My Childhood Obsession!

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2019)

I was exposed to a lot of classic well made films growing up. Movies that sparked my imagination, love of storytelling, The Hero's journey, of Action/Adventure, and sweeping Epics but very few of those movies have inspired me Like The Lord of the Rings. This movie is a Sheer Wonder!!! Everything that you've heard, all of the praise that goes to this movie is deserved and then some. This first movie in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is Expertly told, built with Awe inspiring craftmanship and a profound sense of artistry oozing for every single minute of it's Three hour Long Screen time. It's one of the Greatest movies ever made. And one that I will Cherish for as long as I live.
The Fellowship of the Ring tells The story of the Evil Dark Lord Sauron and his desire to conquer Middle Earth(Which is the world that the story takes place in). Elves, Dwarves, and Men were given rings of power that granted them the capacity to govern each race but Sauron forged The Ultimate weapon, One Ring to rule them all. He reigned and subjugated the free peoples of Middle Earth hundreds of years ago but was defeated in battle by Isildur and The Ring was ripped from his possession. It was believed that Sauron was dead but with the Ring entact a part of his essence remained. The Ring remained hidden and forgotten of for many years until at last it found it's way into the hands of a Hobbit.
We first meet Frodo Baggins at his home in the Shire. His uncle Bilbo is celebreating is 111th birthday and leaves A magical Ring in his possession. Frodo soon learns from the Wizard and long time friend Gandalf that this Ring is in fact the one Ring forged in the fires of Mount Doom by the hand of Sauron himself. The Ring can only be destroyed in the accursed place that it was created and it will be up to a Team of nine, The Fellowship of the Ring, to Journey through the perilous world toward Mordor, the heart of all Evil, to destroy it's greatest Instrument. If that doesn't make for a Great hook frankly I don't know what does.
It's hard to talk about this movie and what works about it without explaining in detail but I will do my best to remain brief. Everything about the visuals is a joy to behold. From the land of Hobbiton to The Council of Elrond at Rivendell to the jaw dropping splendor of Lothlorien. Everything just looks stunning! But without Heart all of these effects would be meaningless. It's the actors that give this incredible world a voice and a vehicle with which to drive the story home. Elijah Wood as Frodo is a primary protagonist throughout the majority of The Lord of the Rings and his performance is Earnest and at times even heartbreaking. You can tell that there is something special about this Hobbit from the moment you meet him and it's confirmed when he volunteers amongst all others to be the Ring Bearer and carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. There is a sense of awareness and intelligence that he has that sets him apart from most Hobbits. Ian McKellen as Gandalf is Sublime. Mix the beard with the performance and it's easy to forget that this is the same man that plays the Mean spirited villain Magneto in X men. He brings not only Heart and Soul to the role but a sense of Wisdom that I don't believe for a second is an act but might actually be a reflection of who this man really is. Viggo Mortensen plays Aragorn, Isildur's heir and the chief Action Hero of the story along with The Elf Legolas and The Dwarf Gimli. Their perfomances are top notch and incredibly convincing as well. One of my favorite characters is Sean Bean as Boromir. He is a character that is short lived(Literally) But provides a arch that echoes throughout the entire trilogy. It's easy to misjudge Boromir at first. He is a very flawed character with a lot of baggage and history with Gondor, One of the two last Kingdom's of men. But it's through the characters struggle and redemption that the audience realizes that he has perhaps the biggest heart among the fellowship, second only to Sean Astin as Sam who in the early part of the story appears to be Frodo's side kick. But it's later on we realize he is meant for so much more and his unwavering determination and loyalty to his friend is essential to the story. I absolutely love this character and much of Sean Astin's performance demonstrates that Peter Jackson was meticulous in his casting decisions. Other Great performances include, The easy on the eyes Liv Tyler as the Elf Princess Arwen, the magnificent Cate Blanchett as the Elf Queen Galandriel, Elrond, father of Arwen, ruler of Rivendell played by the stern Hugo Weaving, and The magnetic Christopher Lee as Saruman, a Wizard that betrays Gandalf and creates his own evil fortress in Isengard to aid the forces of Mordor.
Overall this movie is classic and will remain unmatched by anything in it's genre. Every scene is dripping with finesse, every line an iconic piece of writing and every musical theme comparable to the likes of Mozart and Beethoven. Some many unforgettable moments and sequences. My favorite probably being the Mines of Moria, A sequences that involves the entire fellowship and their journey underground. So many Great effects and the stakes seem to be insurmountable particularly against the Balrog of morgoth, a demon that leaves the fellowship jumping across unstable pillars while being pursed by flying arrows, and which leads to the alleged demise of Gandalf. The Fellowship is in shambles at this point and it's certain that it will be broken. Frodo must go his own way and the way in which Galandriel reveals this to him is great and a one of the pivotal moments of the trilogy.
In short this movie is timeless. A classic work of literature by JRR Tolkien turned into a magnificent treasure of filmmaking by Peter Jackson. If your a fan of Tolkien you will enjoy watching your favorite characters and set pieces come to life and if not you will appreciate experiencing it all for the first time. The Fellowship of the Ring is a masterpiece of the highest caliber.