J. R. R. Tolkien first published The Hobbit in 1937, and followed that with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 1954. Ever since then, the world he spun has been entrancing fantasy lovers across generations with its epic tales of heroism, corruption, and enduring friendship. 

The books took on new life with Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy, which premiered in 2001 and revolutionized cinema with its extraordinary cinematography, special effects, and storytelling. 

Jackson followed up those movies with a trilogy based on the book The Hobbit, which was not nearly as highly praised but still invited fans back into Tolkien’s rich world of hobbits, elves, dragons, and wonder. Over the years, there have been a few other cinematic takes on the stories as well. So how do they all stack up on Rotten Tomatoes?

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) // 95%
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) // 94%
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) // 91%
4. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) // 74%
5. The Hobbit (1977) // 72%
6. The Return of the King (1980) // 67%
7. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) // 64%
8. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) // 59%
9. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) // 50%
10. The Lord of the Rings (1978) // 48%

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) // 95%

Coming in at the top of the list is the second movie in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers. Based on the book of the same name, it follows Frodo and Sam as they realize they are being stalked by Gollum on their way to dispose of the central ring in Mordor. Simultaneously, the rest of the Fellowship must face various dangers as the fight against Sauron continues. Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes praised the movie’s extraordinary action sequences as well as its emotional depth and impact, which all make this into an unforgettable adventure that hits all the right emotional notes.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) // 94%

After The Two Towers on Rotten Tomatoes is the final installment in the trilogy, The Return of the King. Naturally, this movie provides an epic and unforgettable conclusion to the story, following Frodo as he finally confronts his destiny and determines the fate of the world, with a little help from his Fellowship friends. Reviewers called it a “perfect finale,” praising its “cathartic” storyline and sheer power and scope.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) // 91%

The Fellowship of the Ring is third in Rotten Tomatoes’ ranking of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but its score on the Tomatometer still soars above 90%. The film introduces viewers to Frodo Baggins, a hobbit living in Middle-earth who is unexpectedly tasked with destroying a very powerful ring. It was also many viewers’ first introduction to the onscreen versions of Gandalf, Legolas, Sam, and the rest of the main Lord of the Rings characters. Though one reviewer called it the “weakest of the trilogy,” it generally also received high praise, with another calling it a “perfect film.”

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) // 74%

The second film of the Hobbit trilogy is fourth on Rotten Tomatoes, but ranks significantly less highly than any of the films in the original trilogy, with a 74%. The three Hobbit films received some criticism for bloating and stretching the single Hobbit book into three movies and thus naturally changing the book a fair amount, but this film was still the best-loved of the three.

It follows Bilbo Baggins, Frodo’s distant cousin, as he makes his way through Mirkwood towards the Lonely Mountain, where the dragon Smaug awaits. Reviewers praised its character development, but some sharply critiqued the film’s use of CGI—an issue that saw the Hobbit films lose favor with many fans.

The Hobbit (1977) // 72%

Long before Peter Jackson’s trilogy hit screens and elevated the story to new heights, The Hobbit was adapted into an animated film that premiered in the ‘70s. The film adds song to the story and terrified some children with its battle sequences, but remains a whimsical and nostalgic favorite for many. Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes praised its entertaining storytelling, with many noting that it gave them a love for fantasy and adventure stories that they have carried ever since.

The Return of the King (1980) // 67%

Rankin/Bass, the same studio that made the aforementioned animated Hobbit, jumped to the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy for their next animated Tolkien adaptation. The movie begins with a brief summary of the first two books in the trilogy before diving into its epic conclusion. Reviewers overall seemed to find this movie less entertaining than the studio’s animated Hobbit, with many critiquing its dialogue and quality. Still, others have nostalgic memories of this lesser-known film adaptation of Tolkien’s classic story.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) // 64%

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey falls below the decades-old animated Hobbit and The Return of the King on Rotten Tomatoes, which should tell you something about how it was generally received. There was extensive buildup to this movie following the success of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, but many reviewers found this film to be a disappointment. Many called it too long and criticized its story, its haphazard action sequences, and other elements. Still, others praised Martin Freeman’s performance as Bilbo and overall enjoyed the fanciful journey. 

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) // 59%

The conclusion of Jackson’s Hobbit movies performed even more poorly than the first two on Rotten Tomatoes. This action-packed film concludes The Hobbit, but it also adds many new elements to the story and expands a five-page chapter into an entire movie, along with elements from Tolkien’s appendices and other writings. Some reviewers loved the action sequences and characters, but others found it “exhausting” and “unsatisfying.”

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) // 50%

The War of the Rohirrim is a somewhat obscure anime prequel set 183 years before the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. Drawing inspiration from a brief section of the appendices at the end of The Lord of the Rings, it follows Helm Hammerhand, the king of Rohan, and his daughter Hera as they face off against a vicious nemesis. Reviewers were largely critical of the characters here, with some calling it “cliche” and “gimmicky,” though others enjoyed it as an addition to the Middle-earth universe. 

The Lord of the Rings (1978) // 48%

The world wasn’t ready for The Lord of the Rings in 1978, it seems. That was the year that Ralph Bakshi’s animated rotoscope take on The Fellowship of the Rings and The Two Towers first emerged, but didn’t manage to satisfy fans. Many criticized the haphazard rotoscoping and the film’s lack of proper characterization, among other issues.

Those looking for a truly great adaptation of The Lord of the Rings had to wait over two more decades before one emerged, but as Gandalf wisely says in The Two Towers, “Have patience. Go where you must go, and hope!”