Great CGI and Scenery. Good Story. LOTR Fans BE QUIET! during the movie.

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2001)

The scenery was better than expected, I only recognised a few locations, the CGI enhancements were enough to keep me believing it was middle earth, and not too much to be obvious.
The story moved well, but one cut, a fly by just before viewing Gandalf and the good turned evil wizard in the gardens of Isanbard. (You can tell I am not a huge fan of the books, forgetting places and names already.) But that may be well the splicing of the theatre I was at.
I have been twice now and the second time was more exciting than the first. On my original viewing I found the start slow moving, I guess I was being impatient to see more of the mountainous scenery than Hobbiton as I originally come from the South Island. The second viewing I found the beginning wizz by and it was the ending before I knew it.
One warning, I got a sore backside both viewings, might bring a cushion next time.
There were a few bits I found a bit disappointing, very minor, but enough to stop me giving the film a 10. One was the CGI of the nine running from orcs in the mines of Moria. I would have preferred them to have miniaturised live action here as the characters looked like they were out of a cheap video game intro. But that was only 2 seconds out of a majestically CGI'd scene and the balrog must be the best CGI creature ever, for that scene it is worth the ticket fee alone.
My other grump is the audience, the first time I had a young lady who had obviously read the books discuss every scene to her mum. The second time I chose a later viewing in the hope of achieving a more mature audience. Nah two guys in front of me had obviously studied the books and had to discuss right there and then their views. Have I been spoilt by the silence of my flat while watching videos, or is it too much to expect people to be quiet in the theatre these days? PLEASE LEAVE YOUR "INTELLECTUAL" DISCUSSIONS for the trip home!
Thankfully the movie is engrossing enough that both times I hardly noticed the continual babble around me, and managed to become one with the story.