source material."
Brian Mckay, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"Astonishingly inventive and new and at the same time as though it always existed inside us. From the tiniest plant to the hugest battle exactly, satisfyingly right."
Nell Minow, MOVIE MOM AT YAHOO! MOVIES

"This remarkable film appeals to the hero in us all."
Donald Munro, FRESNO BEE

"You can almost hear a maniacal, frizzy-haired Peter Jackson screaming "Behold!" from behind the screen."
Eugene Novikov, FILM BLATHER

"...a slightly better-than-average fantasy flick."
David Nusair, REEL FILM REVIEWS

"Back in the '60s, college geeks used to wear t-shirts proclaiming 'Gandalf Lives.' After watching Ian McKellen's marvelous performance, I'm inclined to agree."
J. Robert Parks, PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

"Jackson's vision of Middle-earth is worthy of Tolkien, and there's probably no better compliment one could pay the film."
Mary F. Pols, CONTRA COSTA TIMES

"A wholeheartedly innovative, heartfelt, entertaining feast for the eyes."
Dustin Putman, THEMOVIEBOY.COM

"Boasts breathtaking images and, thanks to Mr. Tolkien, a story that's second to none."
Mark Ramsey, MOVIEJUICE!

"Genuinely transporting."
Rene Rodriguez, MIAMI HERALD

"This is a sweeping epic of a film, which also manages to remain rooted in the personal dramas of its central characters."
Robert Roten, LARAMIE MOVIE SCOPE

"If you've managed to elude Tolkien's siren call over the years, this is your chance to catch up and fall for it once and for all."
Marc Savlov, AUSTIN CHRONICLE

"Middle-earth is a real world from the first reel on, thanks to incredible special effects woven seamlessly with great storytelling."
Gerry Shamray, SUN NEWSPAPERS OF CLEVELAND

"Leaves us with an implicit promise that the next two movies will be more formally exciting and emotionally engaging."
Bob Strauss, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

"This is destined to be the best trilogy since the first three "Star Wars" wowed audiences of all ages a quarter of a century ago and I saw that movie 100 times that summer."
Michael Szymanski, ZAP2IT.COM

"To wait that long [for the next installments] is to feel like a child whose father has closed a beloved book at bedtime and refuses to finish reading it for a whole year."
Lawrence Toppman, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

"A truly fine film, elegant in its way and exciting without giving in to mindlessness."
Joshua Vasquez, MATINEE MAGAZINE

"Nothing I have ever seen or read could have prepared me for what I have just seen."
Widgett Walls, NEEDCOFFEE.COM

"For sheer scale and ambition, Fellowship is one of those rare films that actually deserve to be called 'a triumph.'"
Gregory Weinkauf, NEW TIMES

"A fantasy achievement where the action, the characters and the message are equally strong. Most importantly, it leaves us hungry for The Two Towers."
Jeffrey Westhoff, NORTHWEST HERALD (CRYSTAL LAKE, IL)

"An adventure sure to satisfy both the fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic and those neophytes who have never turned one of its pages."
Kevin Williamson, JAM! MOVIES

"The lengthy story's nipped and tucked without missing any meat."
E! ONLINE

"Even if you're not a fantasy fan, The Fellowship of the Ring has everything you could want in almost any kind of film. It is joyous, mythic, elegiac and, most importantly, cinematic."
Duane Dudek, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

Woo hoo.


This had better be good...




ttbk
Okay, that was fast...

The Two Towers

Top Critics

Unfavorable (0%)
None.

Favorable (100%)
"Not since Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's Ran have the savagery of combat and the specter of death been visualized with such operatic grandeur."
Philip Wuntch, DALLAS MORNING NEWS

"Peter Jackson and company once again dazzle and delight us, fulfilling practically every expectation either a longtime Tolkien fan or a movie-going neophyte could want."
Michael Wilmington, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"Though Frodo's quest remains unfulfilled, a hardy group of determined New Zealanders has proved its creative mettle."
Bruce Westbrook, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

"Spectacular in every sense of the word, even if you don' t know an Orc from a Uruk-Hai."
Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

"One fabulous Middle-earth show."
Desson Thomson, WASHINGTON POST

"Yes, there are some 'middle-chapter' problems, but Peter Jackson's Tolkien adaptation hasn't lost its devastating humanity, its heart-stopping cinematography or its epic sweep."
Charles Taylor, SALON.COM

"Once again, director Jackson strikes a rewarding balance between emotion on the human scale and action/effects on the spectacular scale."
Susan Stark, DETROIT NEWS

"What Jackson has accomplished here is amazing on a technical level."
Steven Rosen, DENVER POST

"This film doesn't change my review of the original, but it does have me eagerly looking forward to the final installment. I liked it a lot!"
Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER

"Though Jackson doesn't always succeed in integrating the characters in the foreground into the extraordinarily rich landscape, it must be said that he is an imaginative filmmaker who can see the forest for the trees."
Carrie Rickey, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

"Epic battles, spectacular effects and multiple story lines make The Two Towers a most excellent middle chapter in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy."
Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the Tolkien trilogy's middle passage through Middle earth, and the middle is a bit of a muddle."
Bruce Newman, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

"Jackson has accomplished the near-impossible, surpassing the first chapter - The Fellowship of the Ring - with a sweeping, visually magnificent work of epic proportions."
Bill Muller, ARIZONA REPUBLIC

"The most incredible accomplishment of Towers is that at its heart it is a transition film that lasts nearly three hours and holds the viewer's attention."
Elvis Mitchell, NEW YORK TIMES

"Has a sharper narrative focus and a livelier sense of forward movement than did the more episodic Fellowship."
Todd McCarthy, VARIETY

"One of the great film experiences of the millennium."
Terry Lawson, DETROIT FREE PRESS

"A few sloggy spots aside, The Two Towers is an outstanding effort that maintains the integrity and purpose that distinguished The Fellowship of the Ring."
Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"The Two Towers is both a triumph of design and cinematic engineering and, at the same time, long, repetitious and naive."
Liam Lacey, GLOBE AND MAIL

"Convincing, gripping, whole and nourishing."
Stephen Hunter, WASHINGTON POST

"A cinematic flood of spectacular proportions."
David Hunter, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"This is what the fans were really waiting for when they envisioned Tolkien's world on film."
Peter Howell, TORONTO STAR

"Fans of the first movie will not be disappointed; neophytes may find the endless mixing it up with digital hordes a bit wearisome, even if the combatants are horrific hyena-riding orcs."
J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE

"A visual pageant of sorcery and action, all but surpasses The Fellowship of the Ring."
Owen Gleiberman, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"The acting is magnificent."
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

"An amazing feat of imagination."
Jonathan Foreman, NEW YORK POST

"It is not faithful to the spirit of Tolkien and misplaces much of the charm and whimsy of the books, but it stands on its own as a visionary thriller."
Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"If the second film never reaches the highs of the first we have met the players before and there are no new worlds of wonder it nonetheless invests moviegoing with a sense of adventure."
Manohla Dargis, LOS ANGELES TIMES

"A thrilling work of film craft."
Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE

"The Two Towers does not disappoint. This film is a fitting companion to the astounding The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."
Paul Clinton (CNN), CNN

"George Lucas should watch this and hang his head in shame."
Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE

"In nearly every way that counts, The Two Towers is The Fellowship of the Ring's equal."
James Berardinelli, REELVIEWS

"What's remarkable is how immediately, after a full year, The Two Towers seizes your attention, and how urgently it holds you through three seamless, action-packed hours."
David Ansen, NEWSWEEK


Other Critics

Unfavorable (2%)
"The least entertaining sequel to an event film this side of, Men in Black II."
Alex Sandell, JUICY CEREBELLUM (this is a must read)

"I'll be the reckless, foolish messenger and endure the wrath of LOTR devotees: Compared to The Fellowship, The Two Towers is a big, sprawling disappointment."
Victoria Alexander, FILMSINREVIEW.COM

"This go-around bored me, confused me at times and didn't really get too much deeper into its characters."
JoBlo, JOBLO'S MOVIE EMPORIUM

"Given his enduring success, author J.R.R. Tolkien must have been a fantasy master. He is being massively Jacksonized."
David Elliott, SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

"Maybe The Two Towers will stand as a more respectable and meaningful bridge between the crucial first and last entries. On its own, however, it is a crushing disappointment of ill-advised missteps and misplaced opportunities."
Dustin Putman, THEMOVIEBOY.COM

