What a joke...

Rating: 6/10 (25 February 2002)

It's quite apparent you can trust the IMDB fanbase about as much as your pedestrian local film critic. I mean...63% of them rank this movie a 10 out of 10? It rates higher than Citizen Kane on the overall list? What a joke!!! Are you telling me that 63% of the people that log on to this site are 13-years old?
This movie was a fine piece of entertainment that was respectful of the source material. It had wonderful sound and visual effects and a decent cast of performers. But great cinema it is not.
I found myself looking at my watch about halfway thru the film (never a good sign). The script, while faithful to the storyline, is filled with one hackneyed Hollywood cliche after another and never captures the mysticism of the original material. The cinematography is far from creative. Anyone who thinks this film was beautifully shot is confusing the naturally beautiful landscapes of NZ and CGI effects for great camera work. And between the script's and the director's inclinations to draw out every emotional moment far beyond it's natural life, you could almost read the trilogy in the time it takes to unfold on screen.
As I say, I would recommend this film. It is a fairly entertaining adaptation of a great piece of storytelling. But spare me the hyperbole. This is NOT the "greatest film of all time". It's "Tomb Raider" with elves and dwarves, ok?