Rating: 
Summary: Lord of the Rings
Review: This is not a movie for cops & robbers fans. A child would appreciate it because of its Disney-like effects but it conveys a serious message for philosophical-minded adults. The young boy hero is depicted at the beginning of the show enjoying life as any one would in his home village. Then a life responsibility is thrust upon him forcing him to journey away from home into the unknown with some of his older wiser and younger more valiant friends, both of whom drop away just as in real life.So with only one pal left, he is forced to make decisions that sometimes lead him to close brushs with Heaven and with Hell. The viewer sees this but is not told the actual analogy so must perceive how the film relates to real life. This is a five star film if the viewer has the intellectual insight to understand its true philosophical message but for the viewer who is looking for a 2 hour comedy or tragedy, this film could be meaningless. A naive child would enjoy it more for its special effects than a non visionary adult would enjoy it anecdotally. By all means see this 3 hour film if you've pondered extensively life's travails. But if you are looking for just two hours of entertainment, this film could be close to meaningless for you.
Rating: 
Summary: A "Precious" Film!
Review: I saw this movie at 12:01 AM the day it came out! At that time, I hadn't read the books, but now I'm an official member of the Lord of the Rings Cult. I've seen it three times, and it gets better each time. The first time I saw it, I cried through the whole thing. It's romantic and touching, yet thought-provoking and horrific at the same time. There's something for everybody in this movie, whether you like love or battles. It's the perfect balance between a chick-flick, a literary film, and a manly movie. The actors were AMAZING, and they fit the characters perfectly. Fans of the books, you won't be disappointed! The movie is a bit different from the novels, but overall it's very true to the characters, plots, and settings created by JRR Tolkien. If you want to witness something that will change your life forever, please check out The Fellowship of the Ring.
Rating:
Summary: A "Precious" Film!
Review: I saw this movie at 12:01 AM the day it came out! At that time, I hadn't read the books, but now I'm an official member of the Lord of the Rings Cult. I've seen it twice since then, and it gets better each time. Every time I watch it, I cry through the whole thing. It's romantic and touching, yet thought-provoking and horrific at the same time. There's something for everybody in this movie, whether you like love or battles. It's the perfect balance between a chick flick, a literary film, and a manly movie. The actors are amazing, and they fit the characters perfectly. Fans of the book, this movie will not disappoint you! It is a bit different from the actual story, but very true to the characters, settings, and plots created by J. R. R. Tolkien. If you want to witness something that will change your life forever, please check out The Fellowship of the Ring.
Rating:
Summary: What an awesome movie!
Review: This is absolutely the best movie I've ever seen. Everything was perfect. The effects, the casting, the costumes, the acting, the direction, the music, everything. If you can get out to see it, I highly reccomend it!
Rating:
Summary: Kimberly
Review: I have never read the books and so was not that interested in seeing this movie. My husband and son were dead set on going and so I tagged along and I am glad I did - what a movie! I typically do not sit well for three hours in front of anything but the time just flew by and before I knew it my husband is leaning over telling me that there is only 20 minutes left. My response was No-o-o-o-o I don't want to leave Middle Earth until I knew that everything is ok for the little hobbits (I did not realize that this was a trilogy). I cannot get over this movie - the scenery, the acting, the special effects, and of course the storyline is so intriguing that I have plans to see it again this weekend and this is differently a DVD that will be added to our collection. I do not know much about the art of filmmaking but I do know what I like and I like this movie.
Rating:
Summary: "Rings" Lords Over Special Effects Flix
Review: "Lord of the Rings" is painstakingly detailed, craftily filmed and expertly cast. This film is superior to any other special effects extravaganzas (eg. Star Wars) because of the love that went into the script rather than to its toy-tie-ins. The film demonstrates the importance of close relationships. It teaches us that pursuing goals despite the odds is the righteous path and so much more rewarding than backing down.
Buy the DVD Extended version in WIDESCREEN format. There is much to keep discovering in this film classic!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful cinema...
Review: This is a wonderful movie, and I highly recommend it to anyone. Slightly higher to anyone that has never read the book. While the movie is true to the story it tells, it overlooks quite abit of the hobbit characterization that is found in the book. However during the movie this is an easy thing to forgive, and it's impossible not to be swept up in this epic story. I eagerly await the next installments.
Rating:
Summary: LOTR Delivers on it potential
Review: I went to the Helsinki midnight premier of LOTR with incredibly high expectations. Being a Tolkien fanatic, a New Zealander, and a huge fan of all of Peter Jackson's movies my expectations for this movie could not have been higher. I was actually very nervous about seeing this movie, as I've been let down so many times with movies that promised a lot, but delivered badly (eg. Phantom Menace, Planet of the Apes, etc.). One word sums up my experience of this movie - ENTHRALLING! Like many reviews here, from the opening scene right through to the final credits time disappeared as I immersed myself into the world of Middle Earth. The characterisations were perfect, particularly Ian McKellen who stole the show, and Elijah was brilliant as Frodo. I also loved Chistopher Lee as Saruman. The scenery was awesome and immediately made me homesick for New Zealand though I'm not sure where those statues are! I agree 100% to all the changes that Peter made to the book. You just have to accept that a book is not a movie, and in 3 hours you can only show so much. Also, the movie definitely needed an increased role for women and the scenes with Arwen were great. The problem I had with Harry Potter was that it stuck too religiously to the book which killed the overall momentum of the movie - NO such problem with LOTR. From my perspective, it can only get better from here on out, as the Fellowship is probably the slowest part of the book, so the next 2 installments should be mindblowing (can't wait for Helms Deep!). If you are a Tolkien Fanatic (like me), be prepared to accept that a movie just HAS TO be different from the book. If you have not ready LOTR, then I would recommend you read FOTR BEFORE you see the movie as it will substantially improve the experience.
