One of the all time greats

Rating: 9/10 (13 January 2002)

The "Lord of The Rings" series of films will, no doubt, go down in history as one of the best and most popular of all time. What Star Wars did for science fiction, "Lord" does for fantasy.
Rather than hire in a lot of big name Hollywood stars, thus ensuring a large audience, the filmmakers found an exceptional bunch of character actors and smaller stars. The necessary work and money was put into developing the stories and establishing setting, and so the movie is thoroughly satisfying as many modern big-budget action movies often aren't.
While the coming of the first installment was probably most drooled over by readers of Tolkien's original books, it may actually be a bit more popular with those who have not read the book, or at least aren't too picky about the details (as I am, somewhat). Hardcore fans will be sure to notice two or three minor discrepancies within the story, as I did. Most notable in its absence is the Tom Bombadil episode which added a very dreamlike sequence to the original book. While it, of course, isn't essential to the basic plot, it was a pleasant diversion and is missed somewhat. I've thought of several actors who would have been perfect as Bombadil, if only in a small part.
Notable also are the outstandingly subdued special effects. The filmmakers could have gone completely overboard in this film with stupid animated creatures and cutesy little pets at every turn, but the very tasteful animation is blended seamlessly with live action and superb makeup. Even the Sauron animation, which I expected to be completely overblown, really DOES look real (which is a first in computer animation for me).
In the end, "Lord" is an outstanding movie. Show up expecting one that will leave you shocked that you really sat there for over 3 hours and still don't want it to be over.