Exceeded my expectations

Rating: 10/10 (22 December 2001)

As a teenager, I read the "Lord of the Rings" at least three times, so I guess I fall into that category of Lord of the Rings fanatics. I am however not alone, as, for my demographic profile(growing up in the 70's in the US), it had for many the impact that "Harry Potter" (unfortunately hopelessly commercialized and put into a film version, so many will not bother to read the books, which are charming) appears to be having on the current one. I was concerned that the movie might, as previous attempts at film versions, be a huge disappointment. I was pleasantly surprised--although the "Fellowship of the Ring" necessarily edited out portions of the book and as a result also altered some details, it captured the spirit of Tolken's world so well, I was transported back to the wonder I first experienced as a young reader. The casting was inspired, the acting wonderful, and the movies visuals and pacing right on target. Although the entire cast was great, I want specifically to praise here the powerful performance of Sean Bean in his portrayal of Boromir (as the character will not appear in the next two films). I hope that this role will lead to future parts in film.

My one criticism is aimed at Hollywood's marketers. I was forced to sit through fifteen minutes of tedious trailers clearly targeted at a teenage male audience, which of course indicates their anticipated audience for the film itself. (I finally understood what torture it must be for a man to sit through the trailers that precede the typical, sugary romantic comedy--e.g. "Kate and Leopold"-- but I wont comment on that one here.) It indicates a complete failure in researching the actual readers of the book and in understanding both the female (and possibly--hopefully--much of the male) audience and the nature of the "Lord of the Rings" itself. Far from a simple action story, it is a world so completely imagined, it far transcends the more typical fantasy/action flicks (as well as books)that have followed it and appropriated much of its imagery, without however, its breadth of vision. Did they even read it? Thankfully, the director and cast clearly did.