Beyond my wildest expectations

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2001)

This movie surpassed all of my expectations, and was an amazing film that captures the spirit and integrity of Tolkein's story. At the end, my eyes welled up with tears, due to the overwhelming emotion I felt after being totally immersed in Middle Earth for 3 hours, seeing a masterpiece unfold before my eyes, and relief and gratitude that it was true to the book. Frame by frame it was as visually complex as reading the book can be, and was an unbelievable treat for eyes. Yes, some things were different, but only slightly, and the expansion of Arwen's character was understated, simple, and enhanced the characterization of Aragorn. As well she and Galadriel brought balance to the otherwise all male cast, and the actresses' on screen presence was suitably ethereal. There was no problem believing that both women could be elves in real life'.
The same goes for the actors who played the hobbits, and John Rhys-Davies as Gimli, the dwarf, who was virtually unrecognizable. Elijah Wood is perfect as the stout hearted Frodo. Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn is mysterious, honorable and compassionate, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, is wise and comforting, and the three actors easily become the heart and soul of the film.
The rest of the casting was exceptional. The hobbit children will melt your heart. Hobbiton was an absolute delight, and exactly as I imagined. The depiction of the orcs surpassed my imagination, and were truly terrible. The dark scenes were darker than dark, and terrifyingly evil. No detail was spared in any scene and it was a challenge to take it all in. The long shots were spectacular. The computer generated imaging was fairly seamless, particularly in how they were able to depict the stature of the hobbits and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies is a big man! ), next to the elves, men and Gandalf. Some things are left out ( Tom Bombadil and the Barrow wraiths ), for the sake of brevity, and none of the hobbits sing or tell stories as in the book, although I didn't miss it. Others might, but I encourage everyone to keep their hearts and minds open to this film. You'll feel so totally engrossed in the story that you'll become a part of Middle Earth and the hobbits' world from the first moment you hear Galadriel's voice and set eyes on The Shire.