In an ideal world, all films would be made by Peter Jackson

Rating: 10/10 (5 October 2003)

Many people were concerned at the announcement that one of the most beloved works of fiction ever written was going to be made into a film  and I have to admit, I was one of them. I've loved the book since I was fourteen, and Aragorn was my second love after Mr Darcy. How on earth could any film possibly do justice to the depth and splendour of the world Tolkien created? Why would any madman even try?
Well thank the lord for Peter Jackson. The first time I saw this film I watched in open-mouthed wonder like a child of four. From the stunning battle scenes of the prologue to the closing credits, this was Tolkien brought to life. Most people know the story  little hobbit Frodo must journey to Mordor to destroy a ring, the one ring that is the root of all evil. Arrayed against him are the forces of evil  the dark lord Sauron, evil wizard Saruman, numerous Orcs, and the Ringwraiths, dark, soulless creatures who will stop at nothing to catch Frodo. Assisting Frodo is the Fellowship of the Ring, eight companions who will travel with him, a group made up of a cross-section of the different races of middle earth. The film is perfectly cast and everyone delivers a wonderful performance, with particular mention going to Elijah Wood as Frodo, Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn, and Ian McKellen as Gandalf. One of Jackson's finest decisions was hiring Andrew Lesnie to do the cinematography (Lesnie won the Oscar that year) and Richard Taylor and a couple of well-known Tolkien illustrators to do the design.The film is outrageously, gratuitously beautiful. Get hold of a DVD edition, and pause it absolutely anywhere, and what you are looking at will be beautiful. The special effects are seamless, and the Balrog must be the most spectacular use of CGI in a film ever.
However, what Jackson really gets right is the heart. The screenplay is beautifully written. It takes Tolkien's language, and in places makes it better. This is seen to particularly fine effect in Boromir's death scene, a section of the movie that I must have seen 20 times at least, and one that never fails to move me to tears. The special effects are never allowed to overwhelm the emotional appeal of the story  almost all of the big action set pieces are followed by a close-up on someone's eyes, and a moment that lets the actors shine. All this is underscored by Howard Shore's music - possibly the finest piece of film music ever written (and in fact strong enough to stand without the movie  in the UK it regularly features in radio station Classic FM's top ten most requested pieces). I loved it the first time I saw it, I loved it the last time I saw it, and I loved it every time in between.
That said, if fantasy is not your thing, and you really can't bring yourself to care about hobbits and elves, you probably won't like it. Just be aware that it is your loss.