Great ride but not FOTR

Rating: 10/10 (23 December 2002)

SPOILERS (as if you would be here if you wanted to avoid them...) No choice but to agree with the superlatives regarding action directing, use of CGI (Gollum!!) and the overall joy of watching this film. However, the magic of FOTR, which I think (and wrote here) was a direct effect of the superb source material, is not matched. I fail to see the need for the large deviations from Tolkien's original plot. Best: Ents trash Isengard (superb), Gollum, Frodo-Sam relationship development, Aragorn-becomes-King, Grima Wormtongue, Helm's Deep (esp arrival of Gandalf & Riders of Rohan). Worst: Frodo and Sam in Osgiliath (????), Gimli comedy routine, Wraiths on wings (really really crap). Still, if you like film, this is a must see in a theatre with a good sound system.