A great and fantastic epic. One Film to rule them all!

Rating: 10/10 (2 January 2002)

Wow! That was the only word I could say when the end credits started to roll at the end of LOTR:FOTR.
Peter Jackson has accomplished the - almost - impossible and did not created a film, but a universe, like George Lucas did years before with the original Star Wars saga.
When I listened to the score a month ago I almost knew that it couldn't go bad anymore and seeing the trailer and some behind-the-scenes shots I knew before this film could not fail.
And I was right! It's a roller coaster ride like I haven't seen since Raiders of the Lost Ark! Peter Jackson (and everybody else working on this massive project) handle the story with care and love and it shows. Of course, some things had to be omitted. Tom Bombadil was cut out and the Hobbits get to Bree much faster and from that moment on there's no stopping in the pacing. It's a three hour movie that feels like... much shorter. Many films want to give the audience too much (or worse: too little), but LOTR gives enough. From the impressive battles in the beginning (stunning visuals) right until the 'ending' it's a perfect combination of fantastic story-telling, great visuals and beautiful acting.
And now the cast. I can be short about it: they didn't act, they were the characters. There were a lot of unknown names (for the big audience) in the cast, but I predict that most of them will get a great career after the Lord of the Rings-saga. My personal favorite is Billy Boyd as Pippen Took.

Where there any flaws? Probably, but I didn't notice them since I've seen it only once (this will change, my friends!), but with a film like this I don't know if it matters. Raiders has its flaws, Star Wars has its flaws, LOTR has its flaws, but it's that kinda film that can get away with it.
Finally I want to give a compliment to New Line Cinema who was - probably - the only studio who dared to make three films back-to-back with a director that isn't known that well with the big audience. Personally, I think Peter Jackson is a genius and they couldn't get a better one.
I think we can all sit back relaxed and wait until The Two Towers and The Return of the King hit cinemas.
I rate it 10/10