Rating: 
Summary: Hugely overrated
Review: Firstly, I admit that I haven't read the book(s), and my friend (who I saw it with) tells me the film adheres to the book pretty well. Personally though, my main criticism of the film (and I suppose the easiest one to make) is that it's far too long. I really think that it would of benefited from being around 30-45 minutes shorter. By the last third of the film I found it starting to drag quite a bit. It still has it's good points; the scenery (including some of the CGI kind) is spectacular, and Ian McKellen is excellent as Gandalf. However, some scenes just drag on far too long. And although Elijah Wood was okay, I can't help thinking that another actor could of put in a more charismatic performance, and seeing tears roll down his cheeks on more than just one occasion was getting unbearable. The main problem with the film though (other than it's length) is the story. I know the original source material is to blame for this, but the film jus becomes very repetitive. It soon becomes a series of fights, running, fights, running...etc. It just doesn't seem to go anywhere, there's no real end goal in sight. And to make matters worse (and an obvious consequence of adhereing to the book), the film doesn't really have a proper ending, by which point you're thinking to yourself "what was the point?".
Rating: 
Summary: Whiners Are Outnumbered.
Review: ...This was a wonderful movie. Yes there are other greats like Ben Hur etc, but this one is right up there. Movies are a form of art,not science I think this movie was a beautiful version of Tolkien's world.The cenematography, the scenery, and the score were a feast for the senses. The cast was exceptional. At first I thought Kate Blanchett played Galadriel a little too menacing, but I realize she did have the reputation of being an evil sorceress.I wanted to see more of Strider, but I think Viggo will not let us down. Surely they will go into more depth about Aragorn in the next part. Elijah and Ian were no less praiseworhty than I expected. All the hobbits brought charm and humor to the movies. Sean Bean made me like Boramir much better than I did in the book. How sad he won't be in The Two Towers. Discovery of the year was Orlando Bloom. He played the Elven prince to perfection. Keen-sighted, beautiful, graceful and full of the intuition and wisdom one would expect from a 2000+ year-old-elf. What an archer! Robin Hood is jealous! I hope there is plenty of screen time for him ahead. I would have sat through this movie if it was twice as long. True, I wish Tom Bombadil was in it, but they had to cut it down somehow. I wish Shadowfax was grey. I also agree they need to show the reforging of Aragorn's sword. Maybe they will later. The battle scenes are all necessary however .... I mean the fellowship is on the run with enemies all around. What do you want them to do- take a spaceship to Morder? ... Go see it for yourselves. It's spectacular and it does rule the screen!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, the best movie of 2002
Review: This was a really great movie, it truly does have the feeling of the book the acting was great, everything was wondeful, but the problem was is that i thought it was way too serious and dark for my taste, but i still love it,and i will watch this film more than 50 times!
Rating:
Summary: LOVE IT LOVE ELIJAH LOVE THE HOBBITS!!
Review: I've seen this movie over 4 times and I loved every time. This is the first and only movie I have seen that I actually cried. I can't wait to see the other ones. Oh by the way HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIJAH WOOD!
Rating:
Summary: ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL...
Review: I HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK BUT THE MOVIE IS FANTASTIC. I THINK THIS MOVIE SHOULD WIN 7 ACDEMY AWARDS FOR BEST PICTURE , BEST DIRECTOR , BEST ACTING , BEST SCENERY , BEST MUSIC , BEST COSTUME DESIGN AND BEST SCREENPLAY.THIS IS ELIJAH WOODS BEST ROLE. WHEN I SAW THIS AT THE CINEMA I REALLY LOVED IT. A COUPLE DAYS LATER WHEN I SAW LOTR I REALLY WANTED TO READ THE KIDS BOOK. IT'S LIKE YOU REALLY WANT THE RING, THE RING IS FORCING YOU TO PUT IT ON. I CAN'T WAIT TILL MY BROTHER BUYS THIS ON DVD. IF JRR TOLKIEN WAS ALIVE HE WILL BE PLEASED WITH THIS FILM.
