I never thought sheer scale could make a film!

Rating: 10/10 (27 December 2001)

Firstly let me say that this film is a true masterpiece. Yes, it is not perfect, but nothing ever is, but the small niggles, are just that, SMALL!
I read the books when I was eight years old, and thought them great, and I saw the cartoon version (a personal favourite when I was small), but I did not think I could be as impressed as I was but this wonderful piece of film-making.
Let's look at what is wrong with the film. Some of the CGI is a bit ropey, but only in incidental scenes, where the aformentioned CGI is not in the main shot, or you only catch a fleeting glimpse. The orcs where a bit too "muscle men with face paint" for my tastes. This was one thing I preferred in the cartoon; the orcs where more varied, some fat ones, some thin, some drinking, some bickering. Also the orc's voices sounded a bit too synthisyser-esque. Arwen rescuing Frodo, not in the book, and (I may be wrong about in the book, but in the cartoon) when Frodo rides to the ford on his own, it shows what a strong character he is, fighting for all he is worth against the power of the Ring Wraiths.
Now to what makes the film.
This movie is filmed as if it was real. I will try to explain what I mean by this. How many times in a hollywood film have you seen beautifully clean hair and skin? In this film there is dirt under the character's fingernails, grease in the hair, they look tired and cold and harassed. You empathise so much more with them, with the quest.
The other main point that makes this film is the sheer scale of it. The landscape of New Zealand is the set, and so it does look huge and beautiful. The characters are put into scale with the environment, and it really does work. You believe that it is a world, not a set.
Onto the story. I have read some of the negative reviews on this site, and it seems that the people just did not get the point of alot of the plot. The whole idea of the ring is that it is controling. It has an influence on the characters and plot. You could almost describe it as another member of the cast. This is why the film ends like it does, because the ring is trying to stop the fellowship.
Some of the added pieces of CGI, with Galadriel and Bilbo changing in the precence of the ring, really add to the feeling of power from the ring. THe Balroc is, quite frankly, stunning, and the battle sequences, and fights are brilliant. They even manage to make the use of a bow and arrow at close quarters look fessible. And I also have to say that you need to sit somewhere in the theatre that allows the screen to fill your vision, as some of the sweeping shots can out-do any ride at Disneyland!
The acting is excellent, with Sam and Frodo actually coming over as likable characters. One review I read said the Frodo is too whingeing, but, with Peter Jackson being as faithful as he can be to the books, the fact that you don't want to throttle Frodo and Sam after 20 seconds is remarkable. Gandalph is played beautifully, so that you can see the underlying power of the character. Sean Bean really does prove that he can act, and Orlando Bloom will be a very big star before long. The rest of the Fellowship just add to the experience. They ALL look like Tolkien drew them, and act as he wrote them; they are their characters.
Even the dodgy throw-away lines, added for comedic effect, don't detract from the film but embelish it.
To sum up, yes this film has faults, but the minute you let such little points take away from such a wonderfully engrousing experience you are selling yourself short. This film is here to be enjoyed, and savoured.
Without doubt 10/10.