A fantasy film for the ages.

Rating: 8/10 (27 May 2010)

The Fellowship of the Ring was the first movie that absolutely convinced me that nearly any book or novel can be adapted to film. All it takes is the right people. A bunch of talented folks who are passionate about the source material, and who are committed to preserving the spirit of the work, can make miracles.
The first book of the The Lord of the Rings trilogy is dense with exposition and and mythology, and most of it survives intact in the journey from page to screen. Despite all that, the movie never feels dull or overly-expository. Everything is easily presented in a way that those who are unfamiliar with LotR can understand, but it's not dumbed down to where passionate fans would revolt. I can't imagine how daunting that task must have been, but Jackson & co. pulled it off admirably. The cast is solid, the special effects, backgrounds, and CGI are astounding, and it all just "feels" like Lord of the Rings. Even after seeing the extended edition of the movie several times, it's still one of the most entertaining adventure/fantasy movies that I've ever seen.