Breathtaking - Left the cinema enthusiastic

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2001)

Ok. I'm a fan of the books and I was sceptical. I saw what happened to DUNE, another masterpiece of a novel that was not properly adapted. What Peter Jackson did here though surprised me in many ways. I did not expect so much emotion in it. My pulse went up as soon as the hobbits left the shire and from then on the movie was absolutely thrilling. Even though I knew the plot by heart I was continually surprised by details and excellent emotional acting. All the characters had great depth, the dialogue was close to the book but matched the flow of the action. The special effects were probably the best I've ever seen, and even though the movie was FULL of them you never had the impression that this was an effect driven movie. So many scenes looked totally natural and realistic...it must be the landscapes of New Zealand that just look more beautiful than anything a computer could render. The ending is perfect. I can't remember when I left the cinema with such a broad smile on my face. Possibly a runner for the best film of the year Academy Award. And George Lucas should watch this. It shows what his recent Star Wars attempts are lacking: Depth.