An objective look at a masterpiece...

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2002)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Critique: 9 out of 10
Hollywood does the same thing every year. In the attempt to make money, films are released whether they have good artistic merit or not. The film genre's usually vary, as well as the time slot they are released. Gross, sick comedies are released fairly often, with the filmmakers throwing as many lewd jokes in as possible to shock the viewer. Romantic comedies are usually spaced fairly far apart, as so the viewer doesn't realize they saw the same exact storyline a few months ago. Action films come out occasionally, and yet when they do it's either hit or miss. Sadly these days, they seem to be more misses than hits. Adventure flicks, such as the 'Indiana Jones' classics, come out rarely, and when they do, they are embarrassing cheap rip-offs. However, the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring has certainly proved otherwise.
The plot although somewhat original, is a good solid one. In a land called Middle Earth, a number of rings were created and given to several beings, with the dark lord Sauron forging one to control the land and all life. When Sauron was defeated, the ring fell from him and was passed down for centuries to other beings. The latest being, a hobbit known as Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo's close friend Gandalf, a powerful, yet wise wizard persuades Bilbo to hand the ring down to his nephew Frodo who knows very little about the ring. Bilbo reluctantly gives it to Frodo, only then does Frodo find out that the ring is full of evil and that Sauron has risen and is searching for the ring. Gandalf persuades Frodo to leave his home, and accompanied by some friends, Frodo leaves. Soon Frodo finds out that the only way the ring can be destroyed, is to cast it in the fires of Mount Doom where it was made. The only problem with that is, that's exactly where Sauron dwells.
After almost 50 years, J.R.R Tolkien's beloved classic finally makes it to the big screen, and to say it bluntly, I was not disappointed. The movie is a perfect example how to make an excellent film. The direction is something fabulous I haven't seen in quite a while. Peter Jackson just might earn himself an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Jackson does an excellent job of bringing the beauty of Middle-Earth to the screen. The task was no easy one, filming three movies at the same time had never done before in cinema history. Yet, the film never feels confusing, and it plays out perfectly on the screen. The storyline is never hard to follow, and Tolkien's story is followed closely. While some scenes were omitted and others were added, the film never strays too far from the book. While some 'die-hard' Tolkien fans might have a problem with that, the changes were really made to make the film more understandable. The transition from book to movie is quite a difficult one, yet Jackson and his team were devoted to staying close to the storyline, and they did nothing short of a great job.
The film is a marvel on the screen and definitely a wonder to behold. The scenery is beautiful, and the sets look very believable. The choice for filming location New Zealand was obviously an excellent one. The cinematography is something that makes the story so believable. If the film had been shot in any other location, the film's storyline wouldn't seem so real. Yet, when we see the camera sweeping around the beautiful scenery, we know it's New Zealand, but we are tricked into thinking Middle-Earth actually did exist. Besides feasting your eyes on the gorgeous landscapes, the special effects, are definitely something to behold. The folks behind all the eye candy, really outdid themselves. A CGI effect team created a project called WETA, a state of the art program to bring the monsters and villains in the movie to life. WETA did such an amazing job, one wonders if the hideous monsters displayed on the screen really did exist.
As with any film, in order to make the story believable the performances have to be strong. The chemistry the actors perform is excellent, with Sir Ian McKellen ("X-Men", "David Copperfield") doing an excellent job as the quick tempered, yet wise wizard Gandalf. Eljiah Wood ("Forever Young", "Oliver Twist"), does a perfect job as the young precocious wide-eyed hobbit Frodo, suddenly thrown into a sea of danger. Viggo Mortenson ("Witness," "28 Days") plays the perfect Aragorn, perfecting the rugged hero's character. Supporting performances are excellent as well, with Sean Astin ("Rudy", "Courage Under Fire"), Billy Boyd ("Soldier's Leap", "Urban Ghost Story"), Dominic Monaghan (British TV Series "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates") and the rest performing marvelously.
Not to say the film doesn't have it's share of problems, it does have them, yet they are quite few. One thing I objected to was that the film seemed a little too dark for my taste. While the books were just as dark, it really depended on how far your imagination went. Some will complain that the film abruptly ends, while that's not a major flaw to anyone who has read the books, other's will find themselves scratching their heads out of curiosity wondering what in the world just happened.
Though the film has a few problems, the film's many fascinating scenes obviously outweigh the darker ones. The film works so well, the filmmakers should be definitely be noticed during award time. Yes, it's that good, and is easily one of the best films of the year. As such The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings rates as a 9 out of 10.