IF THEY HAD 11 STARS ON THIS SITE I WILL GIVE IT THAT BUT 5 OUT OF 5 IS THE BEST. IF YOU REALLY WANT A BIG EPIC FILM FOR THIS YEAR WATCH THE LORD OF THE RINGS. BECAUSE THE CHOSEN ONE IS OUT THERE.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!!
Review: I thought that the Lord of the Rings was great. I have read the book and it is very close. There are a few fighting seens, the whole thing is very good. The movie is about 3 hours long. One of the cool things about it is that every thing looks so real, down to the very last belt buckel. This is a very good movie!
Rating:
Summary: Lord Of The Rings-WOW!
Review: This movie doesn't disappoint Tolkien fans. The imagery is spectacular, the story true to J.R.R.'s writing's and the special effects are seemless. Peter Jackson deserves a major pat on the back for a job well done in both directing and having great people behind his vision. The casting is perfect and New Zealand is awesome as Middle Earth. If you haven't seen it go! If you have go again. I've seen it twice and am itching for the DVD to come out.
Rating: 
Summary: It was incredible
Review: Basic story: Frodo Baggins, a young hobbit who resides in the Shire, is left a magical ring by his aging Uncle Bilbo. The ring has the ability to turn the wearer invisible but people have noticed that those who wear it long began to get a bit angry and suspicious of everyone. Gandalf the Gray, the Wizard who has traveled extensively with Bilbo, tells Frodo that this ring is the one ring that the evil Sauron needs to take over
the world. He advises Frodo to take the ring from the Shire before Sauron's henchmen can get there. Gandalf believes that the only thing that can stop this is to destroy the ring.
Frodo leaves on his quest accompanied by his faithful friend, Sam, and their compatriots Pippin and Merry. On the road they are chased by something that seems more animal than man yet rides on horseback. They encounter the Ranger Strider who agrees to take them to the home of the elves. Frodo is injured in an attack and the group makes it to sanctuary
in the nick of time.
After Frodo is healed it is decided that a group, a Fellowship of the various races, will have to journey to the realm of Sauron and destroy the ring in the fires that created it. Frodo is accompanied by his Hobbit friends, as well as Gandalf, Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf, and two humans Boromir and Strider now revealed to be Aragorn the last descendent of the King who first defeated Sauron.
The Fellowship begin their journey and come face to face with hardships both natural and unnatural. Gradually the group is torn apart by competing desires as to how the ring should be destroyed.
Peter Jackson has done an incredible job of directing this movie. This is a very thorough adaptation of the book. Sure, some things have been cut out from the movie and some things have been added to flesh out character but for the most part Jackson has followed the style of the original book.
The pacing of the movie is, for the most part, well done. He gives us the background of the ring wars at the beginning and then drops the pace for the party in the Shire. This is the only time I thought the movie was slow. Then things pick right back up and go straight forward to a wild finish. His cinematographer deserves the utmost of credit. The
visuals of this movie are almost second to none. Also the sequences involving the demon riders are done in almost a dream sequence which increases the tension. The collaboration involved to show the various race's and how they react around each other is worth watching. The Hobbit's are a tiny race and when humans are around they tower over everything and have to watch for destroying the surroundings by accident. The dwarf sequences and the Elf's are wonderful to watch.
For the most part I found the characters all well cast. Ian McKellen was born to play the role of Gandalf. He has the appropriate age and gravity with his Shakespearean background and brings the rage of wizard fully to this role. Viggo Mortensen plays Strider/Aragorn. He has been frequently seen as a secondary characters in most movies and has received the chance to step forward with this one. Not only does he step forward but he runs with the movie.
The only questionable casting choice I found, unfortunately, was that of Elijah Wood as Frodo. Elijah is a good actor and has a solid resume. However I found that he brought almost an Elvish quality to the role of the Hobbit. He looks almost angelic as the Hobbit.
The battle scenes are chaotic but wonderful. They follow the various actors and their fighting styles, Aragorn and Boromir with their swords, Legolas the Elf with his deadly Bow, Gimli the Dwarf with his axe, and the Hobbit's with their almost berserker attacks against superior odds. The cameras swirl around the battle scenes showing as much as possible
and leaving you hanging for more.
