Rating: 
Summary: Greatest Movie Ever!!
Review: So far I've seen this movie nine times and plan on going back for more. This is, without a doubt the greatest movie ever made. It dose a wonderful job of keeping with the book and makes the right condenses where they're needed (the beginning). The addition of Arwen's role is accebtable enough though not entirely necessary. Over all this movie is fantastic. The next two are sure to complete the greatest trilogy in the history of film. Don't miss this one in theaters because watching it at home won't give you nearly the same effect. Here's hoping it takes all 13 awards it this year's oscars!!!
Rating:
Summary: What you buy is up to you
Review: So I choose to wait for the extended scenes before buying LOTR: Fellowship and now I will probably go ahead and buy the theatrical release anyway - for comparison purposes.This is a fantastic set! Although I have only had time to view a third of the extra features on the two additional "Making of" disks, I enthusiastically recommend them. The National Geographic disk was a little disappointing - it spent too much time synopsizing the plot of "Fellowship" - but it included some good background on Tolkien's life and his goals and ideals. I don't need to say much about the movie itself and the additional scenes. They are beautiful and added a great deal of depth that was lacking in the theatrical release - though only fans of the book would probably notice the differences. In short, it's up to you which version to buy. If you are into background material, the four disk set has a wealth of wonderful material. If that's not important to you, the theatrical release is still beautifully done. And with the gift pack, you get the National Geographic disk and the bookends - nice but worth the price only if you are a rabid fan. Oh, and the "Free adult ticket" is only good at a limited number of theaters...
Rating:
Summary: Could it be much better???
Review: So I was sitting there, expecting some good movie, thinking it would be OK, but I was very wrong! It was awesome. I was totally sucked into the movie! Totally! My friend tapped me on the shoulder during the movie and I jumped a foot into the air. They casted the actors VERY well. Good old Gandalf, old, wise, always knowing (or suspecting) more than he will tell. Frodo, the only word to describe him is HAUNTING! But he is awesome! Samwise Gamgee, the loyal friend. Merry and Pippin, the two disasters waiting to happen! Aragorn, rugged, brave and quiet, with a kind of leadership, like there is more to him than the eye can see. Legolas, emotionless (most of the time) brave, a true elf. Gimli, proud, gruff, everything you would expect from a dwarf. Boromir, very human.
Everything was great!
Rating: 
Summary: Well well well
Review: SO I'm patiently waiting for the movie to come out, but as far as the reviews go, it's not that good. I just read the reviews below, and got really suprised about seeing some guy writing that Tolkien is childish. I'm 13, my Mom is 37, and my stepfather is 26. We all think Tolkien is great. I have never seen anyone in my life (except my Grandma who doesn't like anything that's not real - fantasy, sci-fi, etc) who didn't like Tolkien... well actually one guy, who was forced to read it in school, while he was too young for it. So ok. He said the book is childish and racist, and sexist, and stuff. Yeah, whatever. The guy below me said the same thing. Now let's guess why he said that. Ummmm.... because he's childish himself. Lord of the Rings is a very hard novel with a not-so-simple languages, a great plot, and with lots of imagination. The Hobbit IS childish, because it was supposed to be like that, but lotr is NOT. It's a novel, and people who think that the book is childish are probably childish themselves. Now, to the point. LotR is a great book, but as everyone knows, only a few movies in the world are better than books they were made after. Now look at the trailer. Arwen basically takes up a major part in the movie. She replaces the Elf (forgot his name) at the Ford, she replaces most of the smaller charachters in LotR. She becomes a tough girl who will kill everyone, and Aragorn will marry her for that. In the book, she's only mentioned in two or three chapters (Aragorn thinks and talks about her constantly but never actually mentions her name. That is needed to show us that he's really in love), but has a very definite charachter and role. She pays with her immortality for love, and that is what she does in the book, nothing else. She's a hero in this way, and not a hero in a sword-and-shield way. As far as I remember, (...) Saruman dies at the fall of Isengard, which means that the ending of the third part of the movie will be completely different. And that is one of the best parts of the book! And besides, it could be already seen that Peter Jackson tried to make a Holywood movie out of lotr, when holywood is just not the thing he needs. Tolkien's books have many ideas and messages, and he should make THEM to be first on the list!
Rating:
Summary: Timeless and Universal
Review: So many other reviewers have addressed the plot and course of the film, I thought I would concentrate on some of the more human elements. Mr. Jackson has captured the ageless themes of humanity in the Lord of the Rings in a way that has taken my breath away. I've read the trilogy many times in over 20 years, and this has driven me back to it, not to complain, but to compare and to contemplate. Anything that helps us to think about things like honor, and loyalty, and love, and courage, especially in these dark times, is worth whatever time it takes. Mr. Jackson has managed to create a world that is as real as our own for the time we are there, and given us images of truth. Anyone who has suffered a calamitous loss will recognize himself in Aragorn's reaction to Gandalf's fall--time slows, sounds fade, things become surreal. It is so clear that the delightful, free, innocent life of Hobbiton is worth risking exile and death to preserve. And frankly, I hope to die as Boromir did--absolved by the one with the power in my life to do so, aware of my failings but free of them at last, and at peace.
Something that will draw people out of themselves, help them see the best in humanity and give them a desire to preserve it, and give them a brilliant entertainment as well (the best swordfights I ever expect to see) is worth owning, worth watching again and again, and well worth sharing with any children in one's life. It was impossible for me to watch this film and not think of the hatred that was behind the September 11 attacks, especially in Boromir's description of Mordor--"There is evil there that does not sleep." There is so much we can learn from Tolkien's vision of Middle Earth, about what it means to be truly human, about what hate and evil and a desire for power and control can lead to. The books are certainly well known, but the films will make his vision truly worldwide.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, of course
Review: So many others have reviewed this DVD...it's excellent. The packaging, the material, it's all top notch and worth the money.