Favorable (98%)
"Could use a little more humanity, but it never lacks in eye-popping visuals."
George Wu, CULTUREVULTURE.NET

"Jackson tries to keep the plates spinning as best he can, but all the bouncing back and forth can't help but become a bit tedious even with the breathtaking landscapes and villainous varmints there to distract you from the ricocheting."
Glenn Whipp, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

"The year's greatest adventure, and Jackson's limited but enthusiastic adaptation has made literature literal without killing its soul a feat any thinking person is bound to appreciate."
Gregory Weinkauf, NEW TIMES

"The storylines are woven together skilfully, the magnificent swooping aerial shots are breathtaking, and the overall experience is awesome."
Brian Webster, APOLLO GUIDE

"There are flaws, yes, but the film is a breathtaking achievement in its scope."
Ian Waldron-Mantgani, UK CRITIC

"The appearance of Treebeard and Gollum's expanded role will either have you loving what you're seeing, or rolling your eyes. I loved it! Gollum's 'performance' is incredible!"
John Venable, SUPERCALA.COM

"The gorgeously elaborate continuation of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is so huge that a column of words cannot adequately describe co-writer/director Peter Jackson’s expanded vision of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth."
John Urbancich, SUN NEWSPAPERS OF CLEVELAND

"An epic of grandeur and scale that’s been decades gone from the popcorn pushing sound stages of Hollywood."
Joshua Tyler, CINEMABLEND.COM

"...a powerful sequel and one of the best films of the year."
Tony Toscano, TALKING PICTURES (U.S.)

"Peter Jackson has done the nearly impossible. He has improved upon the first and taken it a step further, richer and deeper. What Jackson has done is proven that no amount of imagination, no creature, no fantasy story and no incredibly outlandish scenery"
Michael Szymanski, ZAP2IT.COM

"Although Jackson is doubtless reserving the darkest hours for The Return of the King, we long for a greater sense of urgency in the here and now of The Two Towers."
Russel Swensen, L.A. WEEKLY

"Not the greatest ever but very good"
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, SBS.IS

"'Towers' is a much darker and chaotic experience, showing Frodo near the point of collapse, the future as bleak and hopeless, and emphasizing a war of actions that supplant the first film’s war of words."
Steven Snyder, ZERTINET MOVIES

"The most exciting vision captured on cinema, two years running."
Gabriel Shanks, MIXED REVIEWS

"This version of the sinister classic tale of battle between the forces of good against evil even tops the brilliant first part..."
Dennis Schwartz, OZUS' WORLD MOVIE REVIEWS

"An engaging, emotionally supercharged epic adventure that will doubtless take pride of place alongside other genre classics and beyond."
Marc Savlov, AUSTIN CHRONICLE

"The filmmakers are not just succeeding in their task, they are making a truly exceptional film series in the process."
Robert Roten, LARAMIE MOVIE SCOPE

"... these characters are feeling as people, not just enduring as tragedy finds them. This is the very thing that sets "The Lord of the Rings" apart from nearly all modern fantasy films since "Excalibur"... "Two Towers" down, one "King" to go."
Kevin A. Ranson, MOVIECRYPT.COM

"Both Gollum and the battles are a triumph of integrated art, technology, and sheer logistics."
John J. Puccio, DVDTOWN.COM

"What's wrong with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers? Well, to quote my 13-year-old nephew, 'It wasn't long enough!'"
David Poland, HOT BUTTON

"The Two Towers sufficiently builds on what was shown in The Fellowship of the Ring and gives a new appreciation for the previous work."
David Perry, CINEMA-SCENE.COM

""After experiencing 'The Two Towers' you'll realize that 'The Fellowship' was merely a nice appetizer to the extravagant main course. Now we can't wait for dessert!""
John Oliver, KATRILLION.COM

"Possesses a strong central story and works independently as well as part of a bigger picture."
Sean O'Connell, ECLIPSE MAGAZINE

"This is filmmaking on an unparalleled scale, stirring, rousing, technically perfect."
Eugene Novikov, FILM BLATHER

"If the first film was a hearty appetizer, the second film is a full course dinner. I can't wait to see what Jackson serves us for dessert."
Rebecca Murray, ABOUT.COM

"Two Towers is spectacular and exciting, and technically practically perfect, but somehow clinical. Gollum is REAL."
Karina Montgomery, CINERINA

"I'm not sure which element of the movie is the more powerful reason to see The Two Towers the stunning opening segment or Gollum's every scene."
Mervius, FANTASTICA DAILY

"The Two Towers has the kind of ambition that few movies these days have. Going to see it is an event."
Mike McGranaghan, AISLE SEAT

"What's really scary is it will likely pale by comparison to the ultimate showdown in next year's final chapter."
Drew McAnulty, JAM! MOVIES

"Brilliant and ambitious...does not falter in its mission to visualize Tolkien's ingenious work."
Andrew Manning, RADIO FREE ENTERTAINMENT

"The grandest spectacle since David Lean hung up his light meter."
Chauncey Mabe, SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL

"The greatest fantasy epic of all-time continues with a mesmerizing middle chapter that leaves great hopes for the thrilling conclusion."
Wesley Lovell, OSCAR GUY

"`Fellowship' tried on XXL pants and made them fit...`The Two Towers' is even bigger, and this time the seams start to rip."
Josh Larsen, SUN PUBLICATIONS (CHICAGO, IL)

"the film’s climax, the Battle for Helm’s Deep ... is quite simply one of the most impressive large-scale battle sequences ever committed to celluloid."
James Kendrick, Q NETWORK FILM DESK

"In one of the most fantastical settings and one of the most fantastical stories this year, Jackson has given us one of the most emotionally genuine films of this year."
MaryAnn Johanson, FLICK FILOSOPHER

"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers may well be that true rarity, an almost perfect film."
D.K. Holm, DVDTALK.COM

"Once again, Jackson and crew have crafted an astonishing-looking movie."
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS

"To begin chronicling Jackson's achievements in leaving you gasping would take longer than the running time of the finished film."
Harry Guerin, RTE INTERACTIVE (DUBLIN, IRELAND)

"The Two Towers could be the most sinister Hollywood epic ever made."
Ed Gonzalez, SLANT MAGAZINE

"Plays rather like a dream, with all the beauty and weirdness that cinematic evocations of dream space usually evoke."
Bryant Frazer, BRYANT FRAZER'S DEEP FOCUS

"The Two Towers stands tall among year's best."
Kevin Fiddler, HENDERSON HOME NEWS (HENDERSON, NV)

"A perfect compliment to The Fellowship of the Ring, a fact which only serves to whet our appetite for the third and final film which will complete the story."
Michael Elliott, MOVIE PARABLES

"For the most part, it’s business as usual. In other words, brisk plotting, no-frills acting, outstanding special effects, and unusually effective pacing."
Daniel Eagan, FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

"Director Peter Jackson delights with seamless CG-effects, strong storytelling, and more compelling characters than anything found in that galaxy far, far away."
Rachel Deahl, ACE WEEKLY (LEXINGTON, KY)

"Let's pray that we still have another ahead of us, and that the rocky, uneven qualities of the current film will ultimately be revealed as merely a tortuous pathway on the route toward resurgent triumph."
Nick Davis, NICK'S FLICK PICKS

""Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" is majestic in its splendor."
Linda Cook, QUAD CITY TIMES (DAVENPORT, IA)

"The second chapter only cemented my love for the story & characters, but also my belief that this story in either 3-or-6 hour intervals won’t be fully served until The Return of the King ends."
Erik Childress, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"It is grand in scale and overpowering in terms of action, but, for me, “The Two Towers” misfires a bit in terms of heart and soul."
Jim Chastain, NORMAN TRANSCRIPT

"And as with the first film, this one also leaves you wanting hours more once those end credits begin flashing across the screen."
Eric Campos, FILM THREAT

"'A hell of a movie', dirían los yanquis."
Enrique Buchichio, URUGUAY TOTAL

"The Two Towers is epic filmmaking at its finest, an intelligent and literate translation of a well-known and well-loved book that has enthralled millions. This film will no doubt do the same."
Bob Bloom, JOURNAL AND COURIER (LAFAYETTE, IN)

"It is, simply, what movie-making should be, the kind of film that proves that 'quality cinema' and 'blockbuster entertainment' are not, and should not be, mutually exclusive."
Josh Bell, LAS VEGAS WEEKLY

"An enigma edged with a rousing melange of story arcs."
Jeanne Aufmuth, PALO ALTO WEEKLY

