Every Shot Rings With Meaning and Beauty

Rating: 9/10 (18 November 2002)

My initial viewing of "Fellowship", early in its initial theatrical run, was a fairly enjoyable experience. Granted, it was a late screening, and during the last half hour, my mind was more preoccupied with my throbbing bladder than the narrative onscreen (a sensation that reached its apex during the lengthy river-paddling sequence). The warm critical response that greeted "Fellowship" seemed justified, but I felt that the legion of ardent fans was overzealous in its praise. In fact, "Fellowship" enjoyed a brief, controversial place at the top of this website's Top 250, an honor that appeared preordained by Tolkien Freaks months before its release. But this past Saturday, on a rainy New York afternoon, I saw "Fellowship" for the second time, in the form of the Extended Version DVD. I can safely say that "Fellowship" deserves its lofty rankings. Peter Jackson has created a vision that in its essence suggests pure cinema: witness the wide range of emotions and the profound impact they have in this film. The visual palette is gorgeous. The characters (much credit to the actors who portray them) are infused with meaning, substance, and purpose. The dramatic tone is carefully balanced and confident. The score is as varied in its theme and effect as the images it accompanies. I could gush on and on about the costumes, the special effects, and myriad other specifics, but with a film of this size and scope (with two more to follow--ponder that), and a forum such as this, one can only generalize. In the Hollywood system, adaptations of successful franchises (literary, comic or otherwise) appear to be shallow attempts to satisfy fans and make boatloads of money. Invariably, they reek of effort (and focus groups). Every so often, really good adaptations are made: "Batman" and "Spider-Man" are two that immediately come to mind. Those two summer popcorn movies were grand events, and deservedly successful (critically and monetarily), but they are, in their essence, nothing more than exciting, rambunctious products of their time. "Fellowship" is a vision more than a product. And like Tolkien's books, it is timeless.