If you don't like it I feel for you :)

Rating: 10/10 (17 January 2002)

I saw this movie on the opening night, and indeed four times since, every time with different people. In total, I have seen it with 8 other people (scary co-incidence??) and of them, only 1 did not like it. His reasons were banal and he couldn't really explain them so I shan't give them any more space. Sorry Tim! What did I think of the movie? Well, the fact that I've seen it as many times as I have kinda gives it away actually. I read the book straight after I read The hobbit, when I was 10. I loved it. Since then, I have read it three times more and even now it is still my favourite book of all time. When I heard they were going to do a movie about it, I thought, great, until I learned that Elijah Wood was playing Frodo. Oh no, I thought, I can't stand him, though, on seeing it he actually does the part well. Best performance has to go to Sir Ian Mckellan (sp?) he is outstanding, and what's more, he IS Gandalf. All the cast play their parts well, without exception. I loved Liv Tyler and my sister loved Orlando Bloom.... Of course, the real stars of the movie are the effects. Breath-taking. Makes things like Jurassic Park and Star Wars (both, incidentally, too drawn-out and over sequelled franchises) look like Play Days. Pfffft, no really, this movie goes further, harder, faster and better than any other. End of. As for faults, well...If I was Peter Jackson, and I got up one morning and thought, right, I gotta make The Lord Of The Rings into a book today, I would have slipped into a coma. He took on this juggernaugt of epic proportion and pulled it off without any real criticism. I honestly believe to do a better version of the book-to-film adaptation is impossible. On what would they improve? Before screaming at your monitor, answering with your opinions, stop and think: could YOU have done it any better? Thought not. Credit where credit's due, this is a master-piece, no two ways about it. I have as much right as anyone to declare any film I like as "The Best Movie Of All Time", and for that, I choose this, The Fellowships Of The Ring. (At least until I watch the next parts!) Like it or don't like it. It's your call. But I feel for you if it doesn't reach out to you, I really do.