Unparalleled brilliance

Rating: Null/10 (30 July 2004)

Brilliant. What can one really say about these movies? Tolkien is amazing, and Peter Jackson is a true genius, a director with unbelievable vision who is not afraid to stay true to the books he is inspired by. While I'm primarily commenting on Fellowship (although Two Towers is admittedly my favorite), I speak about all three when I say that these are without question some of my favorite movies ever made.
Speaking only about the Fellowship, the cast is great. I love love the hobbits. Viggo Mortenson especially shines as Aragorn, son of Arathorn. He brings a real passion to the character.
The action is great and the special effects are superb without being cheesy. (Perhaps my favorite scene is in the Two Towers-the battle of Helm's Deep) New Zealand is amazing. I know that some people complain about the vague ending of the Fellowship, this is truly one movie broken into three parts. If the general public can't handle it, too bad for them.
Peter Jackson brings a haunting quality to Tolkiens epic without losing the magic or the human aspects of the story. A must see for anyone.