Quinn took the time to write this review of the Extras on the newly released FOTR theatrical DVD.

“I got my preview copy this afternoon and I’m afraid I have to agree with VenusXL. The film itself looks amazing and sounds better but the ‘extras’are terrible. No commentary is just unforgivable. The features are just recycled bits that we’ve all seen a zillion times and which were just different versions of each other anyway. The web snippets are better but most real fans will have seen them already. Only the TT preview is worth the price of admission and it is great.

The casual fan who doesn’t know that this is just a tease for the November version (as is now abundantly clear) is probably going to be wondering why this monster film that they spent untold millions of dollars to make ended up with such a lightweight DVD version. Then again though, maybe they will have not seen those ET TV special things already. They’ll definitely be hunting all over the place for the commentary though. I sure was. I somehow missed that there would not be a commentary on this one and tried every menu I could find looking for it.”

Quinn

Alexis also sent in this review:
This is what the new TV Guide Aug 3-9 2002 had to say about the Lord of the Rings DVD in their Now Showing on Video and DVD column:

The Lord of the Rings
(VHS and DVD, available August 6)

The first installment of Peter Jackson’s visually stunning adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy trilogy is a magical spectacle that makes the realm of Middle-earth seem utterly fantastic yet completely real. The elaborate DVD is truly one to rule them all, loaded with documentaries and a preview of the December 2002 “Rings” movie.