Absolutely wondrous!

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2001)

I've been having problems describing this movie to people, either ending up at a complete loss for the proper words for such a beautiful piece of work, or babbling like a ten year old in 1977 who has just seen Star Wars for the first time. This movie is simply the most exquisite thing I've ever experienced (in a theatre). Period.
Everything about it is QUALITY. Story, acting, direction, cinematography, pacing, special effects, musical score, you name it, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship has brought it all together into one brilliant package. It is completely uncompromised, with even the few alterations to the original story done in such a way as to preserve the spirit of the legendary tale.
I had my concerns. I was worried that the movie was going to be Bruckheimered into being idiotic--with hobbits cracking wise as they battle orcs, or gratuitous ass shots of Arwen getting on her horse, or all the different races of elves, dwarves, wizards, etc. turned into ridiculous parodies. None of this came to fruition, thank Tom. Everything seems HONEST, and true to Tolkien's vision.
As for vision, this movie delivers--when it wasn't meeting my visual expectations, it was vastly exceeding them. Unlike so many adaptations that pale next the the book (and the reader's imagination), The Fellowship actually enriches the writing of Tolkien, and brings Middle Earth to life more vividly than my own mind could. That's an amazing thing for a movie to do.
Without the slightest hesitation, I rated this movie a 10. I waited until after a second viewing before committing to that (for a 10 is not a lightly given mark), and it remains more than worthy.
I won't say more. This movie must be seen to be believed, and especially to be appreciated.