A decent film, but still disappointing. (spoilers)

Rating: Null/10 (23 December 2001)

I watched this movie three times on opening day, starting with a midnight screening, and have very mixed feelings.
Visually, this is a gourmet feast; no question about it. The geographic youth of NZ, combined with an even-handed use of effects works tremendously well. Casting is for the most part dead-on, though I thought Galadriel and Celeborn were extremely disappointing. I loved Hugo Weaving as Elrond.
I really do think, though, that the ball was dropped in writing the screen play. Let me say that, yes, I am a bit of a Tolkien fanatic. It is probably impossible for that not to influence my views on the movie, but I have tried as much as possible to be fair.
Too many of the characters were simply dropped into the story with no real background or introduction. Merry and Pippin seem to serve as nothing more than comic relief. Hasn't the moviegoing public had enough of Jar-Jar and his ilk? Legolas and Gimli are dropped in to fill a quota established in the book. All I gained from the movie was that Legolas knows Aragorn, Gimli reallyreallyreallyreally wants to go through Moria and his dad is named Gloin; oh, they are both really good at killing orcs, too.
I also have some issues with the way Aragorn's royal lineage is introduced. You will have to excuse me as my first objection harkens back to the book, but Aragorn's ancestry is a secret and for good reason. Sauron is, understandably, not a fan of Isildur and his family, and actually believes he has successfully eradicated the line. The movie treats Aragorn's identity as common knowledge. That's problematic, for me at least. Boromir's reaction to Aragorn's identity is puzzling. He knows _exactly_ who Aragorn is and is apparently bitter at him for abandoning Gondor. Later, he asks if Aragorn has ever been to Gondor (the city of Minas Tirith, at least). This is almost contradictory and leaves me scratching my head. Aragorn leaving Gondor for a self-imposed exile makes for some potentially interesting stuff, but nothing else is said about the exile. I find that extremely frustrating.
Gollum is introduced as a player in the story in Moria. No problem with that. The way it is done, though... "Oh, look, Gollum's chasing after us and the Ring. Isn't that sweet..." Bwah?! No more Gollum, after that. This introduction smacks of nothing more than lipservice, no real enhancement of the story.
Personally, I think too much time was spent at Isengard -- time that could have been better used fleshing out characters and expanding the Council of Elrond; maybe explaining why Boromir made the trip to Rivendell?
The Lothlorien sequence was atrocious. Celeborn came off as petulant and effeminate and completely superfluous. Blanchet pretty much phoned in her performance as Galadriel. Of all things she reminded me of the drugged up Monty Burns in the Simpsons episode where Mulder and Scully investigate Homer's alien sighting. I think Lothlorien was included because it was the "safehouse" after Moria. Again, filling a quota established in the book. Oh, Galadriel's line, "He will try to take the Ring." That was just hamfisted. From Rivendell on, it was obvious that Boromir was set up as succumbing to the lure of the Ring. Unnecessary.
Aragorn having full knowledge of Frodo's decision to leave for Mordor alone strained credibility. "Have fun storming the castle!" The whole purpose of the Fellowship was to get Frodo to Mordor and destroy the Ring. I don't buy them quitting the way they did.
Finally, the lame one-liners.... Are these really necessary? I'll stick to addressing the biggest offender. Everyone is sitting at the council in Rivendell. Elrond declares the Fellowship and its purpose. The whole group is gathered in for a nice photo-op. The music is rising to a noble crescendo. Pippin asks "Where are we going?" I can hear the needle scratching across the record each time that line is uttered. You have a good, compelling scene with some power and nobility to it, and it is completely derailed by a cutesy oneliner. I don't get it.
The ball was dropped. This movie could have been a 9 or 10-out-of-10. The pieces were there. Instead, shoddy writing brings it down to a 7 at best. I find that inexcusable, considering the material, actors, and time with which they had to work.