Rating: 
Summary: The magic is still alive!
Review: This film speaks for itself. It is the definitive adaptation of Tolkien's work that will last for the next century or so. The casting, the acting, the sets and scenery all work together to make this a perfect film. Rarely does a book adapt so well to the silver screen, but Jackson has managed to work a miracle.I recommend this film as the perfect segue into the books, where you get the full and complete explosion of Tolkien's genius, since you get the broad strokes of the plot and subplots, but are not bogged down in detail and language. Seeing is believing! The DVD has all the bonuses that we have come to love and expect, except that there are no deleted scenes. On the super-deluxe version of "Lord of the Rings," to be released in November 2002, a full half-hour of deleted material will be reintegrated into the movie. The plusses include Enya's video of "May it be," which I might say is the cherry on the top of this succulent Sundae. It is a shot in the arm to see that Hollywood still has the magic and wonder, and the almost religious awe that I remember as a lad.
Rating:
Summary: All That I'd Imagined
Review: This film took a remarkable amount of work, both to make, and to figure out what matarial to include from the books. And after spending the last week-and-a-half searching out every internet article I could find about this movie, I went in to it fully aware of every effect, every decision, every actor, every prop, and everything else. Within twenty minutes, all of this had vanished from my mind. Although I've read all the books, they vanished, in part, from my awareness... And the books are *not* a pre-requisite. Though the initial prologue is a bit awkward, it aided the two people on my group of five that had never read the books, and enabled them to follow--and to want the sequal as immediately and as urgently as I do. The orcs are ugly. The uruk-hai are scary. The hobbits are three feet tall, and the emotions are stunning and genuine. As a film solely by itself, yes, it is incomplete. But nothing exists in a vacuum, and so knowing that there are six hours of movie left to go, I consider it a fine film, and proably the best literary adaptation I've ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: A thoroughly satisfying film version of Tolkein's fantasy
Review: This film version of the first volume of J. R. R. Tolkein's LORD OF THE RINGS will disappoint only the most hardcore Tolkein literalists, who won't accept even a single word being changed (and who probably wouldn't be content with anything short of a 300 hour long mini series). For the rest of us, seeing this film will be a remarkably immersive, moving, and impressive experience. Despite the fact that the series is incomplete as I write this (THE RETURN OF THE KING comes out this coming fall), I have to place this on my official list of my 100 Favorite Movies. In the interests of full disclosure, I will add that I am not what one would consider a Tolkein fanatic. I read the entire series in college, and later when my daughter was three-years-old I read her the trilogy aloud. I consider it to be a good, but hardly great, work of literature. The movie does so many things so well it is difficult to know where to begin. One has, I suppose, to begin with the art and set design. I have never seen a film that paid so much attention to detail. The design of the tiniest objects onscreen appears to have been labored over. The jewelry, for instance, is both striking and unique. I especially like the clasps the 'fellowship' wear on the Elvin cloaks. The effort expended on the jewelry is typical of everything else. The make up, the furniture design, the boats, the weapons, absolutely everything that appears onscreen seems to have emerged from another world and from the most dedicated crafts persons. Technically, the film is a marvel. The photography, the CGI scripting, the myriad of special effects is all very close to perfect. One never is bothered or disturbed or skeptical by the presence onscreen of the Hobbits and humans and dwarves. Other aspects of the production, such as the photography and music and sound, are also done about as well as is possible. The casting is impeccable. Ian McKellan is perfect as Gandalf, my favorite character from the novels. Viggo Mortensen is a fine Strider/Aragorn. Elisha Wood still, even after the first two films, completely won me over, but it doesn't hurt the film as a whole. Orlando Bloom and John Rhys-Davies are great as an Elf and Dwarf respectively. Most of the rest of the cast is rock solid. I was especially pleased to see Ian Holm, who voiced Frodo in the famed radio version of LORD OF THE RINGS, portray Bilbo. Christopher Lee, who is not only a Tolkein fanatic but is the only member of the cast to have actually met Tolkein, does his usual capable job of being evil as Saruman. My only real disappointment in the film, as I'm sure it was to many who have read the novels, was the decision to not include Tom Bombodil, unquestionably the most important character in the novels to be excluded. The Tom Bombodil sequence is one of the most delightful in the trilogy, and provides both a break in the long journey to the Elves and is crucial in making the journey feel long and eventful. As a result, in the movie that journey seems to take considerably less time than in the novel. I know that not every detail or scene in the novel could make its way into the movie, but that was one that I especially lament. Besides, Tom is such an outrageous character, it would have been delightful to see how they would have portrayed him. Otherwise, I have no major complaints with the film. Most scenes and events are portrayed anywhere from adequately to spectacularly. I especially loved the way they handled how the world looked whenever Frodo put on the ring.
Rating:
Summary: Lord Of The Rings kicks Harry Potter's butt!!!!!!!
Review: This film was fantastic it was always exciting and there was always something happening all the time. The effects were fabulous and the creatures in the movie were well created. Even though the film was 3 hours long it diddn't bore me- because i thought at first i was going to get bored sitting for 3 hours watching this film but it did not bore me at all because there was always something new happening and i thouroughly enjoyed the film. This film is loads better than Harry Potter because Harry Potter is mainly a kids film as this one is for kids and adults. I can't wait for the next one to come which is 'The Two Towers' in christmas 2002 so untill the next one comes out i am going to buy the second book called 'The Two Towers' and read it to find out what happens because the suspence is killing me!
