Close to perfect

Rating: 10/10 (13 February 2002)

I am a fan of Tolkien and have been eagerly awaiting someone to make a serious attempt at LOTR. The horible animated thing from the seventies - was, well, horrible. This movie succeeds fantasticaly well. The look and feel are just right - the technical aspects of the production - costumes artwork and photography - all done in such a way as to immerse you in a vision that respects the feel and spirit of the books. The casting is generally excellent - Elijah Wood is the perfect Frodo, Ian Mckellan an impressive and strong Gandalf. The screenplay keeps the essence of the story very well while shortening it to reasonable movie length (I am a fan - but I find the books have overly long bits that leave me wanting the story to progress a bit faster!) The other minor plot changes - such as having Arwen rescue Frodo are all enhancements that strengthen the story and help keep it "tight". The Mines of Moria were always a favourite scene from the book and when I saw it on the screen it was just as it had seemed in my head - something no other movie adaption of a book has ever achieved to to the same degree, for me. I am hard pressed to find anything but the most trivial criticism of what is a fantastic achievement.This movie is so close to perfect it would seem petty to point out its trivial faults.