Just got back from the theater. Great movie.There were some omissions from the story as usual, but over all I think they did a pretty good job. The special effects were first rate, and there were a lot of truly epic war scenes. The theater was great too. Nice comfortable seats with lumbar support. They leaned back too. Only complaint were the troop of teenagers talking and joking the whole movie. That was really annoying. Anyway, I give it a score of five out of five black rifles. Anyone other nerds like me out there that stayed up late to see it?

sweet movie, much better then that crappy 3rd matrix movie

Prick bastard manager of the not-so-local theater canceled the midnight showing due to parental concerns that their children would stay out too late.

I've got four free passes to watch it tomorrow to compensate fot the 45 min. drive to a canceled movie.

I gave the manager an earful.  

My biggest question is if parents don't want their children out past midnight on a school night, why don't they tell them to stay home?

I'm staying away from this thread before someone posts spoilers.  (yes, I already know whats going to happen.  I just don't want to hear about it)

Back from a midnight show. It lives up to the hype, which in this case is high praise indeed. Some fantastic battle scenes.

I'll tell you after tonight!

best movie ever.

Are there any "extra" "invented" scenes as in the Two Towers? It's bad enough, although understandable, to leave out certain plot elements. But to do that, and then eat up screen time with stuff invented out of whole cloth, well, thats just dumb.

Taking off work early to see the noon showing.

So did the undead help Aragorn win the war at the Pelenor fields?  In the book the undead departed and their debt paid, after Aragorn's company and other men got rid of the corsair from Umbar and took over their ships, therefore the undead were not present at the Pelonor fields.

Well, I liked the first one a lot. I was disappointed by "The Two Towers" though I had a bit more sympathy for that one after viewing the commentary and the extended version on DVD. The director was faced with some tough choices on Two Towers.

For me, Return Of The King ranks right between the first one and the second one. I still like the first one best because I am a bit of a purist and that version is truest to the book.

However, I will have to say that the battle scenes are simply kick ass. Think Braveheart x10 with some massive wideangle shots that could only be done with cutting edge digital use (or a real army). Even if you think all of these books and their related movies are utter crap, the battle scenes in ROTK are worth the price of admission.

I am betting that when the extended version of ROTK is released, it will beat out FOTR for my favorite of the series.



Not really - there are some plot merges and other things to simplify the story; but they didn't just start creating complete new storylines that never existed like they did in The Two Towers.

Some of the plot merges and such are kind of jumpy and not very smooth; but to be fair a lot of Tolkien's writing was the same way and they have a lot less time to tell the same story. The whole Faramir/Denethor thing is compressed into about 10min of film or less.


SPOILERS:



Yes. I thought they could have done a little better here. I kept flashing back to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie every time they showed the undead. That and they are in the middle of a major battle and 2 minutes after the undead show up, the battle is over. Considering the build up to Pelenor Fields and the epic battle scenes in it, the ending of it seemed a bit rushed to me.

They also cut the scouring of the Shire and that entire related plot line from the movie - even though the film goes on about 30 minutes after the final battle before the Black Gate.

Also:
Faramir/Eowyn
Houses of Healing/King healing
Black breath
Wild men of the woods

All of the above plotlines are gone. Considering the movie is 3.5 hours, I can see why they were cut - Jackson is still having to pay for his decision make the Two Towers the way he did and has to work in Shelob and Paths of the Dead into this film.

That's too bad.  Two of the most important character plot lines in ROTK.  Same with the scouring of the Shire.  This last part was a very satisfying ending to the entire story.

I enjoyed Two Towers, but even more so after seeing the extended version.  I saw some of the tough editing he had to make, especially with Faramir.  He was much closer to the literary version in the extended movie.

As for the "invented" stuff.  Even though it was never in the main story, they were given more depth in the appendices.  I thought Jackson approached it all in an interesting manner.

Oh well.  Can't wait to see what they'll do with the extended ROTK.

How long was the movie?

Holy crap. Over three hours...

3.5 hours, but it never drags. Pelennor fields--damn! It makes Helms Deep look pathetic. The Rohirrim lined up to charge, "Now for wrath, now for ruin, ride to the world's
end!", and Eowyn facing down the head nazgul.

I think ROTK and Fellowship are up there together, and TT is somewhat lesser. The
three films as a whole have to be ranked
as possibly the best epic films ever,
up there with Ben Hur, Spartacus, and
Dr. Z. Nearly every frame is jaw-dropping, but the special effects don't overwhelm the human scale of the story.

Can't wait for the EE DVD.

Simply amazing.  I hope this makes Lucas whither and die, and that's a tough thing for a Star Wars dork such as myself to say.

--ZERO

that's a damn shame to have cut the end of the book shire scenes

IT WAS KICK ASS!!!!!
Will probably see it 3 times in the theater.

I was so worried that they woul not do the scouring of the shire.  BUT!! I am very optimistic that it will be in the extended version.

Along with Faramere getting it on with Eowen, and the other above mentioned parts of the book.

It was so nice to finally see some visibal fear in the eyes of Orcs.  6000 horses charging are a little intimidating.

good movie, and I know the extended version will be even better.

Don't be.
I read an interview with the director where he said they did not [b]film[/b] the Scouring of the Shire.  It is not/will not be in the extended release.

Just saw it.  Simply, incredibly, indescribably awesome.  Best of the three, easily.

Went to the theater with about 9 people. My wife loved it, she cried a lot during the fillm.

What a way to end the story...

All I have to say is WOW. outstanding... just awesome.


Now, the next "ending" will be Star Wars EP III -May 2005

I didn't want to post spoilers, but the scouring of the Shire was an awesome part of the book and I was really disapointed it wasn't in the movie. It still kicked ass though.

EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!!!I almost cried

Peter Jackson didn't film the Scouring of the Shire because he said he hated that part of the book.  Personaly, I liked it.

He also said not to discount the possibilty of a PREQUAL in the future.

Wow - how big would "The Hobbit" be after the success of the LOTR trilogy.  

WOW, That would be great to see Smaug on the big screen... gives me a shiver to imagine Smaugh laugh and say.."I am Smaug!"