The atmospheric beginning.

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2017)

From the bucolic Englishness of the Shire to the ethereal otherworldly beauty of Galadriel's elven forest to the underground horrors of Moria, this film excels in creating settings that are not merely evocative but totally immersive. The characters are well-done, the plot swims along, but the locations created by JRR Tolkein and brought to life by Peter Jackson are the highest point of this movie. The wild landscapes of New Zealand are transformed with aplomb into a variety of settings throughout Middle Earth. Sean Bean does a particularly great job as the tragic and conflicted heir of Gondor, Boromir.
More than 15 years after the release date of this movie and decades after the book was published, I feel there is little I can say in terms of the actual content of "The Fellowship." I can however say that while some of the CGI-driven special effects may seem a tad dated in 2017, they are used well throughout.
Note: I watched the Extended Edition, and it was an absolute delight. I haven't seen the shorter version in several years, but if you can spare the time, I would recommend the longer one.