Extended version a tangible improvement, and not just for those who love the books

Rating: 10/10 (17 November 2002)

When I saw the original theatrical release, I was, like many others who knew and loved Tolkien's books, pleasantly surprised that Peter Jackson and his team had succeeded in making a good movie without betraying at least the spirit of the books (betraying the letter was unavoidable in anything less than a 12-part miniseries) and that the movie's most glaring flaws were essentially all errors of omission rather than commission (unlike a certain other version by one B*ksh*).
Now I have seen the extended edition (in deference to Peter Jackson's professed dislike of the term, I will not call it the director's cut, though IMO this merely deprives him of the kudos he richly deserves for creating this much-improved version) and I am overjoyed to find that many of the original errors of omission have been rectified, turning what was already a good movie into an excellent movie.
Certain yawning gaps in the theatrical version (especially noticeable--and not just for those who have read the book--during the fellowship's sojourn in Lothlorien) were expertly filled, and the story now does far more justice especially to the talents of Cate Blanchett and John Rhys Davies (both of whom received shamefully short shrift in the theatrical version) and (to my pleasant surprise) of Hugo Weaving, whose Elrond has become much more balanced with just a few deft strokes.
Moreover, though most of the changes have made the movie adhere closer to the book, this has certainly not made the movie less enjoyable for those who have not read the books; if anything, the movie's pacing has become more even, lessening the frenetic feel that previously marred parts of it (of course, if you believe it _should_ have been an Action Movie And Only An Action Movie, you might regret this development).
All in all, I believe the extended version is a considerable improvement on the theatrical release. I originally rated the theatrical version an 8, and I would say the extended version is about a 3-point increase, but unfortunately I can't rate it an 11, so it'll have to be a 10.