Not to slight Tolkien but ...

Rating: 10/10 (27 December 2001)

For some odd reason, I find I like the movie better than the book from which it came. The true reason is unknown to me, but I am sure that it cannot be that I am a couch potato and just naturally drawn to the screen. Indeed, I don't even have a television at home and go to the movies but perhaps three times a year. But there is something about the layout of the movie that is on a level more appealing than the story as told by the book. This is not to say that I don't like the book. It is an awing book, but the movie is in some way awe-inspiring beyond. I am hard pressed to explain how. Laughs ... one sitting behind me and reading as I write insists that I mention the flaws they caught in the movie, which are few and in someways, insignificant. The editing, they whine, was short of satisfying. They are avid observers and critics of choreography, and claim that some of the camera angles and editing made it near impossible for them to see all the "dancing" occurring during the battle scenes. I must agree that being able to see every swing of the sword can be exciting, but I don't believe the filming direction took away from this movie. As ever, I stand close to my first assertion. This is an awesome movie!