Could have been the best picture of the last 50 years.

Rating: Null/10 (1 January 2003)

The actors are wonderful as are the sets and locations. The attention to detail on the costums deserve an Oscar. If they had only used Tolkien's story but alas, they did not. I forgive the Ents not looking anything like they were described. I couldn't overlook the fact that the Ents decided to ignore the evil around them after the Ent mot. Nothing like the book and no reason I could see for the story change.
The soldiers of Gondor never took Frodo and company anywhere but the cave. Fairamer???? (forgive the spelling please) showed the wisdom his brother lacked by allowing Frodo to continue his quest from the caves after Frodo swears not to reveal their location. The scene we did get was the Naz'gul attacking a fortification and causing all who heard it to fall to the ground in fear.
Don't get me wrong, I know this did in fact happen in the legend of the ring as told by Tolkien, it just didn't happen until book three The Return of the King.
These are two of the worst departures from the story as it was written.
Over all, this is a very very good movie. Had the story been used, it could have been great.