10 Worst Changes Peter Jackson Made To The Lord Of The Rings
6. The Army Of The Dead Shouldn't Have Been At Minas Tirith
Although the Army of the Dead were portrayed brilliantly in the films, they were given a far larger role, ultimately making the Battle of the Pelennor feel somewhat anti-climactic. As soon as they arrived they pretty much whipped the floor with the forces of Mordor, leaving Aragorn's victory feeling a little too easy.
In the book Aragorn uses the Army of the Dead to defeat Sauron's forces who are attacking the southern realms of Gondor. This allows Aragorn to raise an army made of Gondor's allies, in order to lift the siege of Minas Tirith.
It would have made the Battle of the Pelennor far more dramatic. By the time Aragorn arrives, King Théoden has already been slain, and Éomer has rallied his remaining forces to fight a desperate last stand. Aragorn's army reaches the Rohrirrim just before they're overwhelmed and together they defeat Mordor's army after a long and drawn out fight.
It's this victory that establishes Aragorn as the King of Gondor in the eyes of its people. In the movie Aragorn just turns up and assumes the role without any questions. It felt like Jackson just washed over this plot point, as easily as the Army of the Dead washed over the orcs.