A classic novel turned in to a classic movie!

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2001)

What can I add that has not been said yet? The adaptation of Tolkien's work is very faithful, with even some lines of dialogue which are literally taken from the book, the choice for New Zealand as location must have been Jackson's smartest move. True enough, the characters lack depth, but this is a fantasy story, where the protagonists tend to be one-dimensional good or evil. But even then, actors like Elijah Wood manage to show their internal struggle, adding credibility to their performance. Ian McKellen is simply great as Gandalf, and should be seriously considered as an oscar candidate for best supporting role. Because the three movies have already been shot, we may reasonably expect the two sequels to be of equal quality; it was a big gamble for the studio's, but nevertheless I think this movie will be a classic for ages to come.