'Best Picture'? Maybe not.

Rating: Null/10 (29 July 2004)

POSSIBLE SPOILERS
Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge fan of the LOTR books, ever since i delved my way through the trilogy several years ago. They got me started on the fantasy/sf genre, and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Peter Jackson, how could you? Some parts of this movie where amazing. The battle siege of Gondor and the destruction of the Ring. The opening sequence, with Smeagol and Deagol, had me alternatively laughing my heart out and shocked. However...
The 40 minutes of extra endings, lack of Saruman and the Scouring of the Shire, and the clunky dialouge in some places "...and this is for my old gaffer!" turned this film into something little better then Titanic in places. So much of this film could have been edited out and put into the extended edition.
Many people think that the Academy was really rewarding the entire trilogy with all the Oscars this film received. Trust me, it didn't deserve them all; I personally thought that 'Mystic River' would have been a better choice for Best Picture and that it should NOT have one Best Editing. 'Fellowship of the Ring' is the best picture in this trilogy.
All that aside, its still an amazing film, certainly heads and tails above the dribble that most film makers are putting out right now ('Dodgeball', anyone...?). It just wasn't all that it could be.
**** of *****