The Greatest Movie Of All Time-Part 1

Rating: 10/10 (8 March 2009)

It would not necessarily be an overstatement to call The Lord Of The Rings one of the greatest film achievements in history. In fact, in my opinion that would be a gross understatement. Peter Jackson gives us a 12-hour film that not only entertains with it's visual wonders, but transports us into Middle Earth and into the characters, every choice, regret, and farewell effecting us as if it were our own.
The film is of course based on J.R.R, Tolkien's incredible 1000-page fantasy classic, but the film and book are two different things. The things that are changed or dropped for the film actually seem to improve the film's tone, and those things - if resurrected - would prove to be misfit scenes, and stick out like a sore thumb.
And of course in a 12-hour film there is exposition. Probably hours if compiled into a single run. But it flies by both dramatically and informatively, due to the films incredible screenwriters. It's dramatic impression makes it stick in your mind's eye long enough so that you don't forget where the characters are, where they're going, what they're doing, or why they're doing it.
The film's ability to transport you to Middle Earth is partly due to the beautiful, rugged, New Zealend landscapes, and it's organic feel screams Tolkien, right out of the book - even it enlists the occasional help of CGI.