Rating: 
Summary: Pitiful rendition of book
Review: So much is left out, you cannot even follow the movie.
Rating:
Summary: This trilogy will run rings around Star Wars
Review: So now we finally have Lord of the Rings the film as well as the book. Which is better?
The book. It is THE BIBLE of fantasy, Tolkien was not the greatest writer of the 20th Century, but Lord of the Rings is possibly the finest fantasy book in history, it inspired a whole new genre of literary, cinematic and gaming fantasy and has given pleasure to millions.
So what of the film? Well, firstly to make a carbon copy of the book would have been an unwise move, it just wouldn't translate, Tolkien had no intention of the book being realised on the big screen, in fact he hated the idea.
The film is simply stunning, the star of the film, as with the book is the landscape and geography. It must be remembered that Lord of the Rings is a single tale, (all beit an epic one), set in Middle Earth, a place rich in cultures, languages, art and racial differences. Unlike other fantasies, (and I include Star Wars in this), no other fantasy world contains as much background and support material. In one sense this will have helped all those involved in "researching" for the film, in another sense it is a hinderance, avid fans can recite many passages of the book as a mantra, so when changes have been made to the text this has been the cause of much critisism. However, if you are a fan and think of the film as an adaptation rather than a verbatim clone of Tolkien's book then there isn't much to complain about, critisism has been mixed; too long, too short, too heavy, too lightweight...I think those people miss the point, this film is for both the fan and the newcomer and on both accounts it satisfies.
Can I be cruel and attempt to find fault? not really, but here are my unfair critisisms, Lothlorien was too dark in lighting and atmosphere and the scaling of the hobbits and dwarves sometimes wasn't entirely convincing.
Is that my critisism? Well, yeah, picky or what! Tiny details that I really struggled to find, from the start of the film part of me wanted to find fault but it was so dammned difficult.
Yes bits were cut, but three films of eight hours each is a non-starter, not to mention an extra 100 million to add those sequences, maybe a slightly longer editors cut might appear on the DVD version, that would be the icing on the cake.
But, at the end of the day, if you want a clone of the book then just read the damn book and forget the film, but if you are someone who enjoys first rate fantasy, and are willing to sacrifice some sub-plots then go see it, personally I think the book meandered in some parts and the film benefits from most of the "prunining".
If you've never read the book, go see the film. If you do read any book after watching it, one of the first you'll buy will be The Lord of the Rings.
Both are masterpieces.
Rating:
Summary: You haven't ordered it yet???
Review: So you are looking for one of the greatest movies made. Look no further. This has got love, honor, amazing costumes, and some great digital features. I can NOT WAIT to see it on DVD. ** I heard that there is going to be *EXTRA* Footage that was left out of the theatre!! My fiancee took me to see this movie, I had NEVER read any of the book, nothing. He said you should like it! I LOVED IT! I couldnt stop talking about it after we left the theatre. And KNEW NOTHING of the backgrounds. I took it for what i saw! This movie is on that ranks up on the lists like. Jurassic Park (the first one!!!), Men in Black, and Twister! It is one of the HIGHLY GRAPHIC movies that you just can see the clearity unless you see the DVD version!! THANK YOU
jessica Lynn
Rating:
Summary: Five Stars to Rule Them All!!!
Review: Solid five for this one! The "Fellowship of the Ring" is definately one of the best films in history. The special effects, lush settings, dark imagery, and epic story put other sci-fi and fantasy flicks to shame. Luke Skywalker, watch out for Frodo Baggins. The plot remains almost exactly to the book: Frodo the hobbit is given the quest to destroy the evil ring of the dark lord Sauron, and is joined by a motley bunch of adventurers to form the Fellowship of the Ring. Gandalf, the ancient wizard, gives guidance and wisdom. Legolas the Elf and Gimli the Dwarf, warriors among their kind, are well acted. Boromir the human is the heroic guy with a dark side to him. Aragorn, a.k.a. Strider, is so *HOT*. Sam, Pippin, and Merry, the three bumbling hobbits, provide comic relief as happy-go-lucky fish out of the water in a dangerous quest. The bad guys were convincingly evil and freaky, not like the stupid disco-chanting orcs in the 1970s cartoon, "Return of the King." The orcs were marvelously gross and ugly as they were meant to be. Saruman is excellent as Gandalf's rival. The ringwraiths are all good and spooky. The Eye of Sauron watches the viewers in their seats, and Balrog is great as a genuinely dark, evil spirit. The special effects themselves don't dominate the whole film. This movie brings the Tolkein characters and their Middle Earth world to stunning and breathtaking life. The characters become people one can relate to and it is easy to get into the story. (When Frodo was crying I just wanted to go up to the screen and hug him!!!) There is some controversy over the character of Arwen and her getting a bigger role in the movie than in the books. This was basically necessary, since she is the girlfriend of one of the lead male characters and the movie somehow has to establish her character. She IS a warrior woman, but not a fake Lara Croft or Xena take-off. A few other characters from the book are completely left out, but only for time reasons. With a whopping three hours already, it would be impossible to have the book down word for word. "Fellowship of the Ring" is sure to satisfy die-hard Tolkein fans without confusing newcomers. The movie goes into great detail and explanation without getting too slow. The chase sequences and epic battle scenes, especially in the second half of the film, take the viewer on a wild, heart-thumping, suspenseful roller coaster ride. Definately a must-see!
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