What a film!

Rating: 10/10 (14 February 2002)

What a film!
No doubt about it. If you've read the books you are at an advantage (unless you consider them some sort of holy relic and can't get past that to actually enjoy the film for itself). I think knowing the characters and story pretty intimately allows you to effectively "fill in the blanks" where the films let you down in terms of taking the time to flesh out characters and relationships or where it jumps from one set piece to the next.
Having said that I went with someone sho has never read a fantasy book let alone LOTR and she loved it. Go figure.
I thought it was as good as anything I've seen in a long time, but it is virtually impossible for those who loved the books to review the film as a stand alone piece.
****MINOR SPOILERS****
Viggo M was perfect. Ian M was pretty damn good too but Sean Bean was my pick. It's a good story that can make you cry over a character that failed the test and betrayed the fellowship.
I think it mostly hit the mark in terms of what to edit from Tolkien's work. Let's face it, Bombadil was a side trip. Glorifindel was irrelevant. Thank God they cut the songs.
The only aspect that annoyed me was the over-the-top portrayal of Galadriel, leaving her a much less sympathetic character. She is not the wicked witch of the west! But it's a minor point. As a whole I sat transfixed for three hours and then snuck back again a few days later. After a month I'm still getting shivers thinking of it (YOU SHALL NOT PASS - great in the book, just as good on film).
The cinematography, special effects, etc was all superb. The fight scenes were very jumpy so the detail were hard to capture ... but that sounds to me like what it must be like in a battle.
I suppose a comment re greatest of all time is in order since it has polarised opinion so much ... Who cares? Noone will ever convince anyone else to have the same opinion as themselves so give it up. How can you compare a fantasy three film epic to a prison drama (Shawshank Redemption) or a mafia film (Godfather) or anything else?
9 for me and can't wait for The Two Towers.