Fine effects and a whole lot of setup

Rating: 6/10 (27 March 2002)

Its quite remarkable how well the first installment of the Rings trilogy works as a stand-alone epic, considering how much screen time is devoted entirely as exposition for the next two movies. Basically, Rings 1 is just a series of ante-upping battles with abominable creatures as our fellowship of heroes sets of on their journey to save the world and meets all the important players. I will admit that I am one of the deprived few to have never read Tolkien's trilogy and therefore fully expected the "Fellowship of the Ring" to conclude with Frodo casting that ring into the depths of hell from whence it was created. Imagine my surprise when I realized this finale would be delayed until the end of movie three!
The glaring lack of a proper narrative arc in this story throws down a daunting challenge to the film trilogy. Is it possible to make theater entertainment by offering a 9 hour epic in thirds, one segment every year for three years? I'd say yes, as long as the movie fills the narrative pleasure gap with something else -- in this case special effect shots. The make-up, costuming, and art departments on this film should be proud of their work, but it all pales in comparison to the jaw-dropping computer generated work that fills out every frame. Truly engaging and thrilling to watch, but I wonder... Will I care by hour 9 of the trilogy about the completion of the story, and if not, will the effects be enough to get me to shell out 9 bucks? So far, The Lord of the Rings is just excellent popcorn fare.