Rating: 
Summary: Three hours worth spending
Review: There are alot of reasons why LOTR: TFOTR is the ultimate fantasy epic of our times;It's the deepest, darkest, and most intense epic movie ever made, behind The Two Towers. I've read the book several times over the years and I definately can say that this movie almost pulled every image that I came up with out of my head and put them onto the screen. The whole movie has a dark, and engaging sense of adventurism, intensity, and desperation that alot of other fantasy movies lack, simply because LOTR is so complex and multi-dimensional that it would be almost impossible to surpass for eons to come. I personally recommend getting the Collector's Gift Set if you can find it as it offers so much more than the ... VHS edition and it also doesn't wear out as easily as the VHS. Get this movie and get teh gift set for the best purchase ever.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible.
Review: There are DVDs. There are special edition DVDs. There are special edition DVDs loaded with extras. Now, there is THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING SPECIAL EXTENDED DVD EDITION. I don't think there has been anything like this in home viewing ever. It has been suggested that this Special Edition set is the closest thing one can actually get to having been a part of the movie and I would have to agree. It will take a person about two weeks of 4 hours of viewing each day to get through all the features in this set. First of all is the film. The movie has been extended by over 30 minutes of extra footage not seen in the theatrical release. Though some of the scenes would have perhaps dragged the film down some in the theatres, they are a great addition here, tying up a few loose ends and making the novel come to life even more. The movie itself takes up 2 discs. There are four different commentaries to go along with the film. I found the one with Peter Jackson to be my favorite. The third disc is called "From Book to Vision". It includes six different documentaries ranging from one on Tolkien to one on Weta Workshop. There are also maps, galleries, and slides consisting of over 2,000 images. Besides that there are also a bunch of storyboards which give even greater insight into the development of the film. The fourth disc has several more documentaries (around seven, if I'm not mistaken), several galleries, and behind-the-scenes photographs. This special edition DVD set also includes a free ticket for THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS that is accepted at just about any chain movie theatre. There is so much in this set, that I can't discuss it all. I mean, it took me two weeks to just view most of it. Wow. If you are a LORD OF THE RINGS fan, this is a must have, far better than the original DVD release and something to hold onto for life.
Rating:
Summary: Where are the critics?
Review: There are few critics for this film and so as it should be, and I find it difficult to add any more praise for the finished project than has already been penned. I read Tolkiens trilogy in high school and again in 2000 before I was aware that it was being brought to life. I've always loved the story and with all of it fresh in my mind, I have to admit, I was a bit worried about how well the film would be done. I'm a stickler for lousy casting when I've read the book prior to it being released on film. So, I heard about the "Lord of the Rings" Web site and decided to check it out. The first place I headed for was the casting information and was actually amazed, and pleased, at how well they chose the individuals who would portray these almost historic characters. Then, of course like all the other fans, waited in anticipation for it to open in theaters. Too awesome, though I did pick up on a few little details they left out, mostly narrative (some of which is added on the extended version that will be release in November) but overall I would venture to say that this will be one of the top classic films ever made. My only hope is that Peter Jackson, and maybe he already has, would consider the "Hobbit" as his next project . . . while Ian McKellen and Ian Holm are still available. That would finish-off the collection quite nicely. Middle-Earth is a world much like our own . . . countries torn by war, brave inhabitants steadfast in their beliefs, the search for inner healing through love and fellowship and evil at times that lurks in the dark places waiting to devour those in its path, until . . . Joy in the journey and . . . Fair the well men of Gondor!
