***** Just read my comments and then judge for yourself (or the other way around)

Rating: 10/10 (21 February 2002)

When I read Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" back when I was in high school I already fantasized about how it would (and should!) look if somebody would make the book into a film. And now some 20-odd years later, fantasy (no pun intended) becomes reality. I have seen this movie twice now and I am completely in awe of it. Yes, it is more violent than the book, yes some narrative sacrifices were made to make a good movie. But look at the love with which the details are brought to the screen (e.g. the painting by Alan Lee in Rivendell), listen to the beautiful Elvish language, be in awe of the splendid visual FX (the Balrog!) that never detract from the story. And then the lush NZ landscapes. You can't put Tolkien's love for nature more apt to the screen. Themes like love between men are handled in a sensitive and upright manner which does never get too corny (Sam and Frodo, Frodo and Bilbo, Aragorn and Boromir). I liked the fact that women get a more up-to-date active role in the movie without straying to far from the story, I'm very curious about how the moviescript is going to handle the role of Eowyn. I even loved the way the table was set so to speak, wherein Peter Jackson even borrowed elements from the Silmarillion to guide you into the history of Middle-Earth. The decision to put the two best Tolkien illustrators (Lee and Howe) to work in various aspects of set decoration and overall visual art direction was a marvellous stroke of genius. How better to please the hardcore fan by tapping into artwork that was already fixed in our collective subconscious. A tad disappointing was the music, it was ok, worked in the right places but never moved me like other music has before in other movies. Also, I would have liked to see already some more character and relation development although I suspect Jackson is holding back on purpose to keep the movie from getting at such an emotional high point at which the only way would be down in the next 2 movies. A last rebuttal against criticsm directed at the violence. Read the books and then tell me how to film action scenes like Tolkien described without looking silly if you don't magnify the intensity of battle. It is not all pretty people in shining armor who valiantly save each other against ridiculous odds. The same goes for the great decisions of not putting in the very gayish Bombadillo character and not letting the great Eagle Gwaihir actually speak (imagine the FX job to pull that off in a reasonable manner). I for one are looking forward to seeing the next film and I'm certainly buying the DVD releases with all the extra material. Go see it now it is still in the cinema! See you there when I go for the third time