Half-empty or half-full?

Rating: Null/10 (8 September 2003)

I have read the books twice and enjoyed the experience, have seen both movies several times and enjoyed that experience too. For me neither reading a book or watching a film is necessarily a passive experience, to get the most out of some things in life you have to allow your imagination (if you have one) to immerse itself in the thing as a whole and just let it flow. This story does that, it is a grand journey to take if you allow it be, or else it is a tedious trek with stones in your shoes if you prefer things that way. The films live up to that vision and are beautifully made, well-acted and visually stunning, and capture the spirit of the books as well as is possible with film - or, if you prefer it, long poncy movies with not enough obvious entertainment value and/or (gasp shock horror} not absolutely perfect in every miniscule detail. The choice is yours, but I can't help feeling a bit sorry for all those in group 2. To the rest of you: bloody brilliant, eh?