Best film adaption of Tolkien so far

Rating: 9/10 (24 October 2002)

Almost perfect fantasy film, only marred really by the inherently uncinematic nature of Tolkien's fantastic epic. Good casting and performances, especially by the supporting cast. Wisely, director Jackson utilizes Tolkien's often overlooked comedy in an admirably naturalistic way. One could have hoped for better and even prettier female leads, and the overall male-dominated tone (I heard a small girl, tell her mom 20 minutes into the movie: "this is a male movie") make it an oddity in 2002. The pictoral beauty of New Zealand, enhanced by computer animation, are amazing and are used effectively to express much of Tolkien's wonder at the world of nature which is shown in his novel, and this film even takes up his ecological theme with regard to Isengaard, which will of course be taken up further in "Two Towers". An auspicious start.
I liked particularly the art design, and the fact that the effects (including the monsters) were done with an eye to continuity in design, so that the effects don't "jump out at you" like they do in most heavily CGIed movies. The design reminded me a little bit of the silent germanic tradition, particularly in the mines of Moria and the tower at Isengaard.
The only thing that I really don't like about this movie is the music: it's some of the worst movie music I've ever heard, ranging from Enya's insipid vocal dirges to wannabe-Wagner orchestral passages. They could have done better even if they'd hired John Williams, for chrissakes. Seems like they should've been able to do something, anything, better than what they did.