Sock Blowingly Superb!

Rating: 10/10 (20 April 2002)

Superlatives are perhaps used too casually these days, but not in the case of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
I've been trying to work out why this film had such an effect on me, that I've been back to see it again and again.
The special effects are superb, The cinematography is breathtaking. The music is awesome. And the tale that is told is wonderful. But there's something more than that.
This film has moral themes which strike deeply. Evil is a tangible force that appears to be unstoppable. But, though it appears to be victorious at every turn, in fact this is NOT so. Hope is found in the unlikeliest of places, and you get a feeling that, although the evil is terrifyingly powerful, there is something greater at work. I can see why Christians love this film.
The characters in the film are not cardboard cut outs. They seem real , and you find yourself caring for their welfare which is a very rare thing in movies. They are not invincible heroes, far from it. They suffer from self doubt and other infallibilites. They are afraid, even desperate, but you respect them because they have a cause worth fighting for, hopeless though the fight seems.
The movie's ending is tragic and sad, but you leave the cinema strangely uplifted. It's not over yet, not by a long way, and you so want the free peoples to win through that you want to see the next two instalments straight away, even if it means sitting another six hours in the theatre.
Oh, and I have to mention the trailer for the Two Towers. It raised the hairs on the back of my neck, and, after it ended, my heart was pounding. This is a story and a half, make no mistake.
So choose your own superlative for this movie. Whichever you choose, it won't do it justice. I don't think I can wait until next December.