Accolades

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2002)

The printed word seems to be dying. I know very few people besides me, who like to read books. But I believe it is movies like this that keep the printed word alive. After this movie came out, everywhere I looked I saw someone reading the novel it's based on.
I think Fellowship of the Ring was done with excellence. It's true that it doesn't hold complete loyalty to the novel. That cannot be done anyway. A movie maker cannot replace the imagination of the individual. This movie does, however, remain completely true to the essence of the story Tolkien wrote so masterfully. It ensnares, both book and movie, the idiosyncrasies of today's society - corruption, loyalty and love, true friendship, greed and powerlust.
I think this movie was wonderful - the battles were exciting; the grief displayed after they exit the mines of Moria were truly heartwrenching. There could not have been better casting choices than those that were chosen. The special effects were fabulous - I've been waiting for this movie for 20 years, for technology to advance far enough to make it real.
Judging by the first movie, I'm sure that what Tolkien's books were trying to say will be captured, and be understandable, by the release of the last one (The Return of the King).