"A banquet of monsters ... the most spectacular film of the year."
Paul Arendt, TELETEXT (UK)

"Jackson's precision and passion make every second of the movie hum with bravado and excitement."
Jeffrey M. Anderson, COMBUSTIBLE CELLULOID

"It can't be easy starting a movie in the middle, staying in the middle, and then ending it in the middle..."
Staci Layne Wilson, FANTASTICA DAILY

"While this movie, by necessity, lacks Fellowship’s heart, Two Towers outdoes its spectacle."
Jeffrey Westhoff, NORTHWEST HERALD (CRYSTAL LAKE, IL)

"Yeah, these flicks are just that damn good. Isn't it great?"
Scott Weinberg, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"The film is just a big, gorgeous, mind-blowing, breath-taking mess."
Widgett Walls, NEEDCOFFEE.COM

"The middle third of an epic nine-hour movie that will doubtlessly shine as one of the most daring and successful accomplishments in cinematic history."
Phil Villarreal, ARIZONA DAILY STAR

"This is one case where you can actually believe the hype The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is indeed even better than its predecessor."
Jeff Vice, DESERET NEWS, SALT LAKE CITY

"[Director Peter] Jackson and his crew have so steeped themselves in the majesty of Tolkien's writing that every frame produces new joys, whether you're a fan of the books or not."
Rob Vaux, FLIPSIDE MOVIE EMPORIUM

"Jackson and co have brought back the value and respect for the term epic cinema."
Urban Cinefile Critics, URBAN CINEFILE

"Awesome creatures, breathtaking scenery, and epic battle scenes add up to another 'spectacular spectacle.'"
Betty Jo Tucker, REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS

"Visually breathtaking, viscerally exciting, and dramatically moving, it's the very definition of epic adventure."
Tor Thorsen, REEL.COM

"Meeting, even exceeding expectations, it's the best sequel since The Empire Strikes Back ... a majestic achievement, an epic of astonishing grandeur and surprising emotional depth."
Frank Swietek, ONE GUY'S OPINION

"Like its predecessor, Towers ends on an effective cliffhanger; though there is much to marvel at here, the best may still be yet to come."
L.J. Strom, BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE

"The most impressive new element in this installment is the completely CGI-created Gollum...he turns in the best performance."
Peter Sobczynski, CRITIC DOCTOR

"Though not without problems, The Two Towers is a heartening mixture and careful balance of technology, story and nature, a movie that shows us why Hollywood exists."
Brent Simon, ENTERTAINMENT TODAY

"“Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers” was absolutely wonderful."
Dan Marcucci and Nancy Serougi, BROOMFIELD ENTERPRISE

"Just know that everything that transpires in The Two Towers vindicates the zeal with which the viewing public clasped Fellowship to its collective breast."
Steve Schneider, ORLANDO WEEKLY

"Actually superior to its predecessor... You could hardly ask for more spectacle for your movie dollar. ...sure to be hailed as one of the most thrilling fantasies ever filmed."
James Sanford, KALAMAZOO GAZETTE

"...the end result is just astounding."
Paul Salfen, SUPERCALA.COM

"The Two Towers is crammed with so much adventure and incident, so much derring-do and visual wonder, it makes the talky Fellowship feel like the homework assignment you couldn't get out of doing, with the new movie as your reward."
Rene Rodriguez, MIAMI HERALD

"The middle installment of Peter Jackson's saga is heavy on spectacle, long on talent and still feels like the halfway mark of an unfinished symphony."
James Rocchi, NETFLIX

"'The time of the Elves is nearly over,' warns the Elf leader. 'Soon, there will be no one to bake the Keeblers. No one to laugh at Margaret Cho.'"
Mark Ramsey, MOVIEJUICE!

"Hardcore fans might have something to gripe about, but in the grand scheme, Towers should be making them (and everyone else) squeal instead of sulk."
Jon Popick, PLANET SICK-BOY

"Gollum is the first believable CG character, while the battle of Helm's Deep is one of the finest, most expansive combat sequences ever filmed."
Nev Pierce, BBC

"It is a story reminiscent of the great stories of old. It is a story that matters."
J. Robert Parks, PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

"Make no mistake in the realization that The Two Towers registers delightfully as a defining technical-achieving dynamo that embraces the extending heart and massages the pleasing anticipated eye."
Frank Ochieng, MOVIE EYE

"Okay, let's face it. Peter Jackson wins. George Lucas loses."
Jimmy O, FILM SNOBS

"As with the novel, The Two Towers is a bridge more than a stand-alone work, and as such it places an emphasis on momentum over depth."
Jon Niccum, LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD

"Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is not a perfect film, but it is a wonderful adventure."
Clint Morris, MOVIEHOLE

"This is definitely not as accessible as Fellowship, but the pay off is much grander."
Danny Minton, KBTV-NBC (BEAUMONT, TX)

"While Fellowship lay clear why the plight of the One Ring matters to the creatures inhabiting Tolkien's Middle-Earth, the second film shows why it all matters to us."
Sean Means, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

"It would be an enormous task for Jackson to outdo last year’s phenomenon ...And yet he pretty much does just that."
John R. McEwen, FILM QUIPS ONLINE

"With one film to go, Peter Jackson is on the verge of completing a trifecta that will rank among the greatest achievements in film history."
Greg Maki, STAR-DEMOCRAT (EASTON, MD)

"Now that Jackson has established his make-believe world, he can have fun with it."
Dan Lybarger, NITRATE ONLINE

"The wait is over, and it was worth it."
Shawn Levy, OREGONIAN

"Another masterwork, and it's going to be a long year until The Return of the King."
Jim Lane, SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEW

"In terms of its visual and aural splendour, it is even better and bigger in scale than the first film."
Bruce Kirkland, JAM! MOVIES

"Stunning CGI as expected, but story-wise, Lewis Carroll and L. Frank Baum have little to worry about."
Harvey S. Karten, COMPUSERVE

"Technically, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is another towering achievement for New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson."
Louis B. Hobson, JAM! MOVIES

"Technically brilliant, [The Two Towers] features the same attention to detail and sparkling visual effects that earned its predecessor four Oscars."
Forrest Hartman, RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

"From the bravura opening that stunningly recalls and continues a central sequence from The Fellowship of the Ring, we feel that we're in good hands. It's a promise the subsequent three hours deliver on imperfectly."
Steven D. Greydanus, DECENT FILMS GUIDE

"The Two Towers is riveting entertainment - few films could cover such distance (in both narrative and geographical senses) with such assurance - but it remains hard to explain with great certainty the details of the plot."
Todd Gilchrist, FILMSTEW.COM

"Equally as compelling as its predecessor, and perhaps more technically awesome, Peter Jackson’s second Middle Earth chapter is, as expected, very, very cool."
David Foucher, EDGE BOSTON

"Jackson has staged an impressive war movie, and it's no crime to fall slightly short of a masterpiece like Fellowship."
Dan Fazio, CITYSEARCH

"The movie is a monument to a talented fan-boy's passion: You emerge into the light with your heart pounding, ears ringing, head swimming, and gasp, 'That's entertainment!'"
David Edelstein, SLATE

"A monumental technical achievement."
Mark Dujsik, MARK REVIEWS MOVIES

"As impossible as it might seem, The Two Towers is even bigger in scope than The Fellowship."
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, THEMOVIECHICKS.COM

"The final act's battle scene is the most spectacular medieval type ever filmed. (Pubished 1-3-03)"
Steve Crum, KANSAS CITY KANSAN

"{Gollum] turns out to be one of the best things in the film and attains the status of such mythical [movie] creations as Yoda and ET."
Robin Clifford, REELING REVIEWS

"For those who value a steady build to utter intensity, The Two Towers is a grand achievement."
Jeffrey Chen, WINDOW TO THE MOVIES

"It's a grand film, art masquerading as commercial enterprise, and the best film I've seen this year."
Shay Casey, DAILY-REVIEWS

"For those of us who thought the first film was at its best when reveling in the little details of life in Middle-earth and examining the relationships between its characters, The Two Towers is a letdown."
Robert W. Butler, KANSAS CITY STAR

"A truly spectacular film."
Gary Brown, HOUSTON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

"If you watch Towers from the bigger-picture point-of-view, imagining how it will play once all three films are in a DVD box set, it is one spectacular (if incomplete) epic."
Rob Blackwelder, SPLICEDWIRE

"Viewers more than get their money's worth here."
Joe Baltake, SACRAMENTO BEE

"The Two Towers, is not so much a sequel as it is an extension of last year's The Fellowship of the Ring."
Brian J. Arthurs, BEACH REPORTER (SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA)

