A massively entertaining epic of fantasy and adventure

Rating: 10/10 (2 March 2013)

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is a highly ambitious work of literature with its intricately detailed world of rich history and language. Peter Jackson's adaptation is light on those aspects but manages to be an extremely entertaining fantasy film (combining Tolkien's detailed background with an exciting story in film medium is something of an oxymoron.) The film begins with many introductions that take up quite a lot of time. We are introduced to historical events, races, characters and locations. This part of the film doesn't stand the test of time very well, but once we get the story going we're in for a treat. The Fellowship of the Ring offers imaginative and memorable visuals of settings and creatures that have been massively influential to later filmmaking.
For a story about an adventure to defeat the forces of evil the film has surprisingly strong character profiles, especially in the honorable but conflicted Boromir and the mysterious and old Gandalf. These performances have made film history.
This is, of course, only the first part of the story, and is properly enjoyed with the two other films. I deeply recommend the extended DVD editions which include scenes that bring much depth to the story.