A Redwood Tree of a movie: Majestic outside, Hollow inside

Rating: Null/10 (4 January 2002)

Oh, how I wanted to love this film! But alas, I left feeling like I do once I've eaten Chinese food: satisfied for the moment, but the feeling doesn't last long.
The art direction cinematography are beautiful, and the soft-lighting creates a beautiful dream-like mood (though it sometimes seems over the top like a shampoo commercial starring a past-her-prime actress). The close-ups of the gorgeous actors with the camera caressing their lovely Aryan features and impossibly blue eyes leave one mesmerized (btw, one wonders why they didn't use any actors of color for any of the roles?)
However, the character development is abysmal, probably because there are too many of them to deal with. I didn't connect at all with the Hobbits (I found their cutesieness quite annoying), Frodo seemed too cold and distant, Gandalf was not endearing enough, the humans were boring, the Elves were too snotty in that Swedish hairstylist sort of way, and the Dwarves were just vulgar and hot-headed. Sauron is the only interesting character, but he doesn't get much airtime (and what's with his fire incarnation looking like a vulva? - not that there's anything wrong with that).
All in all, a so-so film. Meretricious is the best adjective for it.