"Hosts much to point out as inferior, but also a great deal to praise and marvel over. As a result, the film averages to a weak B+ with the recommendation to show up late."
Ross Anthony, HOLLYWOOD REPORT CARD

"Seeing The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is like having a second date with a woman who made you fall in love at first sight."
Lawrence Toppman, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

"In a nutshell, I'm practically speechless."
Chuck Russel, FILM THREAT

"Remarkably, Towers emerges as a forcefully unique work with it’s own distinct sense of terror...it's truly a miracle in filmmaking."
Audrey Rock-Richardson, TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN (UTAH)

"Another stunning technical achievement for director Peter Jackson ... [but without] the enormous emotional impact of the first film."
Steve Rhodes, STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS

"As in Fellowship, the actors are all vivid realizations of Tolkien's characters, and there is not a weak note in the cast."
Mary F. Pols, CONTRA COSTA TIMES

"Even if it's just a narrative bridge, this second series installment is still a glorious reward for those who paid attention last time."
Jonathan R. Perry, TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH (TEXAS)

"Where few movies even contemplate delivering an experience this glorious, The Two Towers is uncompromising and unmissable."
Mark Palermo, COAST (HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA)

"Tolkien groupies be damned, but I can't ever remember the books ever being this action filled!"
James O'Ehley, SCI-FI MOVIE PAGE

"While I was expecting yet another derivative battle sequence, the siege on Helm's Deep is one of the most detailed and well crafted combat scenes ever put to film."
Christopher Null, FILMCRITIC.COM

"Not only does Jackson establish himself as the Cecil B. DeMille of epic CGI battle scenes, but he's now the Ingmar Bergman of modern cinematic technology, capable of capturing subtle facial nuances within his inspired Gollum creation"
John A. Nesbit, TOXICUNIVERSE.COM

"The first film was good. The Two Towers ... is much better."
Roger Moore, ORLANDO SENTINEL

"Every moment of chapter two is packed full with the same breathtaking audacity and scope of the first one, plus three times as much action."
Nell Minow, MOVIE MOM AT YAHOO! MOVIES

"A Glorious Spectacle Unsurpassed – until The King Returns"
Brian Mckay, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"This second installment is heavy on battle sequences, which will thrill some viewers more than others.this second installment is heavy on battle sequences, which will thrill some viewers more than others."
Maitland McDonagh, TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE

"A new standard by which big-budget adventures will be judged."
Marty Mapes, MOVIE HABIT

"Peter Jackson, in the second installment of his Lord of the Rings trilogy, has confounded expectations and crafted a film that's both livelier and darker than the first one."
Moira MacDonald, SEATTLE TIMES

" The quality of the film is just as high as the first one."
Eric Lurio, GREENWICH VILLAGE GAZETTE

"The first two hours are a tiny bit tedious, but nonetheless this movie is second only to part 1 of the trilogy."
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel, 3BLACKCHICKS REVIEW

"There is easily ten times more danger and mayhem [than in Fellowship], and the action is consistently more visceral and inspired."
Kevin N. Laforest, MONTREAL FILM JOURNAL

"The Two Towers takes the tradition of Tolkien's work into a darker, creepier and more seriously woven direction, magnifying the scope to something that even the first feature barely scratched the surface of."
David Keyes, CINEMAPHILE.ORG

"With superb technical work and some terrific individual sequences and fun computer-generated characters, I found the film to be a tad better and more entertaining than the original."
Jim Judy, SCREEN IT!

"the awe-inspiring battle sequences in this film are nonpareil in contemporary cinema."
Dan Jardine, APOLLO GUIDE

"When the battle sequence finally hits, your sore butt cheeks will feel vindicated."
James Hill, BET.COM

"Let it amaze you with its wonders, its size and its rich complexity. There is so much to admire in this film that you could see it a dozen times and come away from each viewing with something new."
Ken Hanke, MOUNTAIN XPRESS (ASHEVILLE, NC)

"Recalling the first Star Wars trilogy, The Two Towers is like The Empire Strikes Back, a thrilling, epic war movie."
Susan Granger, WWW.SUSANGRANGER.COM

"The second part of Jackson's Ring trilogy continues the epic adventure without the slightest drop in quality or clarity."
Jack Garner, ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE

"An even better film than the first: more deeply felt, more vividly imagined, acted with greater assurance and assembled with the confidence of a master craftsman."
Marshall Fine, JOURNAL NEWS (WESTCHESTER, NY)

"I enjoyed it even more than the first movie."
Matt Easterbrook, MATT'S MOVIE REVIEWS

"If The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers seems less transparently inviting than its predecessor, this quality has less to do with the film than with the quest itself."
Duane Dudek, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

"Watching the character Gollum argue with his two sides, Peter Jackson's movie is smart enough to know that the good in this world worth fighting for isn't just on the outside."
Blake Davis, KFOR CHANNEL 4 NEWS

"As with the first film, I find The Two Towers to be fine entertainment, a ripping good adventure, but quite flawed."
David Cornelius, HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP

"This second installment of the trilogy is altogether darker, grayer, grimmer and bloodier than the first"
Laura Clifford, REELING REVIEWS

"A deeply conflicted picture that soars when it works, and plods along sincerely when it doesn't."
Walter Chaw, FILM FREAK CENTRAL

"Two Towers should serve as a postcard to George Lucas, one that reads 'Making great movies, wish you were here!'."
Larry Carroll, COUNTINGDOWN.COM

"It's a heartier, goofier yarn, refreshingly short on the pompous solemnity that bogged down its predecessor."
Sean Burns, PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

"For attaining a sense of sheer, unadulterated awe, it's difficult to imagine many films that could satisfy cinemagoers quite as resoundingly as Peter Jackson's mammoth adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy."
Josef Braun, VUE WEEKLY (EDMONTON, CANADA)

"'...may go down in history as the only three-hour film that leaves its audience gasping for more.'"
Bruce Bennett, SPECTRUM (ST. GEORGE, UTAH)

"You have to go all the way back to 'The Godfather Part II,' 'The Empire Strikes Back' or 'Superman 2' to find a sequel that flows so naturally out of its setup or expands on its themes with such old-fashioned storytelling verve and satisfaction."
William Arnold, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

"Just as Jackson's film of The Fellowship of the Ring shared the almost leisurely pace of the first book, The Two Towers captures the relentless momentum of the next."
Jason Anderson, EYE WEEKLY

"Once again, Rings simply Towers above the rest."
E! ONLINE

The Return Of The King

Top Critics

Unfavorable (3%)
"Like all the other installments in the saga, The Return of the King is part of a good movie, but only mediocre on its own, full of awkward pauses and redundancies."
Stephen Whitty, NEWARK STAR-LEDGER (no link)

Favorable (97%)
"The director and screenwriter brings unity to a somewhat unwieldy story and handles the spectacle scenes with flourish and coherence."
Philip Wuntch, DALLAS MORNING NEWS

"Both profoundly moving and deeply satisfying."
Michael Wilmington, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"This film is everything a fan could want and possibly more. For three-plus hours, it entertains, enthralls and awes."
Bruce Westbrook, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

"As a model for how to bring substance, authenticity and insight to the biggest of adventure yarns, this trilogy will not soon, if ever, find its equal."
Kenneth Turan, LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Pops your eyes, excites your senses and brings you in as close as a whisper for scenes of startling emotion."
Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

"Not only a thrilling experience, it closes the book on a truly satisfying trilogy."
Desson Thomson, WASHINGTON POST

"Passionate and literate, detailed and expansive... it's conceived with a risk-taking flair for old-fashioned movie magic at its most precious."
Lisa Schwarzbaum, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is Peter Jackson’s crowning achievement."
Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER

"[The] trilogy is, by any measure, a crowning moment in cinema history ... So why is the final installment, less than awesome?"
Steven Rea, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

"The jewel in the crown of the masterful trilogy."
Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

"The final chapter completes The Lord of the Rings series in thrilling style and restores faith in the idea that popular entertainment can soar to majestic heights."
Andrew O'Hehir, SALON.COM

"Not only has Jackson boldly and faithfully brought J.R.R. Tolkien's world to life, he's created the most epic and sweeping fantasy adventure of all time."
Bill Muller, ARIZONA REPUBLIC

"King is the product of impressive craft and energy."
Elvis Mitchell, NEW YORK TIMES