Rating:
Summary: CAN'T WAIT UNTIL PART TWO!!
Review: This film was one of the greatest movies I've seen... pure entertainment! i never read the books so I wasn't sure what this film was really going to be about besides the ring, but this film was escellent! I was kind of dissapointed when my favorite character died but other than that I loved the movie, and I think i'm hooked! as soon as this film gets put on DVD, I'll be the first to buy it!!! MUST SEE MOVIE and as the Oscars showed, Lord Of the Rings is truley great!!
Rating:
Summary: TOLKIEN IS HOBBIT-FORMING!
Review: This film was phenomenol. It did not quite live up to the books, but that would have been an accomplishment beyond comprehension. Peter Jackson has made himself a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!
Review: This film was stellar and I am so thrilled to know that the makers were wise enough to do all three films at the same time because this cast and director, these incredible sets and locations are perfect! I've read the Trilogy three times ( a relative few times, I realize.) I have loved it for nearly four decades and I consider it the best book ever written and so I was worried that the film would not measure up. It did!
Any nitpicking about the plot changes and the development of the Lady Arwen's character are just that...nitpicking. This is an ADAPTATION and so editing it down to a convenient size without losing the power and flow of the story was a difficult task, I am sure. No, we do not see Old Man Willow or Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. If the Barrow Downs scene would have been included and done well it would have taken another 1/2 hour alone. We don't visit with Farmer Maggot either, but remember this is an adaptation and we cannot be literal minded if we hope to enjoy this film. What we are given is fabulous! The Lady Arwen is placed in the scene at the Ford of Bruinen rather than Glorfindel but it works as well and gives Arwen a much more rounded character that will later be important to our understanding of Aragorn and Elves in general. It works and her newly enlarged character is breath-taking and so beautifully played by Liv Tyler. The casting was, all in all, magnificent and the make-up and hair and costumes were brilliant. These characters meshed well with the perceptions I had in my head as a result of reading the books. My one fault with casting was in the character of Elrond played by Hugo Weaving. Weaving does a good job and his fine bone structure is very Elvish in appearance and the strength in his voice is appropriate, but unfortunately at least for this part, Weaving's previous role in "The Matrix" tainted him too much to make him acceptable. The vibration of malignancy from "The Matrix" role spilled over into this role and Elrond should not have a whiff of malignancy about him however faint. I am easily willing to accept that tiny flaw because of the excellence of all the rest of the cast. My favorites are Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Billy Boyd as Peregrin Took, Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee. These three manage to stand out in a brilliant cast and their acting is just a dead-ringer for their literary counterparts. I thought I might object to the pointed ears that were given to the Elvish folk in this film because the books never describe Elves as having pointy ears, but it works well, actually, and gives just the right flavor of the Fey to these people without making them in the least like Santa's helpers as I had feared.
The Shire IS the Shire in this film. Isengard and the tower of Orthanc are right on and the depiction of Khazad-dum was deep and heavy with doom and magnificence. Satisfying.
This movie flowed swiftly and was totally engrossing at every moment. The characters drew you in and made you believe in them. The bits that were spoken in the Elvish tongue with subtitles added to the film rather than detracting as some subtitles can do. The film succeeded in being great in its own right and able to stand alone as a film even for people who have not read the books. I expect it will draw legions of new fans to the books.
I am thoroughly pleased with the results of all this movie magic and I bow to the creators of "Lord of the Rings". I offer them my sword. Let no one pass who would naysay their Majesties.
Rating:
Summary: A Completely Amazing film!
Review: This film was under creation for quite some time. I remember back in '99 when there were rumors of the film being made. Well, it finally has been made. Put together an incredible story based on one of the best and most cherished books of all time, add strong actors, and amazing special effects and you'll get The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The story follows Frodo Baggins on his journey to destroy the One Ring that could result in the destruction of his world, Middle-Earth. This film was far beyond my expectations. I had read the Hobbit and was in the middle of the first Lord of the Rings book when I saw this film. I was truly amazed! This is THE BEST film of the new millenium thus far. The acting was so real...all the emotions: the pain, the fear, the sorrow...were brought to life by the most amazing actors. Peter Jackson is the best director of all time in my book. He has brought to life possibly the best book of all time and achieved complete perfection. I can not wait for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to come into the theaters this Christmas. This is one film that will not leave anyone dissapointed
Rating: 
Summary: Dismal Failure to Capture the wonder of Middle Earth/Tolkein
Review: This film would have been much improved by cutting two or three minutes from probably twenty scenes. The audience is subjected to scene after scene of monsterous beings of evil pouring over hills for as far as the eye can see. There is the chase, the nine of the fellowship are surrounded, they fight, and somehow manage to vanquish the evil forces. Tokiein never intended this kind of film. There is very little of the life of the hobbits, the mistic qualities of Middle Earth. In the book, setting was definetly a character. Not in the film. The monsters are too monstery, and the evil is shouted (shown in neon and blasted in surround sound). This is not to say that there were not some good moments in the film. The opening montage was excellent. There were some touches of comic relief. But my chief complaint is that the film is over produced and over blown. It is shouted to idiots whereas it should have been whispered to those who have ears to hear.
Rating:
Summary: BORING
Review: This film, and it's sequel, were a nice reminder never to beleive any hype in the media when it comes to movies, no matter how pompous. This film is was mass-comsumption, like a Big Mac. The characters were so simple and undeveloped, that the film quickly becomes boringly, annoyingly predictable, no matter what fight, fantasy 'people', or any other situation turns up.
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