Fantasy Genre's Finest Hour

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2001)

The first time I laid down the 'Fellowship of the Ring' I felt exhausted but relieved. I felt as if I had been dragged along on the journey with the fellowship unscathed. More like the enjoyment after conquering a great obstacle for the first time. Wednesday afternoon, I left the theater after viewing Peter Jackson's interpretation of the book and I was happy to note that I felt the same way. When you read a novel, it gives you the opportunity to create your own worlds and characters. While watching Jackson's masterpiece I felt that he was plucking the scenes out of my own imagination. Seeing the landscapes and characters come to life in such dazzling style was overwhelming. There was no other way this film could have been made. No one thought it was possible. But Jackson pulled it off. He pulled it off the only way it could have been done. Yes Tolkien fans may say where's Tom Bombadil, how come Arwen has such a large role? But the story was there, the tale was told and it was brilliant. Tolkien's tome moved slow but always kept you waiting for the next turn. Peter Jackson's moved at a much quicker pace making you wonder at times if three hours was enough time. Luckily it doesn't move to fast and allows you to get caught up in all the splendor. For the viewers who had not read the book I was concerned that they may not catch on, but Jackson was able to successfully condense the enormous back-story of the ring into twenty minutes of footage. Non-fanatics will embrace the story of Frodo and his perilous mission he must take. A big round of applause goes to Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monoghan and Billy Boyd. The chemistry was all there, and each actor definitely put heart and soul in to each of their respected roles. They looked like hobbits, acted like hobbits and at some points I still wonder how they made them look so small. Ian McKellen was outstanding, I would expect nothing less than a nod from our friends at the Academy Awards. Every actor and actress in this film deserves utmost respect for the performance and magic they created on the screen. New Zealand is a beautiful country and Jackson was right on the money when deciding to make this his backdrop to bring Middle Earth to life. With a mixture of well-crafted sets and digital technology, created an individual surreal quality to each location from Hobbiton to Amon Hen. Overall, the film was spectacular and visually stimulating. I will be lining up to see it again and eagerly awaiting the arrival of 'The Two Towers' next December. Almost fifty years ago, the 'Lord of the Rings' and true fantasy was born. Today wizards and halflings are whispered around smoke filled tables late at night, deciding ones fate with the roll of a die. Or countless number of books spinning tales of dragons, monsters and endless quests for one common good. Even techies hunched over their computers indulging in vast multiplayer games on the internet. The only thing that has always come up short in all the above categories have been in fantasy films. But I assure all fantasy fans, especially those that went into hiding after enduring last years 'Dungeons & Dragons' disastrous attempt in cinema. Those fans can now rejoice, as the word 'fantasy' will now be mentioned amongst the greatest of all films.