Movie Magic lives on

Rating: 10/10 (25 December 2001)

Epic. Instant classic. Masterpiece. Sweeping vision. Stunning. Spectacular. Breathtaking. Amazing. Wondrous.
These terms are bandied about by reviewers for far too many movies, so much so that when it comes to discussing The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, they don't seem to do this movie justice. And I'll admit, I've struggled with writing this review and how to quantify the appeal that's taken me back to see it four times in the first eight days it's been playing.
I first heard about this film about 4 years ago, and met the news with equal parts anticipation and trepidation. I could write for days about all the books that have been turned into movies with disastrous results. Make it too complex and you alienate the casual movie-goer who can't spell Middle Earth. Make it too simple, and you infuriate the readers who have embraced it for 50 years, scrutinizing even the smallest change.
Director Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures, The Frighteners) has managed to walk that fine line and create a movie that approaches perfection.
Does the movie follow the book verbatim? Of course not. You would need ten hours to re-tell every word of dialogue and convey every emotion in Fellowship. Instead what Jackson has managed to do is capture the spirit of Tolkien's works.
From the simple grasslands of the Shire to the depths of Moria, the majestic beauty of Rivendell to the darkest corners of Isengard and Mordor, they are all created in stunning detail. The naive innocence of the Hobbits, the wisdom of the ancient races, the power of the wizards, the honour of the men of Gondor, the viciousness of the Orcs -- these things are all captured scene after scene.
Jackson has managed to pull all of these things together into a story so well told that it becomes easily accessible to any viewer, without betraying his love for the original material -- the movie is filled with details that would mean nothing to the new viewer, but which are there for the sole enjoyment of the Tolkien fan.
The casting is also superb. The fastest road to ruin would have been to fill this movie with Hollywood's A-list, but this was never an issue -- it's clear that the concern lay purely with the talent, not the names. Ian McKellan simply becomes Gandalf, Elijah Wood plays the role of reluctant hero to perfection while Viggo Mortenson excels as the dark, brooding Aragorn. Top to bottom this cast embodies the heart and soul of Tolkien's characters.
So take all the pieces...an epic story, a stellar cast, superb musical score, stunning scenery, a healthy mix of special effects and some terrific battle sequences, and you find yourself with an experience that approaches perfection.