Rating:
Summary: Great High Fantasy
Review: There are few high fantasy or serious fantasy movies in existence. Of those that exist, even fewer are very good. "Conan the Barbarian" might be included in this very narrow genre, as well as Sword & Sorcery. "Ladyhawke" and "Excalibur" would probably both fit as well. In fact, many have considered "Ladyhawke" to be the best high fantasy movie prior to "Lord of the Rings". "Lord of the Rings" seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor sets with special effects to create the most incredibly believable fantasy world ever, setting a new standard of excellence for fantasy movies. The cinematography gets five stars plus. The actors were well-chosen for their parts. There has been some criticism of the humor that was injected into the movie both from the choice of actors and some of the lines. However, Tolkien had a very wry (and British) sense of humor that was frequently expressed in his novels. To have avoided that humor would have been to avoid one aspect of Tolkien. The special effects in this movie have set a new state-of-the-art. The flow between special effects and set effects is invisible. Probably the most evident special effect to me was the Balrog, which, while very good, still had somewhat of an animated feel to it. The effect was still good enough that you felt the fear of the characters and for the characters. "Run!" you wanted to yell...okay, I did yell run. The special effects are so good that I want to move to Middle Earth! The translation from the book to the movie was performed very well. The visualizations enhance the book well, and new dimensions are brought out in the movie that are difficult to visualize in the book. As always, the book and the movie are different, but they are different mediums as well. I was very impressed with how well the essence of the story was captured without trying to exactly mimic the books. I think Tolkien would have been impressed with the realization. This series of movies will be able to do what all other movies have not, tell a single story of incredible scope in 3 separate 3-hour movies, each released a year part. Only made-for-tv miniseries have previously had the luxury of such extended length. When I reached the end of this movie, my only disappointment was that I had to wait for two years to see it to the end. This movie is a must-have for any serious fan of fantasy, and for fans of Tolkien. Fantasy has for many years taken a backseat to the development of ever-better science fiction movies. With the release of this movie, the opportunity to create movies to match the vision of other great fantasy books can at last be realized.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant movie and a literatary masterpiece
Review: There are many fans of the book who decry Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy. This is because Jackson took many liberties in his screen adaptation, changing some things, leaving other things out altogether, etc. Personally, I think most of these changes WERE needed. Sure, Tolkien's epic is a masterpiece of literary fiction. But it is also classified as a children's book. And as such, the story reads like many other children's books before it (and after it). Clive Barker's Abarat and C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia are good examples of contemporary literature that follow Tolkien's storytelling formula. IE: the main characters move from one location to another, avoiding evil, meeting fearsome creatures only to find that there is nothing to fear about them, etc. Danger is always looming, but it is seldom faced and it never prevails. Jackson's movie adaptation, thankfully, is not made for children. The film trilogy is a special effects-laden epic of good versus evil. And unlike in the books, that evil is sinister, unmerciful and deadly. To keep the action tense and to put an adult slant on the story, Jackson felt the need to make some characters less friendly and to take out some of those who are dreadfully nice. I applaud his decision as both bold and visionary. The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy is beautiful and exciting. It is storytelling cinema's new high-water mark. The effects are breathtaking. It is perfectly casted. The acting is superb. I am awestruck by almost everything about it. I believe that it will prove to be the Star Wars of this generation, a movie that will be loved and adored for decades to come. Tolkien's novel is excellent. Jackson's adaptation is excellent. I suggest you read the former and watch the latter. May they both consume you as they have me.
Rating:
Summary: Fellowship of the Ring
Review: There are movie adaptations of novels that become so definitive, whose imagery becomes so ingrained in our national consciousness that to remake it would be idiotic. Examples of these movies include Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz, Godfather, Jaws, and Psycho. Then there are other books which can inspire many wonderful different cinematic interpretations, like Tarzan, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Three Musketeers and Wuthering Heights. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings I believe falls into this latter category. As wonderful as the movie was, when I walked out of the theater I wanted more. And not just to see the next two installments ASAP, but also to see how Tim Burton or Terry Gilliam or Ron Howard would interpret these books. Peter Jackson has emphasised the action and suspense elements of the books over the humor and whimsy which, in Tolkien's novels, was equally prevalent. This is probably a wise commercial move. Today's audience responds more enthusiasticly to action than to poetry, but it left me missing some scenes that was in the book, even as I delighted at what they kept in, and noted the changes -- a beefed up role for Saruman, a more elaborate chase through the caves. On the other hand, it also prevents lazy students assigned to Tolkien's works from cheating by watching the movie. I remember in college reading The Lord of the Rings for the 4th time thinking about how I'd adapt the books (a total of 5 Hobbit movies, The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, Return of the King, & The Scouring of the Shire)playing up the humor a bit more than Peter Jackson chose to do & keeping the action scenes more faithfully rendered to the novel. Still, Peter Jackson has presented us with a movie filled with wonders to behold, showing us more thrills, creating a new character, Lurtz, who seems to fit easily into this interpretation of the Tolkien universe, even if his character is really just a variation on Darth Maul. He emphasises the horrific elements of the story, not surprising considering his prior films have primarily been horrors of some form or other. This is quite probably the first truly great cinematic epic of the 21st century, even if it should not be regarded as the definitive vision of Tolkien's work. That can only be found in your own imagination.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: There are no plot-altering new scenes, the new ones are just short things that help develop the story. The majority of the new footage is just little bits and pieces that help make the story more cohesive. I would highly reccommend this to any lotr fan.
