History YMMV / TheReturnOfTheKing

** The Witch-King's voice. Imagine watching this scene without any prior knowledge about how [[Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse Skeletor]] sounds. [[VoiceOfTheLegion A harsh, mechanical grate grinding out in conjunction with a manic, high-pitched squeaky voice]]. The overall effect somewhere between Darth Vader and Judge Doom. Then again, if the viewer ''is'' familiar with Skeletor, the scene can become downright hilarious.

** The Eye of Sauron, unlike the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings film version that portrays it as an unambiguously fiery reptilian slit eye]], it's very subtle. It's portrayed [[LightIsNotGood a reddish-orange sun like object with subtle outward expanding ripples covered in an aura of flames]], which on closer inspection resembles a [[WingdingEyes rippling]], [[UncannyValley hyper-realistic eye]] [[EldritchAbomination of something incomprehensible entity]].

** It's also hard to take the Witch-King seriously when he sounds like a mix of [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers Starscream]] and Mr. Slate from ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWjt6LGhHsI Watch here.]] It's even worse if you saw ''The Hobbit'' since John Stephenson is doing the same voice he had as Dori. You half expect him to go "Bilbo!"

* CompleteMonster: [[TheHeavy The Lord of the Nazgul]], Sauron's right-hand, is a supernatural phantom leading Sauron's armies on the field to overrun Middle-earth. Overseeing the attempted slaughter of countless innocents, the Nazgul Lord personally leads the charge to Minas Tirith and the collapse of the gates to have everyone within killed, before personally confronting Gandalf and [[TheKingslayer causing the death of King Theoden]].

* {{Narm}}: The entire film, even more so than the original Hobbit. Especially the random songs.

* {{Anvilicious}}: In case you miss the deeper meaning in any particular part of the movie, there's usually a song to explain it to you. Or two. Or three. See the page quote for a good example. On the other hand, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped some would say they're hardly bad advice]].

*** Sauron himself in this adaptation compared to the [[WesternAnimation/TheLordOfTheRings Ralph Bakshi]] and especially [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Peter Jackson films]], is given no information of his background or form. It just states he's the BigBad, which makes his UltimateEvil aspect all the more terrifying [[NothingIsScarier due to the lack of information about him in this adaptation]].

* JerkassWoobie: The orcs in the "Where there's a whip there's a way" song, who are villains but are repeatedly whipped by the lord of the lash and forced to march into war een though they don't want to.

* DesignatedHero: Aragorn, again due to the [[CompressedAdaptation compression.]] Apparently he was just off doing his own thing with nothing to do with the rest of the heroes until he arrives with his army at the Siege of Gondor. But here the Orcs are already in full retreat after the Witch-king's death, making it less like TheCavalry and more like mopping-up. Even afterwards, there's nothing to indicate he was ever part of a Fellowship with them. He's rude to Gandalf, sneering at him while taunting him over his reluctance to march on Mordor, a move motivated not to buy time for Frodo but because he thinks they have Sauron on the run. He's also needlessly rude to the Mouth of Sauron, who doesn't taunt them about Frodo's supposed capture and actually acts like a proper herald. And despite barely doing anything to help, almost getting his army killed and being a rude prick, he's still celebrated as the savior at the end without ever acknowledging or even noticing Frodo and the hobbits. Very different from the more heroic Peter Jackson version, let alone the one from the books, to be sure.

* {{Narm}}: The entire film, even more so than the original Hobbit. Especially the songs. It's also hard to take the Witch-King seriously when he sounds like a mix of [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers Starscream]] and Mr. Slate from ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWjt6LGhHsI Watch here.]]

* CultClassic: In spite of being not nearly as popular as its [[WesternAnimation/TheHobbit predecessor]] or the more [[Film/TheReturnOfTheKing successive adaptation that would come years later]]; this film has some film due to the NarmCharm and its slightly more DarkerAndEdgier tone.

* CharacterRerailment: After the Ralph Bakshi movie wrote him as a dimwitted, whiny coward, Samwise in this movie is closer to his more badass and heroic characterization from the books.

** The friendly orcs during the dream sequence. Silly? Yes, but very endearing. The silliness is mostly justified, as it's Samwise's fantasy of the two sides being at peace.

* CultClassic: In spite of being not nearly as popular as its [[[WesternAnimation/TheHobbit predecessor]] or the more [[Film/TheReturnOfTheKing successive adaptation that would come years later]]; this film has some film due to the NarmCharm and its slightly more DarkerAndEdgier tone.

%%* CultClassic: Almost in spite of itself. %%(not enough context)%%

** The Eye of Sauron, unlike the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings film version that portrays it as an unambiguously fiery reptilian slit eye]], it's very subtle. It's portrayed [[LightIsNotGood a reddish-orange sun like object with subtle outward expanding ripples covered in an aura of flames]], which on closer inspection resembles a [[WingDingEye rippling]], [[UncannyValley hyper-realistic eye]] [[EldritchAbomination of something incomprehensible]].

* {{Anvilicious}}: In case you miss the deeper meaning in any particular part of the movie, there's usually a song to explain it to you. Or two. Or three. See the page quote for a good example.
** SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: On the other hand, some would say they're hardly bad advice.

* CultClassic: Almost in spite of itself.

--> '''Aragorn''': ''[[Film/TheDarkKnight Why so glum, wizard]]?''
-->And the very un-Tolkienesque line:
--> '''Pippin''' (about Denethor): ''He's gone loony I tell you!'':

* HoYay: Some. But with Frodo and Samwise, can you expect anything less?
** Samwise somehow manages to have this with the One Ring, of all things. "YOU! Ooo, I can feel you [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything throbbing with anticipation!]]"
* {{Narm}}:
** The entire film, even more so than the original Hobbit. Especially the songs. It's also hard to take the Witch-King seriously when he sounds like a mix of [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers Starscream]] and Mr. Slate from ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWjt6LGhHsI Watch here.]]

* {{Sequelitis}}: Generally considered to be not as good as ''WesternAnimation/TheHobbit'', which was a decent AdaptationDistillation of a much shorter book while this comes more off as a CompressedAdaptation of one of three longer books, the first two not even completely covered by the earlier Bakshi film. Also the original folk-y songs fit ''The Hobbit'' better since it was a children's book to begin with, while this was based on a more complex and epic work.

* EarWorm: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdXQJS3Yv0Y Where There's A Whip There's a Way]]''. "I can't! I can't continue!" I'd rather be singin' a ''[[LampshadeHanging good old hobbit song]]'' myself...

** The entire film, even more so than the original Hobbit. Especially the songs. It's also hard to take the Witch-King seriously when he sounds like Mr. Slate from ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones''.
*** Mr. Slate included, he sounds like ''[[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers Starscream!]]'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWjt6LGhHsI Watch here.]]
*** He definitely sounds like Mr. Slate when denying Pippin from entering the now mad Denethor's chambers.
---> '''Gondorian Guard''': ''His word is law!''

* CharacterRerailment: After the Rankin and Bass movie wrote him as a dimwitted, whiny coward, Samwise in this movie is closer to his BadassButler characterization from the books.

** The ram, Grond, looks like a wolf instead of a mechanical dragon, and actually seems to be alive as seen with its red saliva.

** The friendly orcs during the dream sequence. Silly? Yes, but very endearing.