"Peter Jackson's final installment in his monumental The Lord of the Rings represents that filmmaking rarity a third part of a trilogy that is decisively the best of the lot."
Todd McCarthy, VARIETY

"[Director Peter Jackson] can lay claim to one of the greatest achievements in film history."
Jack Mathews, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

"Towers above its predecessors with cleaner storytelling and a more satisfying balance between terrific acting and eye-popping effects."
Lou Lumenick, NEW YORK POST

"Combines the best moments of Fellowship and Two Towers and brings the Arthurian trilogy to a rousing, satisfying finish."
Glenn Lovell, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

"It reminds you of the power of film like no other movie in memory."
Tom Long, DETROIT NEWS

"It not only stands as fantasy filmmaking on a peak of previously unscaled proportions, it now officially takes its place in the Great Hall of Movie Mythology, the place we return to again and again to share our dreams."
Terry Lawson, DETROIT FREE PRESS

"A grand adventure with lots of fun things to look at."
Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"A movie for our time, perhaps for all time, mostly a good time and definitely a long time."
Liam Lacey, GLOBE AND MAIL

"Jackson has done a fine job, taking an immensely dense book and crafting a brilliant new look for a mythology that was born old."
Chris Knight, NATIONAL POST

"Confirms Jackson's reputation as a kinetic director who has made author J.R.R. Tolkien's work his own not as plagiarist but as a visionary."
Lisa Kennedy, DENVER POST

"Tolkien and his representative on Earth, [Peter] Jackson, really know how to get a tale roaring down the tracks."
Stephen Hunter, WASHINGTON POST

"A masterfully entertaining final installment."
David Hunter, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"Completes the picture, magnificently so, and all honour and praise are due the visionaries behind the project."
Peter Howell, TORONTO STAR

"This Krakatoa is at once exhausting and riveting."
J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE

"With The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Peter Jackson brings his epic series to a glorious finish. And in doing so, he's made the greatest movie trilogy in cinema history."
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

"Return of the King is such a crowning achievement, such a visionary use of all the tools of special effects, such a pure spectacle, that it can be enjoyed even by those who have not seen the first two films."
Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

"I went along with the first and admired the second, but it wasn't until the third that I was swept away by the magnitude of Jackson's vision."
Robert Denerstein, DENVER ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

"A magical movie in every sense of the word."
Colin Covert, MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

"The film event of the millennium."
Richard Corliss, TIME MAGAZINE

"Utterly breathtaking."
Paul Clinton (CNN), CNN

"Audiences who don't have halberds to grind and who possess rear ends of steel and a taste for declamatory heroics will find themselves rewarded."
Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE

"An experience of epic scope and grandeur, amazing emotional power, and relentless momentum."
James Berardinelli, REELVIEWS

"The second installment was better than the first, and this one is best of all."
David Ansen, NEWSWEEK

"Jackson closes his trilogy with a movie far more humorous, good-natured and emotionally engaging than its predecessors."
John Anderson, NEWSDAY


Other Critics

Unfavorable (5%)
"An uneven movie with yawns aplenty."
David Sterritt, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

"Overlong, takes itself way too seriously and a case of much ado about nothing . . . "
James O'Ehley, SCI-FI MOVIE PAGE

"Take earplugs, food, maybe even No-doze if you plan a last foray to Middle-earth."
Jean Lowerison, SAN DIEGO METROPOLITAN

"Almost nothing in this ultimate J.R.R. Tolkien episode rings true, least of all its empty spectacle of digital effects. The sum total is Two Towers and more of babel."
Thomas Delapa, BOULDER WEEKLY (no link)

"An incurable film until such time as Peter Jackson is moved to shorten its deadening coda"
Bill Chambers, FILM FREAK CENTRAL

"When we talk about Jackson's directorial style, what exactly are we talking about? The ability to juggle a production this size is a feat, but what else does he bring to it?"
Jake Euker, F5 (WICHITA, KS)

"In spite of the fact that the film will likely bust box office records, this reviewer is duty bound to report that it fails in almost every aspect."
Daniel M. Kimmel, WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

"Is a seriously flawed piece of work that is missing that certain element called "believability." It's visual eye candy without the chocolate center."
Michelle Alexandria, ECLIPSE MAGAZINE

"I was more impressed by the first chapters, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, on DVD than I was in theaters .... Back in a multiplex for No. 3, I felt blitz-bombed again."
David Elliott, SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE (no link)

"Eye-candy and grand events with no real substance."
Peter Lowry, FILM THREAT

Favorable (95%)
"Every inch the finale this saga deserves, cementing its place as one of the seminal cinematic achievements of our time."
Rob Vaux, FLIPSIDE MOVIE EMPORIUM

"Endlessly spectacular"
George Wu, CULTUREVULTURE.NET

"Every bit as extraordinary as the series' first two installments."
Glenn Whipp, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

"A profound testament to the extraordinary power of moving images and sound."
Gregory Weinkauf, NEW TIMES

"Ultimately this journey has been about the endgame, and now that we're here, we get a shattering sense of all that is at stake."
Ian Waldron-Mantgani, UK CRITIC

"This is Jackson's greatest achievement: his uncanny ability, using every old and new cinematic trick in the book, to translate Tolkien's words into otherworldly yet eerily familiar images."
James Verniere, BOSTON HERALD

"Peter Jackson and his team pull through once again and turn in the best film in a terrific trilogy."
Joe Utichi, FILMFOCUS

"...is not only one of the best pictures of the year - but combined with its two previous films -it is possibly the most rewarding movie events ever."
Tony Toscano, TALKING PICTURES (U.S.)

"There are people who understand every frame of this film. I am not one of them, but that’s okay."
Fred Topel, ABOUT.COM

"Like the others, it's faithful to the spirit of the J.R.R. Tolkien text while exhibiting its own vibrant imagination."
Gary Thompson, PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS

"A masterful conclusion to a magnificent series, the cinematic trilogy against which all others must now be judgeda trio of films of astonishing vision and accomplishment."
Frank Swietek, ONE GUY'S OPINION

"Here, in scenes of quiet emotion, devastating violence, sweeping chaos and tranquil hope,is a profound conclusion to an unforgettable trilogy–the best American trilogy ever made."
Steven Snyder, ZERTINET MOVIES

"...achieves a resonance not frequently matched in cinema of any genre its boundless fraternity and hopefulness make it truly something special."
Brent Simon, ENTERTAINMENT TODAY

"A dreamy marriage of myth and special effects, of great literature and popcorn entertainment."
Gabriel Shanks, MIXED REVIEWS

"If Peter Jackson doesn’t win the Oscar for best director then I’m going to boycott the awards for the rest of my life. "
Dan Marcucci and Nancy Serougi, BROOMFIELD ENTERPRISE

"A sight for awe-struck eyes."
Dennis Schwartz, OZUS' WORLD MOVIE REVIEWS

"As the capstone to one of the single greatest achievements of modern motion-picture history, The Return of the King is generally peerless."
Marc Savlov, AUSTIN CHRONICLE

"Jaws 3D. Alien³. Matrix Revolutions. The Return of the King doesn't belong anywhere near that list of films. Return of the King delivers."
Alex Sandell, JUICY CEREBELLUM

"On the surface, The Return of the King has everything anyone would ask for in a fantasy adventure: larger-than-life heroes, vile villains, cool monsters and battles galore."
Mike Ross, JAM! MOVIES

"If, by some obscene injustice, this doesn’t receive the Oscar it’s so obviously overqualified for, it will be one of the greatest wrongs in Hollywood history."
Audrey Rock-Richardson, TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN (UTAH)

"... fans shouldn't mind seeing [multiple endings] since there will be no sequels for this timeless trilogy."
Kevin A. Ranson, MOVIECRYPT.COM

"To say that The Return of the King is this already-classic trilogy's paramount achievement is to understate things. "
Dustin Putman, THEMOVIEBOY.COM

"Peter Jackson had truly taken me to the place J.R.R. Tolkien created."
Mary F. Pols, CONTRA COSTA TIMES

"Though it will take snobs another decade or so to admit it, here lies the end of a major landmark in film history."
Mark Palermo, COAST (HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA)

"Does this mean we can now kill George Lucas?"
Jimmy O, FILM SNOBS

"The Return of the King runs for 200 minutes, and I estimate that I cried for 195 of them, give or take two, including through most of the end credits."
Eugene Novikov, FILM BLATHER

"Epic filmmaking and storytelling taken to the nth degree."
Rebecca Murray, ABOUT.COM

