Read the books.

Rating: Null/10 (20 December 2001)

*Contains spoilers* I have read the book four times. I have read many other good books. LOTR is by far the most mesmerizing experience I have ever had, except for my wife. The movie does not rape the book. But is sure as hell messes it up big time. But is it really that bad? No. It baffles me. The movie does not stay true to the book at all. Those who read the book will agree. And some horrible mistakes are made. Stumbling(?) upon Merry and Pippin, Frodo and Sam both have packs on their backs. The four of them then set out for Bree a few days march from Hobbiton. But Merry and Pippin never have packs on their backs. If the march is not that long, then way does Frodo an Sam have packs on? Mistakes like this are made more than once in the movie. Isildur's sword not being forged anew by Aragorn, takes away a lot of Return of the King's meaning.
Why rush the story? Jackson had three hours? Cut out the Liv Tyler bit's and you have at least another 15 min which is plenty to build on the story line. Jackson had more than enough time to stay true to the book. Why he changed it so much I will never know. I do not have anything against Liv Tyler, but her character, Arwen, has a page and a half in the book, and a chapter in the appendix at the end of the book.
The book belongs to those who have read it so I have every right to bitch about the movie. Filming the Christian bible, and leaving out Christ would offend all Christians. So all who have read the book, would bitch about the shortcomings.
Make no mistake: the special effects are amazing. But that's not an achievement anymore. 10/10 for Moria, 10/10 for the acting (the script hammered them though), 10/10 for Jackson's directing, 5/10 for his script. The movie looks good, it smells good; hell, it even tastes good. But READ THE BOOKS. The movie does not come near it, and it could have.