The Beginning of one of the Finest Film Trilogies of All-Time!

Rating: 10/10 (14 March 2009)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is easily one of the most ambitious films ever made. The sheer scope of the film is enough to warrant a viewing from any moviegoer. Never before has the combination of CGI and live action footage been as superfluous as it was in this movie (this goes for all of the other films in the trilogy as well). Though what makes this film distinguished from the other two Lord of the Rings films is that this is the setup for all that is to come, so there is a certain level of mystery and intrigue to each action set piece. I think it is that intrigue that sets this one apart from the rest of the trilogy. When you view Two Towers and Return of the King, they are very similar in tone and style, but this one had a more different approach than those two, and this is also by and large because this one focuses more so on nine characters than entire nations as a whole. Another key difference between this one and the other two is that the action taking place in this film is more like a Golden Age adventure film in style, where as the action in the other two is modeled to be like epic war sagas.
This film was masterfully directed by Peter Jackson, and the film is superbly acted by its wonderful cast, in particular Ian McKellen as Gandalf. After seeing this film it is easy to see why so many people are in love with these books. The world is so richly detailed that one simply gets lost in the overall scope and scale of its story.
I give The Fellowship of the Ring a perfect 10 out of 10!