Great film, exceeds all expectations.

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2001)

I read The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings about 11 years ago. I enjoyed the books very much. I have always been skeptical when movies get made from books as most tend to lose important aspects of the story. Some movies made from books are very descent, but I have never seen one that was as close the story as this film. The visuals were stunning, the music was very engaging and the acting, Superb. Even the actors who only had 15 minutes of screen time brought the characters to life perfectly. It is rare that you see a film with a large cast of characters and are not able to find one or more lacking. In this film, every actor seemed perfectly fitted for their role. I had to remind myself halfway through that Sean Astin was not a midget in real life. The score was one of the best I've ever heard. The music built suspense with the acting, without ever taking over. From right after the Narrative in the opening scene to the last shot, I was engrossed in the film. When it was over, I did not realize I had been sitting there for 3 hours. I would have been willing to sit for another 3 hours for a chance to part two now!
I wonder what fantasy book will be brought to film next? Maybe "The Sword of Shannara"? This series by Terry Brooks brings to life more characters than LOTR. In this series, you have the big 4 (Dwarves, Elves, Man & Druids(Wizards)), plus Gnomes and Trolls. For all who have enjoyed LOTR and/or the film, I would recommend picking up the Shannara series by Terry Brooks... This series is now up to 13 books, written over the past twenty years.
I plan to see The Fellowship of the Rings in theater at least a few more times.... It was well worth the admission price!