True movie magic. Plain and simple.

Rating: 10/10 (8 August 2002)

I'm a big fan of movies. I'll watch the good ones, the bad ones, and the other ones, just so I can give my thoughts on them intelligently and without bias. In 2001, I got to experience Peter Jackson's film interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I was then, and still am, in awe. This first part of a trilogy proved to give me a filmgoing experience I never, ever thought was possible. Even as a fan of Star Wars - an excellent movie trilogy in it's own right - nothing I have ever seen was quite like this film. Peter Jackson took an incredible book and, given a few neccessary liberties, transformed Tolkien's works into perhaps the single most brilliant book-to-film translation I have ever been privilaged to witness.
The acting, as provided by such talents as Elijah Wood, Ian McKellum, Christopher Lee, Viggo Mortenson, and others also made this a true classic. Years from now, people will remember Lord of the Rings for the truely fantastic movie it has proved to be. This classic tale has been given life the way any Tolkien fan could be happy with. Unlimited credit goes to Peter Jackson and the entire cast and crew that made this film and the other two, which I'm sure will be fantastic, possible. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie on DVD or video, however you can. Make this part of your library, today.