As good as it could have been

Rating: 10/10 (23 December 2001)

I think perhaps that some people have been a little harsh when they have come to criticise this film. As a person that has read and enjoyed the books and also been a fan of Peter Jacksons work in the past I couldn't have been happier when I discovered he was directing it.
I think nearly everyone agrees that things had to be changed to cater for the audience that hadn't read the books and for this reason it was necessary to keep to the main central storyline. It is near impossible to take the book in all at one go let alone try and make the movie the same. This aside however the movie still stays fairly faithful to the book with most events simply being trimmed down as apposed to omitted completely. The journey to Bree or the introduction of Aragorn for example. It takes many, many pages before the character of Aragorn is clearly defined in the book and as one of the most interesting and entertaining characters you couldn't use hours of screen time telling his ranger stories for example. Replacing Glorfindel (the elf who rescues Frodo from the Wraiths) with Arwen was a clever way of adding a more prominent female role (for which the origonal book was critisised in lacking)to the story.
In terms of the other main characters people must not forget that there are two whole books and two whole movies still left. The chapter in the book where we are introduced to Gimli, Legolas and Boromir (The Council of Elrond)is fairly boring in terms of the rest of the book and slows down the pace a great deal something perhaps fatal if done badly in the movie. Personally I feel Boromir was presented very well in the movie we know that inside he is a noble man who will fight for the good cause but his worry and fear for his own people leads to him being corrupted by the rings power yet he redeems himself and dies a hero just as in the book. His people and homeland we learn about in book 3. As for Gimli and Legolas their role in the fellowship is perhaps a little under developed but it is in book two as their inter racial friendship forms that they become the characters we love. People must also not forget that the film already clocks in at 3 hours which is long and any longer would perhaps be suicidal. It will be interesting to see if there are any deleted scenes on the dvd that were cut due to running time that perhaps help these causes.
I think to say the fight scenes are bad is wrong. This movie isn't the Matrix or Crouching Tiger and its fight scenecs are both energetic and enthrawling. Some of the camera shots are almost nauseating they make the action seem so real. Jackson stated he wanted the audience to feel like they were in middle earth. Long shots may let you soak up the action but they also make you an outsider just watching, not being a part of it. Granted that is what you technically are but what makes Lord of the Rings so good and different is that the book is written in such a way that you dont think you are reading about a fantasy you believe its real and Jackson wanted to bring this into the movie and in my opinion succeeded with A+ honours.