Excuse me while I gush

Rating: 10/10 (13 January 2002)

I will preface my comments by saying that I have read the books, but it has been some years since that time. While movies should be able to stand on their own regardless of the source, there is an undeniable influence when one knows the story already. Now, excuse me while I gush.
This is just a tremendous movie. The story is legendary, having influenced the entire body of work following it. The movie really brings this story to life visually. The special effects are tremendous and almost never get in the way. The casting is brilliant. The soundtrack fits so well with the movie.
The only negatives are that we have to wait until August, 2002, (reportedly) for the DVD, December, 2002, for The Two Towers, and December, 2003, for The Return of the King.