"You'll be hard pressed looking for a flaw in Return of the King, it's an immaculate end to one of the best film trilogies ever."
Clint Morris, FILM THREAT

"Peter Jackson is a god among directors."
Danny Minton, KBTV-NBC (BEAUMONT, TX)

"[It] builds on the spectacle and drama of the first two installments, and brings it all home."
Sean Means, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

"Now that the ending has been presented, I am able to look back and realize just what an extraordinary filmmaking accomplishment Lord of the Rings has been."
Mike McGranaghan, AISLE SEAT

"Monumental cinema."
John P. McCarthy, REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS

"The epic cinematic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's literary masterwork comes to a satisfying conclusion with this third and final installment."
Andrew Manning, RADIO FREE ENTERTAINMENT

"A grand, richly achieved fantasy epic that exalts such previously uncool virtues as honor, loyalty, self-sacrifice and chivalry."
Chauncey Mabe, SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL

" a spectacular film of complex battles and breath-taking scenery"
Mark R. Leeper, REC.ARTS.MOVIES.REVIEWS

"The most amazing thing about this cinematic journey, even more than the epic battles, is its overwhelming emotional sweep. "
Kevin N. Laforest, MONTREAL FILM JOURNAL

"A wonderful film, bursting at the seams with action, adventure, a staggering battle scene, and enough sad emotional scenes to milk tears from a thousand cynics."
Bruce Kirkland, JAM! MOVIES

"Peter Jackson and his armies of actors and technicians have managed to do what the Wachowski brothers and George Lucas could not: make a perfect trilogy."
Glenn Kenny, PREMIERE MAGAZINE

"[M]ay well be the transcendent cinematic experience of our time..."
MaryAnn Johanson, FLICK FILOSOPHER

"It's unquestionably the best movie about the battle for Middle-earth ever made, but it's far from the best film ever made."
Louis B. Hobson, JAM! MOVIES

"Has energy and power, particularly in a battle scene highlighted by spectacular shots of catapulting boulders."
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS

"It's hard to overstate the soaring achievement of Peter Jackson and company... this film, and this trilogy, is a gift to be treasured."
Steven D. Greydanus, DECENT FILMS GUIDE

"New Zealand prodigal son Peter Jackson vaults past The Matrix and second Star Wars trilogies with the final episode of his Middle Earth saga."
Todd Gilchrist, FILMSTEW.COM

"Both the longest film in the series and the most confidently paced, striking an ideal balance of combat and camaraderie."
Scott Foundas, L.A. WEEKLY

"The whole gang is back, the action sustains a fever pitch, and the inventive imagery alone is worth double the ticket price."
Jeff Farance, DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL (FL.)

"Peter Jackson may very well have just completed the best movie trilogy ever made. "
Michael Elliott, MOVIE PARABLES

"Not to be missed a wonderful blend of Old Hollywood-style entertainment with modern technical skills, of brain candy and food for the soul. You'll never look at epics the same way again."
Matt Easterbrook, MATT'S MOVIE REVIEWS

"This unique series of films has reminded us that it is still possible to change the world, and that it is achieved in simple gestures of belief, love, and personal sacrifice."
Blake Davis, KFOR CHANNEL 4 NEWS

"It’s still greatly flawed, sure... but Jackson’s achievement is indeed monumental, and Return of the King is a fantastic adventure."
David Cornelius, HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP

"Special effects are first rate with the Gollum sequences virtually flawless."
Robin Clifford, REELING REVIEWS

"Sometimes intoxicating, occasionally exhilarating."
Walter Chaw, FILM FREAK CENTRAL

"Still a good movie, but it's weak on plot compared to its predecessor."
Kevin Carr, FILM THREAT

"In other words, it's exactly like the last picture - only bigger and louder. And there's more of it... It ain't deep, but it sure is wide."
Sean Burns, PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

"At 210 minutes, some might wish Peter Jackson had been just a mite less enchanted by the Tolkien mythology, but I wouldn't have missed it for anything."
Jules Brenner (FC), VARIAGATE.COM

"Peter Jackson and his ... crew have outdone themselves, completing the ... trilogy with a sweeping epic filled with wondrous effects, blood-curdling battles and ... heart."
Bob Bloom, JOURNAL AND COURIER (LAFAYETTE, IN)

"Yes, good triumphs over evil, but watching the Rings series, we don't forget that real-life war and terror are accelerating outside the theater."
John Beifuss, COMMERCIAL APPEAL (MEMPHIS, TN)

"An immense achievement founded on the enduring themes of loyalty, destiny, and hope."
Jeanne Aufmuth, PALO ALTO WEEKLY

"This is a long film, not to be squeezed in, but rather planned for. Best screened on a light day. Big action, amazing visuals, but not without flaws. "
Ross Anthony, HOLLYWOOD REPORT CARD

"A touching end to this magnificent series."
Ethan Alter, FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

"Astonishing! Creates a new level of filmmaking genius."
Victoria Alexander, FILMSINREVIEW.COM

"ROTK would never be classified as a horror film, but it certainly is a deep-dark fantasy, and it's more scary and edge-of-the-seat than any horror movie I have seen all year."
Staci Layne Wilson, HORROR.COM

"Even if The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers had not preceded it, Return of the King would rank among the greatest achievements of cinema."
Jeffrey Westhoff, NORTHWEST HERALD (CRYSTAL LAKE, IL)

"The Return of the King is one of the finest things I've ever seen. And that includes stuff like sunrises and babies and the original, unaltered Star Wars."
Scott Weinberg, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"Will undoubtedly last through the decades as one of the most ambitious and mind-blowingly successful celluloid projects ever undertaken."
Phil Villarreal, ARIZONA DAILY STAR

"Even the weakest of these movies is head-and-shoulders above the vast majority of films churned out these days."
Jeff Vice, DESERET NEWS, SALT LAKE CITY

"A fantastic ending to the greatest cinematic achievement of all time! YES! ALL TIME!!!"
John Venable, SUPERCALA.COM

"These are the greatest films of our era."
Joshua Tyler, CINEMABLEND.COM

"Return is the equal of the magnificent opening episode, The Fellowship of the Ring."
Lawrence Toppman, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

"Amazing, stupendous, jawdropping and overwhelming."
Christopher Tookey, LONDON DAILY MAIL

"As the journey comes to an end, it's hard as a movie buff to think of anything on the movie horizon that could be more exciting and well-executed than "Return of the King." "
Michael Szymanski, ZAP2IT.COM

"Despite maddening liberties and narrative asymmetry, Return works well enough on its own terms of rousing, whistle-stop spectacle."
L.J. Strom, BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE

"Still a pretty stirring epic and is a worthy conclusion to the saga."
Peter Sobczynski, CRITIC DOCTOR

"This is a trilogy to be treasured, and the final chapter is a fitting capstone."
Eric D. Snider, ERICDSNIDER.COM

"A spectacular ending to cinema's greatest achievement."
Randy Shulman, METRO WEEKLY (WASHINGTON, DC)

"The Return of the King totally rules."
Gerry Shamray, SUN NEWSPAPERS OF CLEVELAND

"It's a bittersweet finale to one gigantic masterpiece, rich with character, ambience, and exhilarating action."
Mark Sells, FILM THREAT

"The best-paced of the three."
Steve Schneider, ORLANDO WEEKLY

"Jackson does a superb job of wrapping up the saga of the battle for Middle-earth. ...you can't help but gasp at the sheer spectacle of it all. "
James Sanford, KALAMAZOO GAZETTE

"Each character captures our attention by plunging us so deep into this fantasy story that a restroom break is unthinkable even in a three-hour movie."
Diana Saenger, REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS

"It sets so many standards for filmmaking in its overwhelming epic wash that many similar attempts in the future will seem like pretenders to the throne."
Nick Rogers, STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER (SPRINGFIELD, IL)

"The big-screen, big-everything adaptation of the 20th century's most powerful fantasy epic reaches a stunning finale."
James Rocchi, NETFLIX

"'We must ride light and swift,' says King Theoden. 'Pack a man-bag, everybody,' suggests a helpful Legolas. 'Chain mail is the new black,' he adds."
Mark Ramsey, MOVIEJUICE!

