One of the finest movies of the 21st Century

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2001)

The first chapter of the Lord of the Rings trilogy based on J.R.R Tolkien's classic novels is definitely one of those grand epics that enthralls, captivates, and even touches the hearts of the audiences around the world and Peter Jackson has done a magnificent job on bringing the Fellowship of the Ring (FOTR) back to life.
I actually had gotten the chance to attend the premiere of the movie in Malaysia yesterday, thinking that it would perform like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Unlike anything I'd thought, FOTR's storyline is more charming, darker and sometimes even more mind-blowing than Harry Potter is. Unlike the recent summer hit movies, FOTR is one of the intelligent big-budget movies that really make you think and reconsider inside your mind.
The One Ring, forged by the evil Dark Lord Sauron, is a tiny, precious yet dangerous item that can unleash terrible powers under the one who bears it. The wearer of the Ring will become corrupted and ultimately face fateful consequences. One of its victims is Isildur who defeated Sauron and took the ring to possess incredible powers, only to die in the hands of his enemy. Turn by turn will the ring be possessed by the new owners, finally obtained by an unlikely protagonist, Frodo Baggins (brilliantly played by Elijah Wood) from his Uncle Bilbo. Sensing the awful upcoming of the dark forces upon Middle-Earth, Gandalf the Grey tells everything about the ring to Frodo, suggesting that it can only be destroyed by throwing it into the volcanic Mount of Doom, but their journey won't be as simple as they've thought. Accompanying with our two heroes are Frodo's cheerful friends, Merry, Pippin and Sam as well as physical warriors from different tribes; Legolas the elf, Gimli the dwarf, Aragorn the Strider and Boromir, a Man who wishes to use the ring personally to revive his long-dead kingdom.
From the enchanting prologue and nail-biting battle scenes to an emotional ending that will lead to the events of The Two Towers, Fellowship of the Ring has all the right ingredients. Every single detail of the plot is highlighted and brilliantly executed. The fictional characters too are wonderfully portrayed by well-cast actors, both truly convincing and at the same time memorable. One of my favorite characters is Gandalf the Grey (played by Sir Ian McKellen) a friend of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins who is also one of the powerful wizards led by his leader, the evil Saruman the White. Medieval sweeping scores contributes to enhance the already legendary story, turning FOTR into a movie of many expressions'.
Once again, the Fellowship of the Ring is wonderfully adapted from the original novel, thanks to Peter Jackson's brilliant direction. Despite slight alterations and some missing characters (like the ever cheerful Tom Bombadil), that won't even hinder FOTR from becoming one of the finest masterpieces of the 21st Century!