Most people who read the book may be disappointed

Rating: 7/10 (2 June 2003)

I found the hype surrounding the movie overwhelming and exhausting. People who didn't even read the book and don't even understand it got wound up to go see it. Naturally I was turned off when I went to see it, so I saved my response until my bias cleared. John Rhyse Davies said they created a masterpiece. But I question his highly outspoken pride and his sanity. Yes this is a good film, but hardly a masterpiece. The music plays all the way through and ruins the few good moments of good acting, and the dialogue is shrunken from it's original point and becomes a bit corny. ("Wow, your Aragorn!" "Yes, I'm Aragorn" or something to that effect). Frodo, once a good hobbit battling his way instinctfully in order to do his duty in the book is on film running from everything and staring blue and teary-eyed into the camera. Apart from that, the movie missed out on the humour of the novel (the only part of Lord of the Rings with anything merry or funny in it at all). All the British humour is missing, which is a huge disappointment as it was the best part of the book. The few laughs have been Americanized (into the Hollywood way of making a laugh by playing down instead of being a littled absurd).
In conclusion, what I am suggesting is that those who have read the book and have enjoyed it a lot may not like this movie. Those who hat e the book will find it long and boring. Those who are deep fans of the Lord of the Rings and know the ins and outs of it will be very entertained, because this was made for them, by them.