Tolkien Would Be Proud

Rating: Null/10 (26 December 2001)

Having read THE LORD OF THE RINGS numerous times, I was excited to hear that the books were finally coming to the big screen. Like other fans, I was experiencing a little anxiety over being disappointed in the film. As I sat down in the theatre and noticed that hardly anyone was there, I started to have some serious doubts about this movie. Thankfully, my concerns were unwarranted.
The first thing that struck me about the movie was that the character development was excellent, something which is often lacking in action movies. Frodo, played beautifully by the ageless Elijah Wood, will steal your heart the second he appears on screen. You'll love Sam for his total devotion to Frodo. And who could not adore Double Trouble, more commonly known as Merry and Pippin?
Beyond the hobbits, fans of the book will marvel at how well they cast the other characters. The second I saw Legolas I thought "Holy cow, that's exactly how I always pictured him!" And when I saw Strider, I just sat and wondered how they possibly found someone to fit the part so well.

And never once did I think the effects looked "computerized", or that the stature of the smaller hobbits and dwarves looked strange next to the full-sized men and elves. It all looked totally real, totally believable. I often found myself thinking, "I can't believe that's computer generated."
I have only one tiny, tiny gripe about this film: it moves too fast. This will matter more to fans of the book than to people who are just seeing the movie. However, since they had so much to cover in just three hours, I can excuse that.
Overall I believe that Tolkien would be proud to see his masterpiece delivered so beautifully on the big screen. Go see it for, if nothing else, the stunning visual effects and the hobbits. 10/10