Our Generations Star Wars

Rating: 10/10 (28 January 2002)

When i first heard of the filming of this movie i got a little worried, would the movie be able to capture the magic from the books. When i then heard thet it was Peter Jackson that was to direct my worries grew. Even though he has made some quite good movies lately (the Frightners, Heavenly Creatures) He also has made Braindead and Bad Taste. Even though i liked those movies i didnt realy feel he was the man for the job.
(Some minor spoilers below) After have seen the movie three times i can say that my worries where uncalled for, the movie is truly a amazing epic adventure.
I will start with the actors. All main characters do a good job. Sean Been is perfect as Boromir and i like his character a lot more than the boromir from the books. Ian McKellen IS Gandalf no doubt, he was probably born for this part, at first i was dissapointed that Sean Connory didnt get the part but after having seen McKellen in action i can say that he couldnt have made a better job. Ian Holm is wounderfull as Bilbo, Viggo Mortensen is just as i have imagined Aragorn, Ellijha Wood is good but a litle too young i think. The other Hobbits where good. Legolas and Gimli where good. Sean Been and Ian McKellen both deserves an oscar for there preformance.
The scenery was truly amazing and breathtaking, New Zeeland was the perfect choice. The score is one of the best music scores i have heard, Howard Shore truly deserves an Oscar for this masterpiece.
Ok now for the spoiler parts. Some things have been changed and i really dont like all of them. The nazguls are a little too violent for my taste. The part where they without any aperent reason kills a man and when they ride down the gates of bree, i thought where a little unnececery.
The wizard battle was a lot better than i had thought, i had a nightmare scenario when Gandalf and Saruman where hurling balls of fire on each other. But i found this battle of the mind terrific.
I actually thought the Arwen thing was quite good, that glorfindel was replaced didnt matter at all for me (and it was one name less for the audience) and that arwen where there made sence. I was a little dissapointed at the ford that it where Arwen and not Gandalf and lrond that summoned the river. And the line " If you want him, come and claim him" was a little too much but otherwise i think it worked ok.
All the parts from here too lorien was wonderfull. I would have wanted more from Rivendell but hopfully we will get a lot of deleted scenes on the DVD. (Peters first cut was 4,5 hours instead of the 3 we have seen, and he has said that they will be on the DVD) Moria was absolutly breathtaking.
Lorien was the first down in the movie. Too much was cut and psycho galadriel was just silly. Please tone down the Special effects there untill the DVD if possible. The tempting of Gandalf in Bag end was much much better.
The final scenes where good, and the tempting, fall and redemption of Boromir where much better than in the book.
This is truly a masterpice and a modern epic, By far the best fantasy movie and this years best movie. Actully the best movie i have seen in the last years.
If this movie dont even get nominated for best picture and Ian for best actor i will lose the last respect for the Academy awards. i lost most of it when Gladiator won last year. I mean come on, it was a ok film with good fight scenes but worth best picture? No way.
This movie is the Star Wars of our generation