I never thought I would see this actually happen

Rating: 10/10 (25 March 2002)

There have been countless fantasy movies over the years and they have generally fallen into one of two categories; those for children and low budget monstrosities. Never did I think I would see one that broke so cleanly and completely from the mold.
Others have come close, to be sure, but fantasy has always been the red-headed stepchild of Hollywood. Lord of the Rings changes all that, hopefully raising the bar for fantasy movies to come hereafter.
This movie was brilliant. The visuals were stunning. The soundtrack superb. The acting was dead-on. I found myself glued to my seat and taken on a ride through another world. It was almost a disappointment that it had to end.
Everything from the tiniest details of set design, to the magnificent effects that were suprisingly not the centerpiece of the film, was calculated and refined and wonderfully done. I have not seen a better movie, especially in the realm of fantasy. This is definitely one for the ages.