Won't spoil the fun (or story)

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2002)

We showed up at 5:00 for the 5:30 showing and the rest of the shows were already sold out for the night. Fortunately, I had purchased our tickets online last week (at the matinÃ©e prices, no less). After sitting in the third row, center, we were shown ads for drivel such as Legally Blonde 2 and Dumb & Dumber 2 (titled Dumb & Dumberer). This is their target audience? Shrugging off the insult to my intelligence, I was treated to the visual and intellectual ride of my theater-going life. The first few minutes are simply INTENSE, and will make you want more, which the final hour of the 3-hour tour provides. I will try not to reveal or spoil too much for those not finished with the books yet.
Let me first say that Peter Jackson has skillfully remained faithful to the books, but yet still created his own version of the story by taking creative license when he deemed necessary. Some events are invented, rearranged, or removed, but it is easily apparent when taking into consideration the task at hand. My overall impression is that what may have gone overlooked in the books is highlighted enough to show emphasis, yet not overemphasized as to feel insulted.
The movie handles most of the second book, ending way before the "other side of the mountain" is even reached. It made sense to be a good place to pause the story, since the main climaxes had just happened (Helm's Deep, and Isengard). Gollum is featured prominently (and almost repulsively), and Faramir's roll is enhanced a little. There is also more emphasis on Arwen & Aragorn's relationship, too, but that's for the chicks, I think. Aragorn has a large roll throughout.
The special effects are, again, intense. The 10,000 computer-generated orcs are quite convincing. My trained and critical eye had a hard time finding any flaws, and I think I only found one (I could be wrong). If anything, the battle scenes seemed a bit too flashy, and by that I mean the action zipped by the screen so fast that I could hardly tell what was happening. Truly a candidate for next-gen video game youngsters on speed with slo-mo remotes. (Or am I just getting old?) Otherwise, superb. And the cinematography is, well, how can anyone take a bad picture of New Zealand? Spectacular. Even the musical score seemed improved (and note that Enya does not contribute to the soundtrack this time).
Everyone's acting is nothing less than excellent. Gimli the Dwarf plays a large part in providing comic relief, almost unexpectedly sometimes, which truthfully I thought the books lacked. Again, here is but one of the many examples where the film provides what seems like added "bonus" material to the books, without leaving you feeling disappointed about what they left out or changed.
Overall, I rate this film a carefully weighed 10, which is a grade not readily handed out in my book.