Extremely Enjoyable

Rating: Null/10 (6 October 2002)

I was pleasantly surprised by Lord of the Rings. As I went to see it later, as opposed to earlier when it had been just released, I had heard a lot of opinions about it. Many people said it was 3 hours too long, many people said they absolutely loved it. So for me, I didn't really know what to expect, more along the average line than anything else. But as soon as it started I knew I was wrong. I loved every single minute of it, I am sure that one day when the other two come I'll just sit and watch for 9 hours, without doing anything else.
The story is wonderful, but it is even better if you have read the books so that you know a bit more about what's going on. I found the special effects to absolutely fascinating, I love the parts when they show the huge towers and swoop down underground. The actors were very well casted, making the characters in Tolkein's work come to life. At no times was the dialogue forced or melodramatic, the actors really did a superb job. I really appreciated the performances of Ian McKellen and Elijah Woods (Gandalf the Grey and Frodo Baggins). I have heard many people say the acting was poorly done and the story was boring, but I feel that this movie cannot be truly critiqued without having read the books. Minus a couple of scenes and characters that weren't altogether necessary, the movie quite closely resembles the story. It is still an awesome movie, even if you haven't read the book, but it is comparable to starting a book halfway through. It may be good from where you start, but you don't get to really know the characters or get a real appreciation for the plot. All you will really get is a good story. To really appreciate Lord of the Rings I strongly advise reading the original version of Tolkein's.
Another aspect that I really appreciated was the morality of the film. There was no need for foul language, or any attempts at anything sexual or other such unnecessary things. There was violence in the battle scenes, but I appreciated how they didn't dwell on the gore, and really, there was very little blood at all anyways. I am not in anyway suggesting this for children, as it would not be appropriate, but for the older audiences it is a fascinating movie well worth the 7$ payed to get in.
10/10