An Incredible Achievement

Rating: 9/10 (6 April 2007)

I have been a fan of Tolkien's masterpiece for several years now, having read them before any word of the movies reached my ears. When I watched The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, I was absolutely blown away.
It is true that Tolkien's massive text is no easy task to film, but Peter Jackson and his remarkable team manage to do so with amazing faithfulness to Tolkien. There were, of course, changes, some of which troubled me more than others. I would have loved to have seen Glorfindel; I would have loved for Aragorn to carry Anduril throughout the whole story; I would have loved to have watched a word-by-word adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, but I realize I would be one of the few who would find this enjoyable. Jackson stays true to the vision and captures so vividly the diverse world of Middle-earth, bringing to life the places, the colors, the sounds, and the people of Tolkien's extraordinary world.
The special effects of all three films have set the standard for future filmmakers (rivalled only by Jackson's own King Kong and the second Pirates of the Caribbean). The script is very well-written, and how could it not be, with Tolkien's masterfully poetic prose from which to draw? I still smile when I see images and hear lines I remember so clearly from the books presented on screen. The casting of this film is simply wonderful. I do think that, at times, Merry and Pippin tend to be a bit more comic than they are in the books, but Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd play the parts well. Elijah Wood, though a bit young, provides innocence and curiosity, something Frodo possessed in the books. Sean Astin is the complete embodiment of Sam Gamgee. He is remarkable. Ian McKellen IS Gandalf. That angelic wizard is completely taken from the page and made thoroughly realistic. I cannot imagine someone else playing Gandalf than Sir McKellen. I could go on and on, but I will end by mentioning Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. He is rugged and rough, but also sympathetic and compassionate. He is human, noble and courageous, but filled with doubt and fear. He is real, and Mortensen becomes the Ranger completely.
Film is an art form, combing aspects of all the other artistic areas. I shy away from claiming a favorite movie, choosing instead to say I have "favorites." I see The Lord of the Rings as a whole, and as a whole they represent wonderful artistic cinema, visually and emotionally. These movies entertain, and they edify.