A Must See! Spellbinding, Riveting, A Film-Making Achievement!

Rating: Null/10 (21 December 2001)

Many times, a movie review will depend on whether the reviewer read the book first or saw the film first. For those who have read the book, the film usually is a letdown as there just aren't enough minutes to accurately depict all the action of the movie. Additionally, if the filmmaker did not create the scenes as you, the reader, visualized them, it doesn't work. The first installment of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, succeeds in every manner imaginable of re-creating Tolkien's middle-earth...from scenery, to special effects to a perfect cast. I was one of many who read these books in my youth, and waited many years to see the films bring the story to life. It was worth the wait, as I cannot imagine the film without today's special effects knowledge. The film is a guaranteed winner come Academy Award time for costume design, with the Orcs and Urik-hai topping the list. The limited criticisms I have read referred to a lack of characterization, an untidy ending and a departure from the books of Tolkien. As far as the lack of characterization, remember this is the first installment of three. Characters will develop more as the plot thickens. I was riding along in Middle-earth from the first moment of the film, and felt all the characters compelling. In response to those who wrote of an untidy ending, this was the ending of the novel. Those who feel cheated to wait a year for another taste, the same happened when Tolkien's books were released. Lastly, as far as differences in the book and film, they are minimal and done creatively to not detract from the story. In fact, Peter Jackson has used these differences to further develop the characterization consistent with Tolkien. The film is nearly 3 hours in length. I attended the midnight showing on opening night and had to arise for work at 6 a.m. Still, I found myself looking at my watch throughout the movie...not to see how much longer it was going to drag on but to see how much more I would get to see. It was the shortest three-hour film I have ever seen. When it ended, I was exhilarated, exhausted and ready for more. "Fellowship of the Ring" is an epic of the scale of "Lawrence of Arabia," special effects on the level of "The Matrix," and a filmed version of a novel as well-done as "To Kill A Mockingbird." Don't miss it.