What is the best The Lord of the Rings movie?

Which Tolkien adaptation is the greatest film in Middle-earth's history? From Peter Jackson's Oscar-sweeping Return of the King to the beloved animated classics, rank every journey into the world of hobbits, elves, and dark lords.

1. 1
   The Return of the King

   Peter Jackson's 2003 Oscar-sweeping finale, winning all 11 Academy Awards it was nominated for including Best Picture.
   1000pts
2. 2
   The Fellowship of the Ring

   The 2001 epic that launched the trilogy, introducing viewers to Middle-earth through Frodo's first steps toward Mount Doom.
   822pts
3. 3
   The War of the Rohirrim (2024)

   Kenji Kamiyama's 2024 anime feature set 183 years before the trilogy, telling the legend of Helm Hammerhand, King of Rohan, and the fortress that bears his name.
   808pts
4. 4
   The Lord of the Rings (1978)

   Ralph Bakshi's groundbreaking 1978 animated adaptation covering the first half of the saga, using innovative rotoscoping techniques.
   795pts
5. 5
   An Unexpected Journey

   The 2012 Hobbit opening chapter that recaptures the spirit of Tolkien's lighter tale and sets Bilbo Baggins on his grand adventure.
   385pts
6. 6
   The Hobbit (1977)

   The beloved Rankin/Bass 1977 animated TV movie that introduced a generation of children to Tolkien's world through hand-drawn animation.
   290pts
7. 7
   The Two Towers

   The 2002 middle chapter featuring the Battle of Helm's Deep, widely considered one of the greatest battle sequences ever filmed.
   290pts
8. 8
   The Battle of the Five Armies

   The 2014 Hobbit finale centering on the climactic war for the Lonely Mountain and the tragic resolution of Thorin's gold sickness.
   290pts
9. 9
   The Return of the King (1980)

   The 1980 Rankin/Bass animated TV sequel completing the story with memorable musical numbers including 'Where There's a Whip, There's a Way.'
   179pts
10. 10
    Khraniteli (1991)

    A low-budget 1991 Soviet TV adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, thought lost for decades until Leningrad Television's archive uploaded it to YouTube in 2021.
    179pts
11. 11
    The Desolation of Smaug

    The 2013 Hobbit sequel featuring Benedict Cumberbatch's terrifying voice work as the dragon Smaug and the Mirkwood adventure.
    179pts

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