Rating:
Summary: The most magnificent motion picture of all time!
Review: There are no words in any known source that could describe the excellency of this movie. It was magnificent. Spectacular. Dazzling. Anyone who says that this movie is boring has got to be completely insane. There is not a boring moment in the whole of it; the actors are splendid, and so is the CGI. The soundtrack completely complements the movie; it really gets you in whatever mood it wants to. It _shows_ you the beauty of Rivendell with its music - but the soundtrack is another story. I've already witnessed the fantastic splendor of this motion picture four times; I have plans to go more than that. This movie - Peter Jackson and his crew, and not to mention the actors - have brought one of the finest books of time to life. Tolkien would be proud. In any case, this movie keeps you bound up in its web of beauty and suspense, never leaving you at a dull moment. You want to see MORE of the actors, MORE of the characters they portray and bring to life. You want to hear more of the Elven language. You want to learn about the Elves; you want to learn about every little nuance, but unfortunately, that would be a rather long movie. Maybe someday, another wonderful director like Mr. Jackson, or maybe even he, will take up the task of completely covering the whole of Tolkien's trilogy of Rings, and all of his other fine books. I would recommend this movie to everyone; in fact, I already have. I have not heard a negative thing about it, unless it be from the dullest minds I have ever met. If you are a person that cannot enjoy movies because you are constantly criticizing something of them, lay down your nit-picker for three hours and enjoy the beauty of this moving performance of grandeur.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: There are no words to truly describe this movie. It's something you just have to see. Eventhough it was 3 hours long, towards the end, it literally had me sitting at the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen. The evil characters were truly evil and the good characters were so likable despite their flaws. I went through a range of emotions while watching this movie. The bad guys made me angry, the good guys made me smile at times, there were sad moments, moments when you felt their dispare. It was also visually stunning! This movie was a work of art and really did the book justice. It was unlike anything I have ever seen before--a movie made for much more than just some fancy visual affects, over-done action sequences, with some lame jokes thrown in. Very intelligently done! Even the acting was incredible(especially that of Elijah Wood).
Rating:
Summary: Not enough words
Review: There are not enough words to describe what Peter Jackson and his team have made to bring to life one of the most amazing stories ever told. There are thousands of thoughts, impressions, reviews and many kinds of things said about Tolkien's wonderful story. In my opinion, his tale is not jus about good and evil, but a recreation of the story of christianism, where there are martyrs willing to sacrifice, symbols to be feared and proteceted at all costs, a company of friends almost like apostles, making a pilgrimage to a distant land where evil is supreme. Peter Jackson was brilliant choosing to make three movies in one, and to film them all at once. Each part of the lord of the rings has a depth that of its own, and to condense the story in only one movie would be a disastrous crime. Either the story would have to be mutilated, or the movie would have to be twelve hours long. With three movies, there is enough space and time for everything in Tolkien's imagination to be brought to life and, which is better, accurately. The visual effects are simply fantastic (the Balrog being the most amazing one), worked on to the last and smallest details.New Zealand is a wonderful country and the right choice for the photography and photography effects, like the famous scene of the two stone-figures guarding the entrance of the river. The casting was appropriate also, a blend of old and proved talented actors and the new generation of stars of medium shine.
Ian McKellen is, again, superb as Gandalf. Cate Blanchett and Liv Tyler are the beautiful ladies of the elven. Viggo Mortensen and Elijah Wood do their parts very well. Mortensen and Tyler also learned how to SPEAK the elven tongue for the shooting of the scenes. It's a shame that The Fellowship didn't win the Oscar because it's a fantasy movie. A beautiful mind is very inferior in all aspects.
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