if a film can be arrogant.

Rating: 2/10 (1 February 2002)

For those who have read Tolken's books, or the one coinciding with the recently released Lord of the Rings, I am sure the film was engrossing in it's imagery of "middle earth" as well as its many references to magical swords, poisonous this or that. The development of characters was ignored allowing me to feel very little sympathy for their fantastic voyage. The film did not stand on it's own two feet but uses as a cruch the assumption that the viewer has read Tolken's timeless fantasy novel. The multitude of Tolken unread paid to sit through the film feeling as if they were the outsider to an ongoing inside joke. The films intentions were weak and ill concieved supposing an audience versed in the travails of hobbots and wizards. This type of exclusivity is something that should be kept in the realm of posh academia and basement comic book stores. I feel as if some pimply geek just got one over on me.