A Matter of Visions

Rating: 10/10 (16 July 2002)

Roger Ebert only gave this film three stars because he felt it did not meet his personal criteria for what the movie should be like. But that is what Peter Jackson has been embellishing ever since he started on this nearly eight-year odyssey. It is Jackson's view of how HE would want the movie to be made. On that note, this film has been worth the three years I have spent salivating over any and every web site designed to proclaim the greatest film series ever ("Star Wars" has lost its edge, and "The Matrix" has too narrow an appeal). The only reason I found out these movies were being made was because I was curious what Sean Bean had been up to. This was in 1998, and the wait was well worth it. New Zealand was the PERFECT place for filming Middle Earth, and Jackson does a fine job in making sense of the epic novel. The actors were all fine in their roles, although I still long for Sean Connery as Gandalf, even though Sir Ian McKellen did get an Academy Award nomination. Personally, I though the best performances were by Sean Astin and Sean Bean (Have I already shown my bias for the only man who could play Richard Sharpe?) And while the action scenes are quite engaging, the Rivendell scene stands out as my favorite. The first shots capture the mystery and splendor of Middle Earth's most enchanting and enigmatic characters, the Eldar (Elves to you non-readers of the novels). Howard Shore's Oscar-winning score is no better the here, with the ghostly chorus holding their notes as the Hobbits stroll mesmerized through this strange and beautiful land. The imagery is so engaging that the audience cannot help but be swept away as well. This is what movie-making is all about folks, and if you miss this, you've missed a lot.