Better than Godfather if you like epic tales of pith and power.

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2002)

If you enjoy superior acting (and by acting I mean portraying a fictional character, you can't play a "realistic" elf or wizard since they do not exist). If you enjoy vast breathtaking vistas combined with moving dialog against the backdrop of classic good versus evil. If you like to see good/evil in various forms from subtle influences all the way to awesome movers and shakers. If you like a good laugh followed by INTENSE BATTLES. If you like to fly with eagles, ride horse back chased by black riders, battle orcs, goblins, a troll (which by the way is much more animated than Harry Potter's troll--who was knocked unconscious with his own club, SPOILER:the troll in FOTR takes several arrows to the head, numerous stab wounds and keeps fighting the entire party for an extended period of time), and other creatures. If you desire to commune with your inner child. Then Fellowship of the Ring is unflagging in its delivery. This movie is every young man's fantasy come true.
Ten years ago we discussed the possibility of making LOTR into a movie on the Tolkien newsgroup and the biggest fear was the inability to bring the glorious tale from the imagination to the screen. Well Peter Jackson has certainly done a terrific job. After watching FOTR there was nothing I would change, unlike the feeling leaving Episode I. Lucas could learn a lot from Jackson about making an Epic in this day and age. Episode I had plenty of terrific scenes, along with plenty of ho hum scenes. There wasn't a scene in FoTR that was ho hum.
NOW TO THE CONTROVERSY: This controversy about whether FoTR is the best movie of all time will continue. One good indicator is the number of those seeing the movie who give it a 10. More than 28K and growing, compared with the 25K who give Godfather a 10. Simple math, more people give FoTR a 10 than any other movie (ok so really Star Wars has more 10's with a lower overall percentage). My point is that those who say LOTR is not a contender for the top spot are underestimating its power and influence in the movie industry. What makes a movie the number one movie of all time is that more people think it is the best, not that critics who seem to contradict the majority of movie goers more often than not, like the film. Critics seem to like a certain kind of movie (can you say chick flick) and the general public appears to like action/fiction films, with the exception of Titanic.
If you didn't like LOTR don't tell everyone it was a bad film because it really was a unique experience. Rather say you don't like intense films with terrific action, special FX and talented actors playing fictional characters.