Better than the frightfully average book

Rating: Null/10 (7 January 2002)

This may be the only movie I've ever seen that I thought was better than the book. The book is far too long, never suspenseful, emotionless, tedious, and at times nonsensical. The movie went a long way to correcting major errors in structure and narrative. The movie emphasizes the important things (Gandalf and the Balrog - hardly a footnote in the massive girth of the book) and deemphasizes or excises completely the tedious and worthless parts of the book (Tom Bombadil and the endless and boring trek through the forest, the constant singing by characters of all races, etc.) Unfortunately the movie can't give the story a decent ending or a climax which most narratives have, but otherwise it is a fantastic take on the original. I think I'd rather be beaten with a stick than be forced to read the books again, but I'm excited to see the next movie and see how Jackson fixes Tolkien's awful storytelling device of separating the story into two completely unrelated books. Jackson deserves all the credit in the world for making this hulking mass of crud a viable, and even enjoyable movie.