Incredible...

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 2002)

My two cents: Awesome! I'll try to let that be my summary contribution to the growing list of well-deserved one-word accolades for this film. Everything has been pored over in minute detail so it's not necessary to reiterate. I won't relay the story or plot because there are so many well-written recaps already (and you need to read the books anyway). I'll just say that I have been a Tolkien fan for 20 years...and this visual interpretation was worth the wait...that should say it all. The acting was above par, the SFX nearly seamless (arguably the best ever), the music moving and appropriate and the editing (considering the mammoth source work) was superior and far better than I anticipated. The (relatively) minor changes and omissions bothered me little. The one and only thing I truly missed was the conflict and blossoming bond between Gimli and Legolas. Alas, it is small worry in comparison to the spellbinding overall effect. The film maintained it's wonder even under the scrutiny of a second (and much more analytical) viewing. Suffice it to say that my wife and brother, both of whom have never read the books, nor cared to, were fascinated and kept me up until nearly 1 AM for Tolkien Q&A. Both now desire to read the books and have begun the fantastic journey of exploring Middle-Earth. 10/10 for the most accomplished adaptation in movie history, in my opinion. Thank you Peter Jackson and ALL the hard workers (extras, wranglers, techs, carpenters, farmers, etc.) who labored long to bring to inspiring fruition the dreams of little boys the world over. Count me one.