At times beautiful, at others a cheapening of a great work

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring can best be described as a beautiful film, but at the same time as a missed opportunity at bringing the true feeling of the book to the screen. Now, it must be said that no film could ever have the depth inherent in the book - the layers and richness in The Lord of the Rings go far beyond the capabilities of film. Likewise, it would be impossible to fit every chapter of the book into the film and still have a coherent movie, so Peter Jackson was justified in cutting some parts for his interpretation. That said, Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring could have been much better. I agree that the characters are wonderfully cast and acted, but the mood of the book is missing in many parts. Too often, there is reliance on action, and a simplifying of the text. It is at these junctures that the film falls to the level of typical Hollywood crap. And it is so sad to see this, when, at other times, some of the beauty and sadness of the book are there. Often the landscapes too, are not right. Not every scene in the book is set on or surrounded by mountains. All in all, there is too much action and not enough focus on the quiet, potent places of Tolkien's world.