There, but not so there!!!

Rating: 9/10 (9 February 2002)

Ok then, for the record, I am a huge Tolkien fan, have read and studied the books many many times in my life, needless to say I love them and still after all these years I read them and I enjoy them, it gives me time off to delve into an imaginary world, unfortunately thats exactly what the movie does not do.
I was extremely excited when i got to travel to London, that meant I would not have to wait eons to watch the film in Asia, but was I sad or was I angry, I actually could not make out.
Peter Jackson is no doubt a brilliant filmmaker. The film was ripe with lush images of Middle Earth, remarkable production design, decent acting and even a pretty good score. One thing that I feel Mr. Jackson lacked was the ability to tell a story. Most of the people whom i know who have not read the book were completely left out in the cold as to a great many things.
The film spent too much time on petty sequences i.e. interactions between Frodo & Sam, the Boromir dying sequence. The film also spent too much time panning and flying across endless Middle Earth.
I feel all this time added up could have been used to better introduce the characters and the plot to many people who simply came to see the movie without reading the book. Afterall its difficult to imagine Boromir and Aragorn killing dozens of Orcs because they had such small introductions into the main plot.
No doubt the cinematography, the action sequences and especially the CGI work in the film was amazing, but again I say it, LOTR is a story, its not a video game.
Still I think that it is a major effort and for sure Peter Jackson did do a better job than many would have. But still, after watching Fellowship of the Ring, I am anticipating the next Star Wars even more. Somehow George Lucas has better grip on storytelling and narrative.
None the less, a magnificent cinematic acheivment.