Rating:
Summary: Its pace is similar to the book, and true to its spirit
Review: Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring is matched very closely by this movie. The history is given, and provides strong background, drawn from the sources in the books, including The Silmarillion and the Hobbit. The intensity of the chase, the draw of the ring are duplicated very closely, though not identically to those in Tolkein's work. The movie proceeds more or less sequentially, which was not necessarily true of the books. The acting was very good, and one can feel the emotions of the players. I must admit that the elves did not seem as otherworldly beautiful as the book describes, though I find that each person's definition of beauty is different. Also the character of Sam Gamgee is a bit more serious and the characters of Merry and Pippin are more humorous and have less depth, but that too can be expected due to time constraints in the movie. I was somewhat disappointed in the escape scene across the ford, to Rivendale because of the lack of effective resistance in Frodo, but this is a personal perspective and does not detract from the story. I also wish some indication of time, the 17 years between the departure of Bilbo and the the departure of Frodo had been more evident. The scenes in which Frodo wears the ring or seems in the world of the ring wraiths were very interesting though and added a certain depth that I quite enjoyed. Boromir's character showed the range of the character of Man, from treachery to nobility, and was well played. I look forward to the Two Towers, and further development of the characters of Legalos, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Sam and Aragorn. The movie did drag in some places, but so does the book. Overall the movie was very good, and I would recommend it to all, though it may be a bit intense for younger viewers.
Rating:
Summary: Everything works out...
Review: I have seen this movie twice, and am planning a third viewing (and I've only ever seen three movies in the theater twice before in my life). But I feel that it's pressing to address some of the complaints people have with it. 1.) the length: Sorry, there's nothing to do about it. Tolkein wrote well over 1000 pages of story, leading to another thousand's worth of "history," (people write encyclopediae on Middle-Earth and still barely begin to touch it) and even with huge editing it still makes for a long story. 2.) repetive shots/slow motion: these I'll grant also. The ring-in-palm shots got a bit weary during my second viewing. But they can still convey the necessary drama. As for slow motion... also a bit overdone, in battles, but every time the movie starts it (except for Frod's leap onto the ferry), I'm so drawn into the battle that I don't notice or care unless I purposefully detach myself. And as for the repetition of Frodo getting beaten up/nearly killed/whatnot, well, Tolkein wrote it that way too. 3.) Changes from the book: I vote that nearly all of them were necessary, and a lengthy debate on the merits of their placement or removal can be carried on elsewhere. Book and Film are two entirely separate media, and I think this movie is as good an adaptation of a literary epic as can be put together. 4.) Character development: again, there's only so much you can do with what you're given. Merry, Pippin, Legolas, and Gimli--fascinating characters, all--don't get to come into their own in the first book, and therefore neither in the first movie. Look for drastic improvements in all four (I hope!) in the next two films. Also for Aragorn (Strider), and Boromir, via his family. Now, as for the merits of the film: they are beautiful and numerous, whether or not you've ever laid a hand on one of J.R.R. Tolkein's books. Of the 5 non-me people with whom I have seen the movie so far, two had read the books, one was planning to, and two showed no interest (and, for that matter, both have very low tolerances for fantasy). And, except for having to go to the bathroom during the third hour, and the occasional rump falling asleep, all 5 loved it and will go with me to the opening screening of "The Two Towers" in a year. And knowing that you're only seeing the first third of the story, it seems to me that expecting everything to be told in this movie is a bit short-sighted. There are, after all, six hours of story left to come. As for me? Yes, I had read the books before. Twice, actually: once, several years ago, and I didn't get it, and ocne this summer, in preparation for the movie, and I still didn't get it. I thought they were good, but not the Epic Masterpiece people made them out to be. After I saw the movie? I ran right home and broke them out. I read hem all again, and now I'm heading out to buy the other Tolkein books about Middle-Earth, "The Silmarillion" and the "Unfinished Tales" among them, even though I know they're impossible to read, because suddenly I realise the story is JUST THAT GOOD, even if the telling is occasionally difficult. I've listened to the soundtrack nearly every day since I bought it, which was December 20, the day after the movie opened. I'm suddenly half-obsessive about something I could barely force myself to try to like before. The telling, from book to movie, will differ, and the interpretations among viewers and readers, but no matter what, the story is one worth hearing.
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