Rating: 
Summary: A DVD that is actually worth the price
Review: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" is definately movie that fantasy fans will fall in love with. I have been a fan of Tolkien's book since my early teens. When I found out that they were making a movie about the books, I will admit that I was one of the first ones in line to see it in the theatre. There was very little about the movie that I could actually say I didn't agree with.
The cast that was picked seems to shine in this movie. I would never have thought that Elijiah Wood could be able to play Frodo, but he actually seemed to carry the character throughout the movie. The special effects in this movie are good, but not great. There are a few moments when you can tell that scenes were created using computer generation. But overall the movie is a beautiful piece of cinema.
The special features on the 2-disc DVD aren't exactly the best. There are a few cool things to check out, but unless you really want this movie now, then I suggeest you wait for the 4-disc DVD to come out where there is going to be a lot more extras, and deleted scenes. The 2-disc does have a look into the next movie, which is looking like it might blow this one out of the water with shear action and special effects. I can't wait...
Peter Jackson (the director) does an amazing job keeping the movie as close to the book as possible. I was a little hesitant to see the movie, just for the fact that I have seen movies based on books before and have been sorely disapointed. But this movie is sure to live on in the future as one of the most richly detailed movies of all time.
Rating: 
Summary: Spectacular filmmaking. Tolkien fans, do not fear!
Review: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" is every bit a grand epic. From the movie's spectacular opening battle to the Mines of Moria and the mystical eaves of Lothlorien, Fellowship is a visual stunner and a blockbuster of the pedigree of "Star Wars." Moreover, Fellowship whets the appetite for the next two movies in the trilogy. Of course, the story was spun decades before from the mind of author J.R.R. Tolkien. But taking Tolkien's words and translating their magic to the big-screen is a formidable task, and Director Peter Jackson does a job worthy of Rivendell's praise. His vision of Middle-earth is darker than mine, but not by much. Most importantly, Jackson captures that feeling of impending doom that so pervaded the books and gave the story its juice. Hobbit Frodo Baggins, played by the magnetic Elijah Wood, is bestowed with the impossible task of saving Middle-earth: he must trek to the evil Land of Mordor and cast the omnipotent One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. The movie is chock-full of dazzling action sequences and visual effects, but the movie never strays too far from the roots of Tolkien's tale. Ian McKellen sparkles in his role as Gandalf the wizard, while other cast members deliver their lines with an earnestness missing from most budget-busting movies these days. As a fan of Tolkien, the movie shattered my expectations. As a movie-goer, Fellowship, I can assure you, is well worth the price of admission.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic Film
Review: "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" is no doubt my favorite film of all time. "The Two Towers" may have bigger battles and be more riveting, but 'Fellowship' has storytelling strengths I find in few other films, if any. I can watch if over and over again and not tire of it. The story is told in such a way that the viewer can enjoy it time and time again! This DVD is loaded with awesome special features not found on the Extended Edition (trailers, TV spots, "May It Be" music video, etc.) I recommend the Extended Edition instead, but this is worth buying just for the special features. A timeless classic that will be embraced for decades, if not centuries!
Rating:
Summary: A triumph of cinematography
Review: 'The Fellowship of the Ring' is the first installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, based on the fantasy series by J.R.R. Tolkien; while the books may not appeal to everyone, especially the very young, the movies certainly do!
The story follows Frodo, a hobbit of the Shire, played by Elijah Wood, and his trusted companion/gardener, Sam (Sean Astin); his friend and adviser, Gandalf the Grey (played by Sir Ian McKellen) discovers that Frodo has inherited a ring of power - the One Ring of the Dark Lord, Sauron - and that it must be destroyed; Frodo, Sam and, eventually, two friends - Merry and Pippin - are sent by Gandalf to Bree, where he will meet them, after consulting the head of his order; along the way, they must escape the terrifying Nazgul - Ring Wraiths. At Bree, there is no Gandalf, but they meet a mysterious Ranger, who they later discover is Aragorn, the last heir to the throne of Gondor (played by Viggo Mortensen), and engaged to the Elvish Arwen Evenstar (Liv Tyler), who protects them, and leads them to Rivendell; from here, a fellowship is formed, and new characters are introduced, including the dwarf, Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), the son of the steward of Gondor, Boromir (Sean Bean), etc. The fellowship then sets off, encountering much difficulty along the way, to destroy the ring...
