We've only just begun

Rating: 9/10 (10 October 2005)

This, the first of the three films has suffered in some eyes by not having a conclusion, but unlike such venerated trilogies before as 'Star Wars' or 'The Matrix'. These films are not collections of adventures in the lives of our heroes, these three are in fact one. They really cannot be judged individually as it would be like choosing The Booker Prize based on a random selection of chapters. This film would really take place in the first 30-40 minutes of a normal film.
'The Fellowship of the Ring' opens the tale with the setting of the story, and the introduction of the main protagonists. The central ones here are not the mighty heroes Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf et all, but the tiny little everyman-heroes Frodo and Sam. For it is only these Hobbits, who desire nothing more than to be left in the shire with full tankards, full pipes and most importantly full bellies, who have any hope of resisting the One Ring. For it is this lack of ambition to achieve great things and do great deeds that leaves the ring with little to latch on to in an attempt to control it's wielder and return to it's master. Its more profound effects on Gandalf, Aragorn, Galadriel and most especially Boromir prove this well.
The action scenes and effects do not, as in may other cases, drive the film but enhance a well told story and there are plenty of elements for fans of the books to note.
Deviations form the book do occur, as in all films it is impossible to fit the detail of many books into film although a better effort is made here than with films like Starship Troopers and most Bond Films. The deviations here can at least be justified for the most part, such as giving Glorfindel's role to Arwen in order to introduce the love story between the Evenstar and the Ranger/King Strider, and the skipping past of the whole Tom Bambadill section of the story (although there is no indication that it did not happen, we just don't need to see 100 pages where the book grinds to a halt for very little reason). The most impressive however is the subtle changes to the Mines of Moria sequence. Far more action takes place here than in the book but the visuals and the coming together of the members of the Fellowship as they are sorely tested for the first time gives birth tot the basis of other parts of the two instalments to follow. I also like here the decision to show the noble end of Boromir rather than just letting the remainder of the fellowship discover his corpse surrounded by fallen Uruk's but allowing him to redeem his honour in defence of Merry and Pippin after succumbing to the Ring's grasp so fiercely at Amon Hen.
Peter Jackson has been quoted as saying that he could quite happily have made the full stories but this film in its self would have been over twelve hours long.
I loved the books and also the films with equal measure. The cast fit emotionally and spiritually (if not, in reality, physically) their roles, the score was damn near perfect and the direction almost flawless. The only things missing are parts Two and Three.