THE MOST OVERRATED FILM OF THE YEAR

Rating: Null/10 (4 January 2002)

I was horribly disappointed with this movie.
The only reasons to go and see it are the scenery of New Zealand, which is stunning; the performance of Sir Ian McKellen, who brings real charm and warmth to his portrayal of Gandalf; and praise must also be given to Christopher Lee, menacing and convincing as Saruman, and Ian Holm as a very believable Bilbo.
The other actors, including the usually excellent Cate Blanchett, stagger around in a fog as if completely stoned. At one point she is literally reduced to a cheap special effect instead of being allowed to actually act. This must be Magick. I found it Dull.
No one is allowed to underplay anything, unless it is McKellen, when he is not running around on his head. Just because something CAN be done in special effects does not mean it SHOULD be done.
I have seen better editing in a butcher's shop. Why does every single closeup have to have a jump cut that is completely mismatched? Why is there absolutely no suspense in this movie, particularly in the first encounter with the Black Riders?
Too much time is spent on lovingly bloody (and badly edited) battle scenes and too little on character development. The charm and menace of the original books is completely lost. The cheap joke about 'throwing dwarfs' was about as appropriate as a pickle on a Charlotte Russe, and the genuine comedy of Gimli's love for the Lady of the Wood eliminated entirely.
Boromir's death was so comically staged that I kept waiting for Eric Idle to come out yelling "Bring out your dead!" ("I'm not dead! I'm getting better!")
Here's hoping that the next two films do, too.