"...battles are massive and special effects are astonishing, yet in the last analysis the story boils down to the very intimate portraits of a very small band of individuals."
John J. Puccio, DVDTOWN.COM

"Majestic, moving and immense, The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King is about as awesome as cinema gets."
Nev Pierce, BBC

"One of the most visceral theatrical experiences of all time."
Glen Oliver, IGN FILMFORCE

"[Jackson's] greatest achievement may well be that the best, most enduring moments arrive in small moments of truth..."
Austin O'Connor, LOWELL SUN

"The movie's refusal to end will likely test the patience of even the most ardent Lord of the Rings fan, and it's a shame that the series ends on such a flat note."
David Nusair, REEL FILM REVIEWS

"The most ambitious AND most flawed of the series."
Jon Niccum, LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD

"The film is big and beautiful, like a landmark cathedral you can read about ad nauseam in guide books but that still awes even the most jaded traveler in person. "
Donald Munro, FRESNO BEE

"The thrilling conclusion to what has become the film event of our time the definitive screen fantasy features more spellbinding moments, bigger battles, more emotion and more poetry than the terrific first two films in the trilogy."
Roger Moore, ORLANDO SENTINEL

"Take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief and satisfaction before this movie begins. It may be your last breath for the next three hours."
Nell Minow, MOVIE MOM AT YAHOO! MOVIES

"It will be a long time before we see a movie event as visually epic and emotionally gripping as these three movies have been."
Sean Means, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

"Jackson and his company have set the bar so high for 21st-century filmmaking, it may be another millennium before it is surpassed."
John R. McEwen, FILM QUIPS ONLINE

"Peter Jackson, you bow to no one."
Drew McAnulty, JAM! MOVIES

"... The Return of the King, is not only the best of the trilogy, but also one of the most amazing pieces of entertainment to grace the big screen."
Greg Maki, STAR-DEMOCRAT (EASTON, MD)

"One of the best movies of the decade."
Eric Lurio, GREENWICH VILLAGE GAZETTE

"Push the term 'fantasy' aside. This is one of history's greatest epics and a brilliant conclusion to history's best and most consistent trilogy."
Wesley Lovell, OSCAR GUY

"I didn't know movies could get this big."
Josh Larsen, SUN PUBLICATIONS (CHICAGO, IL)

"Grandly epic in scale, yet deeply human in emotion ... a fitting capstone to one of modern cinema’s greatest gambles."
James Kendrick, Q NETWORK FILM DESK

"A decent film, but overrated."
JoBlo, JOBLO'S MOVIE EMPORIUM

"Jackson's movies are a triumph of cinematic voice, much like Tolkien's books are a triumph of literary voice."
Stephen Himes, FILM SNOBS

"If every film were this spectacular theaters and movie studios could raise ticket prices by $5 and I wouldn’t feel cheated."
Forrest Hartman, RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

"An enormously exciting, exquisite, even exhausting, cinematic experience. Definitely one of the 10 BEST of 2003 - and the film to beat at this year's Oscars!"
Susan Granger, WWW.SUSANGRANGER.COM

"The Lord of the Rings may sing the praises of kings and wizards, but it champions the courage, brotherhood and dignity of the common man (even if he is a Hobbit)."
Jack Garner, ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE

"Adheres to the values of its predecessors – it's brilliant, passionate filmmaking... even if it goes on far too long."
David Foucher, EDGE BOSTON

"Exceptional because it reminds us that we are not to fear the darkness, but to stand strong against it, and fight it where we can, where we are."
Curtis Edmonds, TXREVIEWS.COM

"Brings one word repeatedly to mind: overwhelming"
Mark Dujsik, MARK REVIEWS MOVIES

"The Return of the King delivers the same awe-inspiring visuals as Jackson’s two previous films without ever coming off like it’s simply 'more of the same.'"
Rachel Deahl, LOCAL PLANET WEEKLY (SPOKANE, WA)

"He (Peter Jackson) has succeeded in topping the series for the grandest of finales."
Steve Crum, KANSAS CITY KANSAN

"It’s still greatly flawed, sure... but Jackson’s achievement is indeed monumental, and Return of the King is a fantastic adventure."
David Cornelius, HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP

"So impeccably and artfully done that we can hardly breathe, immobilised by emotion, suspense, the sheer spectacle, the intimate drama."
Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL

"Epic filmmaking in the achievement scales of Ben-Hur, Gone with the Wind and Lawrence of Arabia."
Erik Childress, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"Marred, somewhat, by overlength, occasional silliness, and cloying characters, LOTR3 is nevertheless a technical marvel... and a fitting end to a one-of-a-kind series."
David N. Butterworth, MOVIE BOEUF

"With a sweeping narrative, mind-blowing battle sequences and gut-wrenching performances, could there be a grander finale to a classic epic? Not in this millennium."
Kit Bowen, HOLLYWOOD.COM

"Jackson's vision, and his capacity for bringing it to life... are unquestionably worthy of very high praise, (but) I never got the mind-blowing 'Wow!' I'd wanted..."
Rob Blackwelder, SPLICEDWIRE

"Insanely spectacular and never less than absorbing, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King not only fully celebrates J.R.R. Tolkien's classic literary work but fully explains Jackson's outsized obsession with bringing it to the screen."
Joe Baltake, SACRAMENTO BEE

"We may never see anything like this ever again."
Brian J. Arthurs, BEACH REPORTER (SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA)

"Something of a minor miracle."
Jeffrey M. Anderson, SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER

"The richest, fullest, and most complex of the trilogy."
Boo Allen, DENTON RECORD CHRONICLE (TX)

"An excellent conclusion and a triumph of filmmaking, this journey may be at an end oh boy, what a way to go."
E! ONLINE

"Not one of the 10 best films of the year, but it would be no surprise if it walks off with many major awards."
Robert Roten, LARAMIE MOVIE SCOPE

"A movie that exceeds even the most formidable expectations without straying from its singular path."
Rene Rodriguez, MIAMI HERALD

"Such a stunning achievement by Jackson that it's hard to believe that he could ever be able to surpass it even if he make a hundred more films."
Steve Rhodes, STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS

"The word trilogy, which was handed such a black eye by the Matrix movies, is restored to its proper dignity with Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."
Peter Rainer, NEW YORK MAGAZINE

"Virtually the same film as The Two Towers, only with a resolution."
Jon Popick, PLANET SICK-BOY

"'The Lord of the Rings" saga ends as it began with elegant simplicity and heart."
Jonathan R. Perry, TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH (TEXAS)

"masterfully compelling...inherently grand, vibrant, inviting and whimsically overwhelming...packs an urgent sense of vitality into this third installment...purely magnetic"
Frank Ochieng, MOVIE EYE

"Surpasses the extraordinary visual standards set by its predecessors."
Sean O'Connell, ECLIPSE MAGAZINE

"If you can make it through the slow parts, Return of the King rewards the patient with the most heart-pounding action of the year."
Christopher Null, FILMCRITIC.COM

"Jackson's virtuosity in handling the myriad challenges of such an epic production places him as the Cecil B. DeMille of the new millennium"
John A. Nesbit, TOXICUNIVERSE.COM

"The resounding climax to a landmark in cinema history."
Alan Morrison, EMPIRE MAGAZINE [UK]

"There's a reason these are instant classics: good core story+skillful execution+ the sense of cohesion between the 3 chapters = satsfying movies."
Karina Montgomery, CINERINA

"The trilogy, leaving no loose ends, is almost more satisfying than we have any right to expect from Hollywood."
Mervius, FANTASTICA DAILY

"minor quibbles aside, only the most cynical can resist being caught up in the sheer grandeur and majesty of this film"
Brian Mckay, EFILMCRITIC.COM

"A spectacle of the first order."
Maitland McDonagh, TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE

"Looking at the sum of its parts, The Lord of the Rings is probably the best trilogy ever made"
Marty Mapes, MOVIE HABIT

"A rich, layered tale of a king, a wizard and two little hobbits whose courage saved their world."
Moira MacDonald, SEATTLE TIMES

"It absolutely seals the promise that the first two films made to match one of the last century's most celebrated literary works with the first truly monumental film of this century."
Shawn Levy, OREGONIAN

"The Return of the King is the longest of the three films, but at the same time it's the most relentlessly headlong, the most eventful, the most spectacular, the richest emotionally, and most dramatically compelling."
Jim Lane, SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEW

"This sweeping and marvelously entertaining adventure is the work of a prodigiously gifted filmmaker operating at the very top of his creative powers."
Timothy Knight, REEL.COM

"The movie truly is the most amazing visual spectacle ever seen on celluloid."
David Keyes, CINEMAPHILE.ORG

"Operatic in scope"
Harvey S. Karten, COMPUSERVE

"Captures the visual grandeur and thematic complexities of the novel well, while moving gracefully from moments of the intensely personal to epic scenes of staggering enormity."
Dan Jardine, APOLLO GUIDE

