How to make an excellent big-budget blockbuster

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2001)

Expectations can kill a movie faster than a band of deadly orcs. Few films garner the level of expectations like Lord of the Rings, and even fewer live up to and even surpass those expectations. Peter Jackson bravely took the reins of the J.R.R. Tolkien's franchise and directed the first of three installments - The Fellowship of the Ring. It is the harrowing story of young hobbit Frodo Baggins, who must deliver an all-powerful evil ring to the place of its creation and destroy it. This first film of the trilogy introduces wise wizard Gandalf as Frodo's mentor and guardian, fellow hobbits Sam, Pippin and Merry as Frodo's sidekick friends and a host of other worldly travellers who accompany Frodo on his perilous journey through the vast world of Middle-earth. Evil is lurking everywhere and the fellowship must protect one another through dangerous battles and monsters to reach their destination. This scope of this film is beyond comprehension. Some of the book is missing, and expectedly so. The use of special effects are done masterfully and properly - which is one of this film's greatest achievements. Effects serve to tell the story with realism and suspension of dissbelief, rather than dazzle audiences with over-the-top visuals and senseless computer generated "look at me" characters and locations. Everything onscreen is done with such wonder and attention, without loosing sight of its characters, that Middle-earth truly comes to life and feels very real. The actor's performances are excellent and we are quickly drawn into the mind and heart of each character. Fellowship runs a lengthy three hours, but ends before you know it. Its hopefull yet dark ending sets up the next installment with fevered anticipation. This is the movie that special effects and Tolkien fans have been waiting for. A must see. Final rating = 9.0/10