A fine but flawed film

Rating: Null/10 (22 December 2001)

For anyone who does not want to read a long report on a strangers feelings about this film - don't bother reading this review.
I felt overall that although there were a few important defects in this film - the good that was in it very much outweighed the bad. Unfortunately - when the film did go wrong, it did so in fairly spectacular style.
The two scenes with which I have huge quibbles with were unfortunately - two scenes which I deem to be extremely important. The first of these was the Council of Elrond - which was I'm afraid, a shambles. I didn't want a complete parrot of the books text - but in this case, it would have been far superior to what was done. There was no real sense of the huge importance of this Council - or what anyone was doing there - Gloin (or Gimli - it doesn't matter which does it) never explained his presence there - a seeking of council from Elrond as to what should be done with the black rider that had visited the dwarves three times, seeking Baggins and the ring.
Legolas just appeared - without bringing the news that Gollum had escaped from Mirkwood - although this is less important. The only one I felt given any justice there was Boromir - although I do not remember him as being so outraged at the revealing of Aragorn as Isildur's heir. However - let that pass. The massive fight that ensued however was terrible, a bad idea - although it set up quite nicely the distrust between dwarves and elves - maybe too well, as it is difficult to see how Gimli and Legolas will strike up their great friendship.
The second really bad moment of the film was Lothlorien and the Mirror of Galadriel. I have heard great praise for Cate Blanchetts performance - I thought it to be awful, lacking in any subtlety and giving no indication as to the power of the three elvish rings. If the one ring goes into the fire of Mt. Doom, then Lothlorien, and all things made with the power of the three Elvish rings will fade. This was never explained.
These were the only large quibbles I had with scenes. Character wise - most were done exceptionally well - I thought Vigo Mortensons slightly unsure Aragorn to be slightly more interesting then the one in the book - Sean Bean was magnificent as Boromir as were Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and Ian Holm. Gimli was a non-entity for this film - however this may change as he has much more time in The Two Towers. Merry and Pippin were done quite nicely - although I think it a mistake to have them joining by accident - they knew full well what they were doing and where they were going. This is however unimportant.
Lurtz - was appalling. A character created for the film - and when he was on screen, I felt myself wondering whether I was watching Lord of the Rings or Predator 3. Never mind.
On the whole this was an exceptional film, directed and shot beautifully by Peter Jackson - and he can recieve full credit for a film which on its own, is a masterpiece. Only when compared with the book does it start to come slightly short. I wait in eager anticipation of The Two Towers.
To all those who (somehow) have been bothered to read this incredibly boring review to the end - thankyou.