No cliffhanger? So what!

Rating: 10/10 (12 January 2002)

Fellowship of the Rings is definitely my choice for movie of the year. Having read the books in high school, I was anxious to see what Hollywood would do to this story. Most modern epic "blockbusters" have let CGI and special effects steal the show. For example, watching Star Wars' "droid wars" was like watching a Disney cartoon. The people who brought us "The Mummy Returns" were so busy with the CGI that they forgot to get two decent actors and a script. Planet of the Apes had great scenery but the main character was very boring and unlikeable.
With Lord of the Rings, you get everything you want in a great movie.
1. A great story -- unlikely hero must carry the Ring of Power to heart of all evil and destroy it 2. Visual effects -- Lush, expansive, visionary, new, etc. 3. Script -- Written with intelligence. You can tell the actors actually have something to say. 4. Acting -- No cheesy hollywood jokes for the most part. Ian McKellum and Wood were fabulous. 5. Action/suspense -- You can't get much more action packed than this.
I can't understand why the critics are so upset about the ending. Empire Strikes Back ended with Luke, Leia and the two droids looking out into space and it was the best of the Star Wars movies. Had Peter Jackson left this scene out, we would not have understood the difficult journey that lies ahead for these two unlikely heroes.
I wish Hollywood would take notes from this movie. Get rid of the cheese. Tell stories with some weight. And don't sacrifice the story for the CGI/special effects.