All aspects of this movie - from the captivating story (action packed adventure, [after the first fifteen minutes to half hour, which is equally enjoyable]), the exquisite settings (from the peaceful, happy shire, the ethereal Rivendell, the dark, Orc-infested Moria, to the long abandoned weathertop - Amon Sûl), the encapsulating special effects and CGI, to the superb acting (Viggo Mortenson, Liv Tyler, Sean Bean, Sir Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Christopher Lee, etc.) - make for an enjoyable excursion to the limitless realm of imagination; an excursion that you'll want to repeat multiple times!
Rating:
Summary: An absolutely fabulous adaptation of a classic
Review: 'The Fellowship of the Ring' just plain took my breath away! It far exceeded my expectations--especially with the crop of books-to-movies that have made it to the big screen in the past 10 years. Considering that a theatrical release is first and foremost expected to earn back the cost of production and marketing, I fully expected most of the storyline to be
lost in bringing this incredible tale to the big screen. You can just imagine my complete surprise at how truly faithful this screen adaptation ended up being. As I re-read this story again I see the wisdom in why certain portions of the novel had to be selectively left out. As one reviewer also noted, leaving out Tom Bombadil did nothing to diminish the story, and yet some liberties with the story were of course inevitable...and although I didn't agree with some of them, they were ultimately (in my opinion) excusable chiefly because of the sheer scope and how truly magificent this epic turned out.Choosing New Zealand was an absolute stroke of genius. Nowhere on earth (today anyway) can you find scenery that could compete with the imaginative brilliance that Tolkien brought to life in his description of Middle Earth. If this country indeed looks like what I saw on the big screen, this is a place I need to visit. I simply cannot say enough about how well this epic was made. From the totally believable image of the Hobbits being so much smaller than most other races to the entrance to Moria which is virtually a clone of the depiction found within the pages of the book, and on rare moments when I could hear conversations between characters that I recalled are word-for-word the same in the novel (I went back and checked just for the fun-of-it). Hands down the best film I have seen this year (if not several) and recommend it highly to any and all fans of these masterful works of fiction. As in all things, there will be those die hard fans who would rather see nothing if not an EXACT replica of the stories (which is impossible for so many reasons that cannot be written here), but for those who can appreciate what
Tolkien wrote, and how a task of placing this image on the big screen is really one major difficult job, will end up not just loving this movie, but also look forward to 'The Two Towers' which comes out December 2002. Kudos to those responsible for
this visual treat. I am thrilled that it was done so well, and
ultimately so faithful. That alone is tribute enough to the memory of Tolkien's fantastic adventures.
Rating:
Summary: Tolkien Would Have Been Proud
Review: 'The Lord of the Rings' remains one of the most cherished pieces of literature of all time. It is a classic, and is also, fifty years later, one of the best selling novels of all time. Upon first seeing previews for 'The Fellowship of the Ring', I admit to being skeptical. It seems that drama, wit and human emotion, for the most part in cinema today have been replaced by explosions and eye candy. Admittedly, there are a few contemporary exceptions, Braveheart and Hart's War among them, but, for the most part, there never has seemed to be a middle ground, a ground where battles and violence can link arms with character development and still come off as being an excellent story. The first part in this epic trilogy did it superbly. Peter Jackson's masterpiece brought back memories of the novels, making me immediately reread them and relive the wonders that almost every child has experienced with these books. What impressed me the most about this first installment was the fact was that Jackson's vision was not MTV friendly, and by saying that I mean jazzed up to appeal to a contemporary audience. There was far less Dungeons and Dragons expose' than I expected there to be, and much more richness. The story was not touched, which was wonderful to see, the score by Enya and Howard Shore was magnificent (and the soundtrack is worth the buy), the sets and special effects are some of the finest since Terminator 2, and the acting was fantastic, most notably by Viggo Mortenson and Sir Ian MacKellen. Certainly, there are epic scenes of action and violence, sometimes on a seemingly R-rated scale, but somehow, Tolkien's themes of friendship and honor seem to shine through every second of this film and make you eager for the second chapter of this grand trilogy, and especially the third. Brilliantly adapted, finely directed, flawlessly acted and divinely scored, this film will be remembered for generations to come, and not just because it retells one of the finest stories of our time, but because it opens new doors for cinema. It is the 'Jaws' and the 'Star Wars' for the new millennium, as no one has seen, or ever will see again, anything as brilliant in terms of what makes a fantasy epic so great.
