Speechless, just speechless.

Rating: 9/10 (12 June 2002)

We've been given two major fantasies in the space of two months. The first of these, Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone, was moderately entertaining, but was let down by mediocre direction and an unexciting storyline. This film, The Fellowship Of The Ring (based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings) not only rectifies these flaws, but presents a fresh, involving experience. This, as fans of the books will probably tell you, is as good as it can possibly get with fantasy filmmaking.
Director Peter Jackson and his crew have taken great pains to bring Tolkien's characters and their world to life. The cinematography and special effects are both superb. The stylish set design and well-shot battle scenes will always hold your attention. And Howard Shore's music suits the scene perfectly - while not too prominent, it wipes the floor with Harry Potter's bland score.
The story is incredibly detailed (if a little dragged out), and always contains a surprise; you never know what will happen next. No doubt fans will love this film, and non-fans (myself included) will find plenty to enjoy.
The performances are of a generally high standard. Elijah Wood is excellent, bringing Frodo Baggins alive with a little bit of naivety, determination and above all, likeability. I never knew that he had this kind of range. Meanwhile, Ian McKellen makes a wise, understanding and occasionally vulnerable Gandalf. Christopher Lee is a suitably frightening Sauruman. Ian Holm steals scenes as Bilbo Baggins. Viggo Mortensen is heroic and determined as Strider, and Liv Tyler - underrated in films such as Onegin - is very good in the small role of Arwen. Cate Blanchett makes the most of her small supporting part. Of the others, the main standouts are probably Sean Astin's Sam and Sean Bean's Boromir. As the film goes on you will find their characters to have more depth than it initially seems. In fact, you can't brand any of the characters as stick figures, and I believe that as the trilogy goes on, the main characters will endear themselves to the audience even further.
The unexpected ending may surprise many, but on closer inspection it's understandable. It sets the scene for Part II, and will leave many viewers wanting more.

I can't help but remember the way I felt after watching The Never-Ending Story for the first time. I recall feeling the same excitement and pleasure. While the first installment of Lord of the Rings may not be all upbeat, it is very interesting, powerful and effective. In fact, the dark tone may scare off some viewers, but then it must be remembered that some of the best films ever made have used a similar tone to great effect. While not a perfect film - at three hours, it didn't always hold my attention and is sometimes hard to follow - it is one of the best fantasies I've ever seen. It's questionable if this film and its forthcoming sequels will rank up there with the Star Wars trilogy, but something tells me they have an excellent chance of doing so.