This is not necessarily a movie for the young children as it does have some dark sequences and the various Orcs can be rather frightening. There are also a few slow moments near the beginning. That being said, this is one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time. I know some complaints have been made concerning the ending but it tends to make me wonder if the people complaining understand that this is part 1 of a
trilogy. I am strongly looking forward to next year for part two, The Two Towers.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Adaptation
Review: This movie has turned out to be highly controversial. When you think about it, it's hardly a surprise. This is the first attempt at live-action adaptation of one of the most beloved novels of all time. And I think that it had to wait this long to be done well. And done well it is. There isn't much deviation from the novel, especially compared to the treatment other novels have received in big screen translation. The cast is wonderful, working as an excellent ensemble while still defining their own characters. Ian McKellen stands out as Gandalf the Grey, bringing a keen emotional depth to his character while also taking on the mantle of wise leader. Elijah Wood is also great as Frodo, showing through his actions and emotion just how great the burden of the One Ring is. Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, John Rhys-Davies as Gimli, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, and Sean Bean as Boromir are all well cast as well. This film is about relationships, and these relationships feel real. Liv Tyler is surprisingly good as Arwen. The fictional Middle Earth looks great as well. Filmed in new Zealand, it's hard to take your eyes off of the beautiful landscapes that surround our fictional company. Howard Shore delivers an excellent score here as well. Very 'classic', yet it feels new. Using lots of chorus and brass, Shore helps convey the urgency of Frodo's quest. Kudos to Mr. Jackson. Bring on The Two Towers.
Rating:
Summary: Comparisons to the radio adaptation
Review: To anyone who knows the BBC Radio adaptation of LOTR, the choices that Peter Jackson has made in his screenplay are not altogether new - the ommission of meeting the elves in the Shire Woods, Tom Bombadil, etc. In many ways the film seems to borrow from the same narrative decisions made in the excellent radio series. For the trivia hunters among you, Ian Holm (who pays Bilbo in the film) plays Frodo in the radio series - and a more heart-wrenching charcterisation you will never find. Although I found the acting suitable to the demands of the screenplay, I found that due to the immense visual demands of the movie, certain elements of vocal characterision were somewhat lacking - especially in Sam, Elrond and Legolas.
The outstanding acting in the movie comes from Sir Ian Mc Kellan. Wandering-Wizard-meets-Lost-Father_Figure could easily become a pastiche of such archetypal gigures in Film and literature, he did a miraculous job of making Gandalf both familiar and freshly absorbing. Of course, the role had to go to an old English thesp (Sir Michael Horden for the BBC adaptation) but McKellam has a dry wit in his face and a twinkle in his eye that are perfect.
The first questionable change from the novel comes when it is not made clear that Galadriel carries one of th three rings made for the elves (or, that ELrong carries another). When Galadriel says that she and will fade away, it cannot be clear to a first time viewer/reader that the destruction of the Ring may mean the end of the elves power in Middle Earth. The may have ramifications for the Grey Havens chapter of the final book.
The second questionable change comes when Aragorn gives Frodo his blessing to go into Mordor alone. While this perhaps presents an opportunity to show a more vulnerable, sympathetic side to Aragorn, it comes at the expense of the development of Frodo's character. Aragorn's character had his chance to show more 'pathos' in the added scenes with Liv Tyler. When Frodo decides to go alone, and then Sam joins him, it irrevocable separates his heart and mind from the rest of the fellowship. By having Aragorn speak to him as he leaves, the screenplay lessens the impact of Frodo's terrifying decision. It also means that the decision that Aragorn makes to track the Orcs is made for him - he in turn becomes less decisive. Maybe a minor point. But given the excellence of the other cuts and changes, I felt this was one event that should have been translated intact to the screen. The radio series running at 13 hours. With the immense visual resources committed to what will probably be a 9 hours film, there can be little excuse for leaving out one line of text that may clarify a later event (the elves' rings, Frodo's decision to go alone, the detail of Gimli's family having returned to Moria but then having been 'lost')
On a broad conceptual framework, the cuts and changes are admirable. In only a few places do the smaller details of text leave somehting to be desired.
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