Startling

Rating: 10/10 (10 November 2002)

Millions of people who have enjoyed, like me, the remarkable trilogy by Tolkien were certainly apprehensive about this film. Folks, fear no more. The archetype characters and themes in the books resonate clearly and powerfully through this film. The cinematography and the score, the acting and the pacing, all combine to bring this story to breathtaking, startling life. This is possibly the closest to perfect any film has ever come. The Fellowship of the Ring is action, comedy, drama, tragedy, all rolled into a magnificent single package that absolutely does not seem to last three hours. I wanted more. If you have not seen this movie, stop dithering and rent it. Try to find a friend with a big screen TV and a real home-theater system in order to be able to experience this on the level it should be. Glorious film-making. My hat goes off to Peter Jackson for his daring, and also to Ian McKellan: you deserved that Oscar. 10 stars of 10