Now I am Convinced Its A Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (21 April 2004)

My Rating: **** out of ****.
The first time I saw this film in the theater, I really did not see what the big deal was. I mean I liked it but I was a bit bored while watching. The second time I saw it, I liked it much better but I still did not find it to be the masterpiece everyone said it was. Well, the third times the charm. The movie shined like it never had on the previous viewings. Its a masterful piece of filmmaking.
I will be honest, I have not read the Lord of the Rings books. Also, Fantasy has rarely interested me. I mean I read the Harry Potter books but by the end of the third book, I was tired of them. I may read the Lord of the Rings books sometime in the future but it won't be something I will be terribly excited by. If I read the books, it will be because the movies have improved so much on repeated viewings (except for Return of the King which I was only able to see once).
The Fellowship was extremely successful when it came out. 13 Oscar Nominations (won 4 of them), Grossing 860 Million Dollars Worldwide, and I don't know how much its made on DVD. Thats pretty damn good and the amazing thing is that its the first part of a hugely successful trilogy.
Its hard to say what works best here. Everything is blended to perfection(or close to it). Peter Jackson's direction is stellar. He paces the film perfectly by never rushing anything. When it wants to exhilirate us, it does. When it needs to take its time, it does. The action sequences are also masterfully executed. Jackson said his dream was to do Lord of the Rings for the screen. Well, it shows in every frame. Although Jackson is not the best director around, it would have been a huge mistake for any other director to do Lord of the Rings. His achievement here is masterful to say the least.

Technically, Lord of the Rings is flawless. Sets, Costumes, and Make Up(which won the Oscar) are perfect. The Oscar Winning Cinematography is stunning (I need to go to New Zealand soon). The Visual Effects are some of the most impressive of the 21st Century and were damn well worth the Oscar. The Sound and Score(which also won an Oscar) are also top notch.

The cast was well chosen. Elijah Wood is effective as Frodo. As is Sean Astin as Sam. Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd do nice jobs as Merry and Pippin. Most of the actors do effective jobs but there are three standouts. Ian Mckellan turns in an excellent performance as Gandalf. Ian Holm(who has always been a top-notch actor) is completely credible as Bilbo. Finally, Christopher Lee makes a perfect villain as Sauruman.
The Fellowship of the Ring is an amazing accomplishment for everyone involved. Jackson has crafted a masterpiece that is already being considered a modern classic. Jackson has every right to be proud of this film.