A Cinematic Epic that Would Make Tolkien Proud

Rating: 10/10 (9 January 2003)

I suspect that viewers of Peter Jackson's movie, Lord of the Rings, will respond to it much as they do to the novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Some will not be put off by the three-hour length any more than they are put off by the three-inch thick book. Some will not mind that this movie is just the first of three anymore than they mind the fact that the novel is the equivalent of three books.
Others will complain, much like one eloquent but utterly clueless viewer has done here previously. It's too long...too historical...too unbelievable.
If your idea of quality entertainment is reading the latest celebrity magazine or watching a 90 minute action film, The Lord of the Rings in either print or film IS probably not for you. But...if you delight in diving into a fictional work replete with imagery and detail, if you relish the intricate fantasy Tolkien created on paper, you will quite simply fall in love with Jackson's cinematic version of this 20th century classic.
Everything about this motion picture shines. From the perfect casting of each character to the detailed sets and staging, from the costumes to the musical score, this movie is an incredible rendering of Tolkien's finest work in careful detail. Painstaking care has obviously been given every element of this production, and the resulting epic sweeps the viewer up into Middle Earth, bringing to vivid life a world that readers have vividly imagined for half a century.
Grab your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the journey!