Very good film, but not the best ever...

Rating: 7/10 (23 December 2001)

May contain spoilers...
This is a very well done film. Really, quite good. I would much rather see it be the "Best Picture" rather than something so bizarre as Mulholland Dr. which seems to be getting all the art hype.
Having not read the books, my biggest disappointment was the end. The scene faded and I was expecting another scene -- nope, just the Director's credit -- a real let down after such good stuff.
Otherwise this was a completely entertaining film. Others have commented on "you like fantasy or you don't" -- well, I tried to read "The Hobbit" when I was a teen and just plain was not interested. The film of this story was very interesting, very well acted, and just a fine production.

Making viewers wait an entire year is a mistake. Are the producers going to re-release this just before the release the second? Perhaps they will release it on video a month before the second one shows. Another user commented that this was a "wait for it on video" movie. Well, I like the big screen and while there are movies I could say that about, this one may or may not fit that category. Having to wait a year, I will likely await the release of the set on video and see the other two at home.
This is a very good film, however, it does not rate being the all-time #1 film... I suspect that the voters that have scored it a "1" are trying to make that point. Nobody should be rating this below 7 (IMO) but almost 10,000 10's are (IMO) a reflection on the maturity of the voters as well as a reflection on how many great films they have not yet seen...