Spellbinding. As close to perfection as a movie could be. This is what cinema is all about.

Rating: 10/10 (11 August 2003)

I went to see this at 9.30 on a cool Sunday morning the week it was released. I had always promised myself that I would someday get around to reading The Lord of the Rings, so when I heard there was a movie on the way, I figured that was a good time to start. So I've read the books, and now I go to see how Peter Jackson has dealt with the story. And boy, what a ride! There is nothing I didn't like about this film, from the casting, acting, scenery, special effects and music. For three hours I was swept away into another world, not even noticing how much time had passed. When it finished, I was left sitting there, mouth open, wondering how I could ever come to the movies again. Although the story was somewhat altered, I think that the changes made enhanced a wonderful story. Cutting out the whole Tom Bombadil bit was, for me, the master stroke, as it was the one part of the book that almost made me put it down. Tolkien purists may not like some of the changes, but they are relatively a small group compared to the millions that have seen the film with no previous experience of Tolkien's work. Some allowances have to be made for storytelling's sake, and for clarity's sake. The cast: Wow. Not only were the characters exactly as I had pictured them when reading the book, but the performances, no exceptions, were top notch. I couldn't single out any one above the others, all were exceptional. Astin, Bean, Blanchett, Bloom, Boyd, Holm, Lee, McKellan, Monaghan, Mortenson, Rhys-Davies, Tyler, Weaving, Wood. What can I say? The work each actor put in to make their character believable is evident in the film. Kudos to all. Seamless special effects, in places that I didn't spot until I watched the DVD documentaries. The Moria scenes even had CGI Fellowship members running around....I hadn't even noticed! The opening scenes, with the siege of Barad-Dur, took my breath away. The New Zealand scenery is just incredible to behold. As a backdrop to one of the greatest (in my humble opinion!) films ever made, it adds a touch of mystery and awe to an already wonderful tale. But the finishing touches, for me were put in by Howard Shore. The Music: Words fail me. For me, the final piece of the puzzle. When you take a perfectly cast film, with great performances, fantastic scenery, and great special effects, you think you have it in the bag. But then along comes Howard Shore, and raises it to a whole new level. From the opening New Line Cinema logo, before we ever see what Jackson's Middle Earth looks like, we are transported to a new world through the sense of sound. The music of the elvish scenes is achingly beautiful with a sense of tragedy about it. We instinctively know that there is something going on here, that they are declining, before anyone mentions it. We feel the darkness of the opening scene, followed by the jolly, rustic Shire music to introduce us to all things Hobbit, then all along the journey we are treated to amazing pieces that enhance the mood every scene. I could go on for hours about Rivendell, Many Meetings, Aniron, A journey in the Dark, The Bridge at Khazad Dum, The Uruk-Hai theme, but I think I've made my point. Shore says in a documentary on the DVD that he saw this as his chance to write an opera. Well, act one is in the bag. Let's have the rest of it! Closing comments: Something that will be talked about for years to come. I think this is a cinematic masterpiece, and will rightly earn its place among the greatest films of all time. Peter Jackson, if you read this, please accept my heartfelt thanks for the experience you gave me on that Sunday morning. I have had some good movie experiences in my almost three decades, a few wow experiences, but only one Lord of the Rings experience. I grade this film 10/10, in every category.