Brilliant Cinematography

Rating: Null/10 (5 December 2003)

New Line Cinema brings the pages of J.R.R. Tolkien to life in this first part of The Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson directs this masterpiece which will undoubtedly become one the most famous trilogies ever. Life in the Shire was good to Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood). He was content to live with his Uncle Bilbo (Ian Holm). As Bilbo turned 111, Bilbo's magic ring came under the spotlight by Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), Bilbo's dear friend and also a wizard. After some research, Gandalf's deepest fears were confirmed the ring was the ring of power that was forged by the evil Sauron himself. Gandalf decides that Frodo must seek the advice of Elrond the Elvin-king of Rivendell (Hugo Weaving). Pursued by Sauron's evil servants the Ring-Wraiths, Frodo and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) set out for Rivendell, along the way Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan) and Peregrin Took (Billy Boyd) join up with them. Strider also known as Aragorn son of Arathorn (Viggo Mortensen) and good friend of Gandalf helps them narrowly escape the Wraiths at the Prancing Pony in Bree. At Weathertop Frodo is mortally wound and is need of Elrond's expert healing ability. To his rescue is Elrond's daughter Arwen (Liv Tyler) when she takes them to Rivendell. After a meeting of many different races, they decide the ring should be destroyed. The representatives of men, elves, dwarves, and hobbits which include Aragorn, Legolas the elf(Orlando Bloom), Boromir the man(Sean Bean), Gimli the dwarf (John Rhys-Davies), Gandalf the Grey, Frodo the ring bearer, Sam, Peregrin also know as Pippin, and Merry. With spirits high they travel to the mountains and encounter darkness in the Mines of Moria. After they escape the darkness, the Fellowship travels to the Woods of the Lorien where the Lady of the Wood (Cate Blanchett) dwells. The Fellowship leaves Lorien with next to no hope. The Fellowship is beginning the fall apart. The Ring is tearing them apart. Frodo sees this and decides it is time for him to take the ring to Mount Doom himself, but Sam would not let him leave without him. The others were then under siege by Orcs that were hot on their trail, and they abducted the other hobbits. The Orcs thought they were the ones with the ring. The rest of the group begin their search and rescue mission. This is the natural stopping place for the end of the movie. This movie captures the essence of J.R.R. Tolkien's second part of the literary work of genius The Lord of the Rings. The Two Towers masterfully sets up the war to end all wars. The idea of good over evil is alive and well in this film. The cast eloquently cite their parts like poetry, and they play their parts superbly. I would recommend this film to anyone who likes an awe inspiring movie.