The first of three classics

Rating: 10/10 (11 June 2006)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a film that accomplishes what it originally set out to do. That is to bring to life the books as never before seen and as readers always imagined them to be. Under the direction of Peter Jackson and with the help of a fantastic cast, The Fellowship of the Ring is one of the best films of 2001 and one of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen.
For those that have not read the books, the story focus' around the discovery of the One Ring and how a fellowship is formed to destroy it. The One Ring, if in the hands of the dark entity Sauron, could overthrow the world of Middle-Earth. A group of nine is formed of hobbits, a wizard, two men, a dwarf, and an elf. The journey they will have and the dangers they will face are near incredible.
Now from reading the plot line and kinds of characters presented many would think this film was made for children and is real corny. it is anything but corny and hardly a children's movie. First off, the battle scenes are amazing. The filming and direction used in the scenes are spectacular where most can watch with the presence of little blood but still not be disappointed with the action presented.
What is done exceptionally well is how easy the story is able to be understood and followed. With that being said, Tolkein's story is barely changed and what is left out are only the parts that have nothing to do with the story. The story is truly brought to life.
The casting was the most important part. If actors such as Brad Pitt and Matt Damon were portraying the characters of Aragorn and Legolas then the film would have failed mostly by their popularity. The film takes many relatively unknown actors, as Star Wars did, and lets them be the stars. This works to the audiences advantage by not knowing the actors you are able to focus more on the story and not on the actor portraying the characters.
The visuals are incredible. The sets used, and yes sets not CGI stages, are believable and great care is taken to make them look as real as possible. The Shire, Rivendell, and Lothlorien are breathtaking. What visual effects that are used are few and far between and don't take anything away from the story. The effects aren't over done or used.
The Lord of the Rings: THe Fellowship of the Ring is visually stunning, it is well acted, and is directed by the next great director of our time. I applaud Mr. Jackson for finally bringing the books out of the cartoon world and into the light they deserve.
5 out of 5 Stars