Great & fantastic

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2002)

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* *MAY CONTAIN SOPILERS*

The arguments against and for adaptation of book are always the same. It starts with the question what kind of adaptation is the best for the book? A loosely based on a the book or a faithful one. There are enough examples of success and failure for both approaches and the arguments about it would always be here. "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" will be used as a good example for those who are in favor of a middle ground between both approaches. It is not a 100% faithful adaptation but it is not a loosely based one. The film is a very good example that even a popular book, as this one, can be translated to the big screen without loosing any of its strength in the way and not forgetting that this a film a not a book.
Peter Jackson(director and co-screen writer) has managed to keep me interested all through the film 3 hours run. He knew that there is no way he could put the whole book(and each part of the 3 books is a huge one)into the screen so he decided to be faithful to the main core of the story. He got rid of characters and plot lines that seems to him unnecessary and told the story with passion that gave the film an extra bonus. The result is a great film which looks fantastic(and you could see how good it look when the trailer came out). I admit to have a vague memory of the book. I have read it long time ago, but during the film I found my self remembering the book more and more. The film actually refreshed my memory. By the end of the book I knew that I have to and want to read the book one more. For me that alone is a sign for a good film. A one that make me curious about the original material.
Jackson could not have done it without a cast that can bring the characters to life. In most case he had success in his choice of actors. Elijah Wood(Frodo Baggins) and Ian McKellen(Gandalf the Gray) are leading the excellent cast(I do have some reservation for Liv Tyler's presence, but her part is so short and at this point unnoticeable). The combination of known an unknown,English and Americans actors work well. New Zeeland looks terrific and serve as a very useful background. The decision to film there gave us a fresh and unknown landscape, one that looks like Middle Earth that we imagined. Howard Shore's score is nothing short of brilliant. At time quite and at time operatic(always when needed) and give the film the right atmosphere.
I liked the film, very much. I was very sad when it ended because I knew I have to wait another year for part 2. The film is the best of 2001. And it deserve any recognition it get. Even people who have not read the book will enjoy it. It has everything a good film have: good script, excellent score and vision, very good acting and it have passion. All the above should convince you by now. Go and watch it.