"Excellent as they may be, the first two films are really opening acts for Return of the King, which expertly knocks down all the pins set up for it."
James Hill, BET.COM

"To put it simply, Return of the King is perhaps the finest movie of its kind ever made."
Ken Hanke, MOUNTAIN XPRESS (ASHEVILLE, NC)

"More goose-pimply epic swirl and top-notch Uruk-hai smackdowns, but there’s also more of the dreamy Christian allegory that highlighted the first film."
Ed Gonzalez, SLANT MAGAZINE

"This brand of strenuous adaptation is some kind of achievement, for sure."
Bryant Frazer, BRYANT FRAZER'S DEEP FOCUS

"A staggering work."
Dan Fazio, CITYSEARCH

"This is the best of the three Rings movies more than that, it makes the others look even better."
David Edelstein, SLATE

"This time around, the same jaw-dropping spectacle ... that previously was stunning is outright magnificent here, made exhilarating by the impending sense of closure."
Duane Dudek, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

"The final chapter has more emotion and expands on the character development, not just the action. It is a fitting end for our travelers."
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, THEMOVIECHICKS.COM

"Jackson has matured as a filmmaker, trusting his story, his cinematographer, and his actors to convey a story of this size in a small and intimate manner."
Jill Cozzi, MIXED REVIEWS

"Not for the faint of heart or weak of bladder, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” is a majestic finale. "
Linda Cook, QUAD CITY TIMES (DAVENPORT, IA)

"McKellan and Astin are the two actors whose lifeblood pumps through this saga"
Laura Clifford, REELING REVIEWS

"Conclude[s] a trilogy of movies upon which unprecendented expectations have been placed, and [does] it smoothly, gracefully, and powerfully."
Jeffrey Chen, WINDOW TO THE MOVIES

"Jackson's Hole"
Jeannette Catsoulis, LAS VEGAS MERCURY

"It leaves us with precisely the same feelings of sadness and satisfaction as are evoked by J.R.R. Tolkien's original novels."
Robert W. Butler, KANSAS CITY STAR

"The material will satisfy those simply looking for thrills as well as those angling for more."
Matt Brunson, CREATIVE LOAFING

"This epic dazzles the mind's eye and astonishes with its shear girth of talent held within the frames!"
Emily Blunt, BLUNT REVIEW

"King is ... the final touch of an undeniable masterwork."
Josh Bell, LAS VEGAS WEEKLY

"A film that concludes the saga with a blissful unity and satisfaction, and sweeps us away with its nail-biting narrative flair and filmmaking verve."
William Arnold, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

"Really, the film offers an embarrassment of riches to anyone caught up in Jackson's own mad quest to portray Tolkien's universe in all its manly glory."
Jason Anderson, EYE WEEKLY

The Tennis Ball Kid wrote:

Woo hoo.


This had better be good...

It was alright.

how, in ANY sense of the word... is this a "summary?"

Also, I realize you want more life around here, TLE, but pissing me off isn't going to get me to argue, just be pissed off.

Finally, Most of those guys are idiots, so I'd take thier opinions with a grain of salt.

One more thing, the Movies as a whole sucked, but FOTR was good.

<- to ease down the tone of this post.

<- to kick that pokemon's ass

100 top critics can't be wrong, right hal?

Seriously though, what do you think your response to the films might have been if you weren't extremely familiar with the books? Are you able to think of yourself in that position?

Coo-ee hal!


Thanks, Lidless. Stuff like that brings a tear to my eye for some reason.

"minor quibbles aside, only the most cynical can resist being caught up in the sheer grandeur and majesty of this film"
Brian Mckay, EFILMCRITIC.COM"

:D:D

halplm,

God forbid I should post some opinions you disagree with.

I've added links where they still exist to the negative reviews, so they can be read in full and perhaps discussed. Hope it makes you happier.

yovargas wrote:

100 top critics can't be wrong, right hal?

Seriously though, what do you think your response to the films might have been if you weren't extremely familiar with the books? Are you able to think of yourself in that position?

I've thought about it. And I've come to the conclusion that I would have enjoyed them a lot more if I didn't know the books so well, or know Tolkien that well.

This, however, does not make me think they are good films, but in fact makes them much more insidious. Their granduer and visual splendour covers up poor writing and poor editing decisions. Looking at them simply as films, they have serious flaws, but they're entertaining.

The fact that those flaws, however subconsiously, might be attributed to Tolkien is what makes them truly terrible as adaptations of his work.


So yes, I would have liked them a lot more... and that fact makes me like them even less.

halplm wrote:

Their granduer and visual splendour covers up poor writing and poor editing decisions.

Let's see what those in the profession had to say about that...

Best (Adapted) Screenplay

FOTR - Won
Chlotrudis
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Southeastern Film Critics Association

FOTR - Nominated
Oscar
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
BAFTA
Bram Stoker
Golden Satellite
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Online Film Critics Society
USC Scripter
Writers Guild of America

TTT - Won
Chlotrudis
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

TTT - Nominated
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
Golden Satellite
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Online Film Critics Society
USC Scripter

ROTK - Won
Oscar
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
BAFTA
Online Film Critics Society

ROTK - Nominated
USC Scripter
Writers Guild of America


Best Editing

FOTR - Won
Golden Satellite

FOTR - Nominated
Oscar
American Cinema Editors
BAFTA
Las Vegas Film Critics Society

TTT - Won
Online Film Critics Society

TTT - Nominated
Oscar
American Cinema Editors
BAFTA
Golden Satellite

ROTK - Won
Oscar
American Cinema Editors

ROTK - Nominated
BAFTA
Golden Satellite

Of course, good screenwriting and editing also help towards Best Picture, but if I were to list all those, I fear my post might break the server.

yep, those people are all idiots too...

But seriously, awards like those don't recognize truly good writing. They measure people's "favorite" writing. And many times, not even that. They take an amalgam of people's favorites, the stuff other people say should BE their favorites, and the stuff that they don't understand so it must be smarter than they are, and therefore really good... and give the awards to them.

If you feel the need to justify you're own position with the opinions of others, then your position appears weak. You can't even fully believe it yourself.

I feel no need for such justification.

halplm wrote:

This, however, does not make me think they are good films, but in fact makes them much more insidious. Their granduer and visual splendour covers up poor writing and poor editing decisions. Looking at them simply as films, they have serious flaws, but they're entertaining.

I can easily overlook plot inconsistencies … many other films I admire have inconsistencies too. And the flaws in PJ’s LOTR are really only visible to nutty Tolkienistas who analyse every frame.

My main gripe with PJ is his rather uneven style. His overall craftsmanship in the LOTR trilogy is occasionally spoiled by a few silly 'Indiana Jones' type moments (Legolas shield-surfing, skull avalanche) which to my mind are totally out of keeping with the epic and bittersweet mood he aims for elsewhere. As a film buff, this jars me. Otherwise I think the films are FANTASTIC.

Quote:

The fact that those flaws, however subconsiously, might be attributed to Tolkien is what makes them truly terrible as adaptations of his work.

As someone who has loved LOTR for years, I am enormously grateful for a successful and critically acclaimed film adaptation which at least COMES CLOSE to the original. I mean, that is recognisably LOTR up there on the cinema screen. It's not some horrible mutilated travesty.

I would not have welcomed John Boorman’s proposed screenplay.

Thank goodness he gave us the excellent ‘Excalibur’ instead.

Bah, US critics don't know what they are talking about.

Un chapeau fort et dur, mon ami?

So this Mother is watching her son march out with the other soldiers and she turns proudly to her husband and says:

"Look, everyone's out of step except our Johnny!"

Tosho, I assume you meant a very large hat, in which case it would be in French: "un très grand chapeau". This reminds me a scene of Raoul Walsh's wonderful Gentleman Jim where someone offers to an arrogant Errol Flynn a giant hat for his birthday.

For the record, though, most of the French critics disliked PJ's LOTR. Perhaps liking or disliking PJ's style is a cultural thing. My dislike for his conception of cinema is genuine and honest.

Alatar, I've always had a lot of sympathy for the Johnny's who were out of step in a soldier march. I've been one of them during my military duty.

No Semprini, I was offering in undoubtably bad French the protection of a strong hard hat of some kind against the bricks that might soon start flying over. You have a big intellect not a big head.
What were the main points of criticism of the French critical world? How familiar would they be with the work it was taken from?