Rating:
Summary: Loving the Lord
Review: 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' is the greatest movie I have EVER seen! It was so unbelievably well done, that I went back to the theaters to see it a total of four times. Each time, I was equally as excited as I was the first time I saw the movie. Every about it is wonderful! All of the actors do a brilliant job, not a single one lags. The sets and locations are breathtaking to see. The plot and characters are to DIE for (cute, too!)! I just can't get enough of it! Don't let the almost three hour time limit deter you, for there isn't a single break in the flow of the story. You don't notice that so much time is passing because you become so drawn into the world of Middle-Earth. I have read the book as well and though certain things here and there are a bit different in the movie, the spirit is intact as well as the storyline. Peter Jackson and his team did a fabulous job bringing such a beloved story to the big screen. It's beautiful, intelligent, encompassing...and, well, the GREATEST movie I have EVER seen!!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent envision. Solid and fun. One of the year's best!
Review: (**** of 4) Peter Jackson's riveting adventure soars with delight and fun. The book comes alive perfectly. The additional scenes only add more to this electric velocity film that will lift you from your seat and let you take the ride yourself! Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen and Liv Tyler star in this brilliant masterpiece. I can honestly say that this film goes beyond the book. I know it takes all three hours, but it is well worth the time, because it never slows down. The adventure never lets up. This is one of the top five films of the year. Harry Potter- take a hike, The Lord of the Rings is taking the throne. What draws me to this film most is how it has a rather less super-star cast and a director who's never even jumped at trying to make a blockbuster before. This film kicks with a spear edged boot. It can't be stopped. You either take the ride, leave it crying, or don't take it at all. The loss goes to the ignorants who purposely stay away from the film adaption, simply because no movie is ever better than the book. People, get over it. -The Green Mile, Pearl Harbor, The Lost World- all better than the books. Have a little more faith in Hollywood these days. Lord of the Rings has it all. Go for it. QUOTE: "The first film is unexpectedly perfect and lives up to the hype. This is simply one of the year's best films. It's this generation's Star Wars. George Lucas better take a look at what's on his way to trample him. The Lord of the Rings is a tour de' force of astonishment, amazement, adventure, and action! Superb! Excellent! Awesome! Amazing! Rocking! Explosive! Powerful! Epic! Dignified! What more can I say? It is a perfect film for everyone."
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies ever made...
Review: (...) Let me just say, this movie is one of the most amazing theatrical presentations ever to be compiled. The acting is amazing, the plot is deep, the scenery is breathtaking, and the music is stunning. My favorite character is Aragorn, closely followed by Pippin and Frodo. I had read the books before I saw the movies and it helped...alot. I wasn't ever lost, until the second movie, and that was immediately solved. J.R.R. Tolkien was an amazing author, and Peter Jackson made an amazingly accurate representation of the trilogy. In five words... Pippin rocks, Sting glows, yeah.
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING MOVIE
Review: (...) The Lord of the Rings is awesome. Visually is was amazing, such beautiful and intriguing landscapes. The effects were perfectly matched to the movie, nothing over the top or unbelievable, and the actors did a wonderful job of bringing their characters to life. My favorites were the hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, I couldn't get enough of them. I know some people are going to say it didn't follow the book exactly, but how could it. As far as the movie goes I couldn't be happier with it.
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