You can feel it in the air...

Rating: Null/10 (28 June 2002)

I've seen this film in first-run theaters 6 times and now it's in the dollar theater in my town and I will probably see it there before the release on dvd in August and then again in November just in time for the next installment, The Two Towers.
Quite simply, this film engages the viewer with intelligent dialogue, pace and imagery. There are enough breaks in action for the characters to develop while not slowing down the plot. Peter Jackson is a student of Tolkien and has crafted a film interpretion of an unusual literary work so well that long-time fans and newcomers alike are sure to be pleased with the results.

As with anything, there is room for criticism. Go ahead - criticize. "That wasn't in the book ... they wouldn't have done that ... what's with Arwen?... etc."
Or, you can just sit back and let the film take you into the story without worrying about the differences with the book. Obviously, there will be comparisons and a 15-20 hour book has to be condensed considerably to make sense in a 2-3 hour movie.
It didn't win Best Picture because the Academy voters were afraid to pick it. You can't have a wizard winning an oscar and you certainly can't have hobbits, elves and dwarves taking center stage over "real" life drama (aka boring) like A Beautiful Mind. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer did a much better job with Apollo 13 which, unfortunately, was up against Braveheart (a great film).
Oh well, whatever. This film is outstanding on it's own and certainly has captivated a world-wide audience.
See it and enjoy!