Excellent adaptation of Middle Earth to screen

Rating: 8/10 (13 July 2002)

I saw the film for the second time last night in a second-run pub-theatre, and I will say this: for The Third Hour I could really feel details of the old seat. When you see this movie, a comfortable chair is essential, because it is enchanting and you will not want to move and your buttocks may well get sore before the end.
This film is not above criticism from Tolkien diehards, but it is a remarkable visual experience. The acting was not perfect, yet so complete was my suspension of disbelief that I seldom felt like it was poor acting by anyone other than the *characters* in the story. (Why, Pippen, what a strange thing to say...) Some may complain that this section or that section was omitted, or the film sacrificed one minor character to build up another, or there were too many ring shots, or whatever. IMHO, these are ultimately little more than nitpicks.
Anyone who read the book has to admit that turning it into a screenplay is a tough job. For all that was omitted, IT WAS STILL 3 HOURS LONG. What's a humble script writer going to do, release it as a 6-hour movie to fit in Old Man Willow and Tom Bombadil and Goldberry and Fatty Bolger and the house in Crickhollow and Farmer Maggot and the barrow wights? No, this is about as good a job as one can do with the story as a movie script and still have a movie. Tolkien's books do not jump easily onto the movie screen; many have tried, so far only this one has succeeded.
The level of detail in set and costume design is beyond compare. I have never seen anything like it before, and outside this trilogy I don't expect to see it again. New Zealand provides a wonderful backdrop for the film, it is Middle Earth as far as I can tell. One really feels the age and stagnation of the elvish culture, the ruin of the Numenorean civilization, the pastoral provincialism of the hobbits, the lost glory of the greedy dwarves, and the tension between various races. The elves are not presented as benevolent fairy-godmother types, which is refreshing. Galadriel was a presence that defied description, although the aural effect on her voice made some of her speech difficult to grok. The size differences are expressed rather well, one seldom doubts that Elijah Wood is three feet shorter than Ian McClellan.
Nothing in this film is so poor as to merit serious complaint, and much is done exquisitely. For all her a priori shortcomings as an actress, Liv Tyler does speak elvish passingly well, with subtitles, and Arwen's altered, expanded role is welcome. Her romance with Aragorn is done briefly, as is to be expected when the goal was moving the plot along, but not quite as cursorily as some reviewers here have suggested. It will be interesting to see how the conflicted passion of Eowyn is used by the script in the upcoming sequel.
Oh, yes, that brings me to the trailer for The Two Towers attached to the end of the film. Those who longed for more epic battle scenes will be more than satisfied with the next two movies, I'd wager. It looks every bit as beautiful a film as this one, and will likely omit just as much and be just as long and be nominated for at least as many awards.
I voted this film an 8/10, downgraded only for my own minor nits with a few coarse edits, somewhat undercooked acting, and occasional sloppy dialog. My only moment of disconnect from the fantasy occurs when Hugo Weaving talks, as I keep expecting Agent Smith from The Matrix. "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson."