All my expectations fulfilled.

Rating: 10/10 (26 May 2004)

Let's start by saying I am a massive fan of the book Lord of the Rings. I have been for around 25 years. Bare in mind that I'm only 32, and you realize that I have been a fan most of my life. In that time I have often thought about a live action version of this classic. Who could make it, who could play the central characters, would it be three films or one big one. In more recent times I would discuss this with my wife who is also an avid fan. So imagine my surprise when about 6 years ago I read that Kiwi Peter Jackson was to direct a live action version (the cartoons is sh**)of my fave story. The same Peter Jackson who gave us Braindead & Bad Taste (oh my God).That said The Frighteners was immensely enjoyable & Heavenly Creatures is a beautifully made film, I was still filled with chagrin. Where was Ridley Scott, Steven Speilberg or even Martin Scorsese (can you imagine Harvey Keitel has Gandalf, Robert De Niro as Saruman & Joe Pesci as Bilbo Baggins? "Gimme back my f**king ring motherf**ker") Well, thankfully I was wrong. Mr Peter Jackson (oh praise him) has come up with, in my eyes, a masterpiece. He has managed to create a movie that is not only visually spectacular but is more importantly character driven. It is everything I had imagined it should be & more.
The casting by Mr Jackson, Fran Walsh & Phillipa Boyens is almost spot on. I say almost because I still expect Hugo Weaving (Elrond) to say " Ah Mr Anderson" (You know, from the less impressive trilogy of modern cinema. But I am now accustomed to him after numerous viewings. Sean Bean is magnificent as Boromir, but is not given nearly enough screen time. The same can be said of that behemoth of horror Christopher Lee. The rest of the cast also do a cracking job in there roles, in particular, Sean Astin as Sam Gamgee, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins (could it have been anyone else?) & the imperious Sir Ian McKellan as Gandalf the Grey, who just about steals every scene he's in. A special mention must go the casting of Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn/Strider. He was virtually unknown when cast yet I can't imagine anyone else filling those mighty boots.
The films pace is just about perfect, hurtling from one set piece to another, yet never letting the story or characters get lost in over elaborate special effects. The script is fairly tight & doesn't get caught up in some of Professor Tolkein's flowery speech & posturing. And thankfully all those songs in the book, one of 2 real criticism's of the novel, are absent. The other criticism that has been addressed (sort of) is the fleshing out of the female character's in the book. Prof Tolkein couldn't really write women so Mr J, Ms W & Ms B had to give them more meat to their frail bones. After all a film with no women couldn't really work, could it? The character of Arwen is still pretty flimsy though.
The special effects are, well, special. In fact they are so good that you don't really notice them until you watch the film a few times. Even then you still say to yourself "how did they do that?". Simple things like the Hobbits standing next to Men to the more complex and magnificent flight through the Mines of Moria are all done with an expertise & flare never seen before.
The music score is wonderfully crafted by Howard Shore. The man clearly knows how to tell a story through the medium of music, knowing when to be subtle & when to get right in your face with big, brash, boisterous blasts of sound that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.
This is a film that can appeal to everyone from the smallest child to the oldest fogie. It will make you cry, laugh, jump, shudder & cheer in equal measure.
I would implore everyone to see this masterpiece as it deserve's to be seen by everyone. Thank you Mr Jackson & bless you. You have fulfilled all of my expectations and more.