Stunning achievement

Rating: 10/10 (2 January 2003)

When I first learned that a live-action movie version of Tolkien's trilogy was to be made, my heart sank, fearing a typical distorted, glitzy Hollywood treatment. Imagine my surprise when I saw the film and found that Peter Jackson and his team had been scrupulously faithful to Tolkien's original (saving the alterations always necessary for translating a novel to the screen). The casting was just perfect and the special effects leave one lost for words. The Shire was exactly as Tolkien described, Rivendell and Lothlorien wonderfully atmospheric and Moria was more spine-chilling and thrilling than I could ever imagine (what a fabulous Balrog!). This film has got to be one of the most stunning achievements in the entire history of the cinema.