Rating: 
Summary: This is greatness!
Review: I am wholey convinced that this is one of the greatest films ever made, though my heart is torn between this and Dead Poet Society. I was sceptical before I even watched it, but when I did, it blew me away. I am glad the majority of people do not take council from idiots. The special effects were not just okay. This is the greatest special fx movie ever made and TTT promises to be better still. This movie has terrible acting? I am laughing hard and can't stop. If this movie has terrible acting, then never watch another movie, because I can guarantee that you might find a few movies that will equal it when it comes to acting, but you will never find a movie with better.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Movie
Review: I am writing this for those of you who are turned off by the idea that the film is incomplete, and only the first part of a series of three movies. Consider that when Star Wars hit the scene, and became an instant success, no one was complaining that the movie was incomplete and left some cliff hangers that would not be resolved until the second movie was released. Star Wars clever marketing, as a return to an old fashion movie serial, allowed us to forgive them and so, we would have to wait for resolution to plot. We waited 3 years before the second movie was released and then another 3 years for Episode VI! Jackson, however has done a great service by filming all three films simultaneously so that the second part of the Lord of the Rings will be released this December and Part 3 the following year. So don't be dissuaded by going to see the film now. I won't repeat all the praises that have already appeared, just serve to remind you that December will be here before you know it!
Rating: 
Summary: Middle earth comes to life! -- Then falls off a cliff
Review: I attempted to look at this movie from an objective standpoint when I went to see it. I figured that if I went in not worrying about how things were in the books, that I'd be happier when leaving the theatre.Needless to say, that didn't help. So I gave up on it. Mr. Jackson and his team of scissor-wielding editors did a good job of botching a movie that could have made him the most famous director of all time. How? By leaving out details that should have been there, by creating a sappy love-story when there should have never been such, and by re-arranging key plot elements to where I felt like if I hadn't read the novels, overall the story wouldn't make much sense. The story didn't seem to "flow", per se. The hobbits were nicely done for the most part, but many of the other characters were mighty flakey. Gollum's history became nothing but just Gollum. Boromir was nothing but a greedy slimeball. Gandalf didn't do much in the form of magic. (I'm still sad that they skipped the scene of him battling the riders at Weathertop). Bree lost a lot of substance. The scissor-wielders cut out much-needed explanation in lieu for buttering up the battle scenes. Did I mention that when anyone spoke elvish, they suddenly looked like they turned into translation drones? Scary. I don't have enough room to finish my 800-page long synopsis, so here's my summary: I gave it two stars... one for the camera sweeps of Barad-Dur and Orthanc and one for the guy who sat behind me that yelled "Mister Anderson!" on the first close-up of Elrond. I don't think the crowd (most of whom left half-way through muttering about disappointment) laughed harder at anything else the rest of the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Bring Reasonable Expectations
Review: I believe that J.R.R. Tolkien's, "The Hobbit", together with these three books adapted for film, are some of the best writing that was done in the 20th Century. I even went back and read, "The Silmarillion", which is frustratingly complex, and reads as though written by an entirely different author. I offer these thoughts. 1. No film with any amount of special effects could bring any of these books to the screen. If you were to read this first installment portrayed as a movie out loud, it would take about 40 hours. If you have read any of the books you know how much material they contain. So even with a running time of 2 minutes shy of 3 hours, the story cannot be adequately covered. 2. There is no other special effects company with the track record of Industrial Light And Magic. Whether you consider, "Forrest Gump", "The Perfect Storm", the 4 Star Wars Films, or any of the others movies that have been awarded nearly 24 Oscars for their skill at making the impossible real, they still are the best. They did not do this film, and while New Zealand is a magnificent country to look at, and there were instances of effects that were well done, overall the work was not up to the level the film demanded and deserved. Items as simple as the height differentials between the characters. Whenever the camera pulls back, they usually substituted children for the adult actors. Children do not move like adults, and this is repeatedly apparent. When models either physical or computer generated are weak, they are rushed by the audience as they cannot be focused on for more than a moment without loosing their ability to convince. What is a dramatic camera move the first few times, rapidly becomes a cover for money that was not spent. 3. I was also a bit surprised by the level of graphic violence. The younger kids in the theater were covering eyes and ears, hopping into parent's laps, and occasionally stepping out of the theater. The swordplay includes dismemberment, and decapitations; the PG 13 is a good guide. 4. "The Hobbit", is the back-story for this entire trilogy, why they did not make it a four-movie experience is beyond me. If you have not read, "The Hobbit", you will be thoroughly confused even with the narration that tries to fill in enough history so this installment can be followed. The entire story of the ring begins with Bilbo and Golem, their cameos, and in the case of the latter character an extremely brief cameo; literally make no sense without, "The Hobbit", as background. 5. If you treasure Middle Earth as you have created it in your mind, there is no film that will match your imagination. This is one classic tale that should not have been put on the screen in this form, or perhaps at all. This movie is too long, and of too little substance as they try to narrate the book that came before, and present a modified storyline of this book. I do not think I will be going to the theater for next year's installment.
Rating:
Summary: Spectacular!
Review: I believe that Peter Jackson did an incredible job with this movie. It's tone is perfect, and I have many good things to say about it, but that would take much too long. Instead I will list my few complaints about the movie:
The shards of Narsil should not be in Rivendell! Aragorn should have them.
I am very disappointed with the casting of Liv Tyler as Arwen. 'Fraid she's not exactly beautiful.
In Bree, the Hobbits trust Aragorn much to easily.
Aragorn is much too unsure of himself. Galadriel is portrayed as an evil witch.
In the movie, Gimli and Legolas are not so wary of each other, therefore thier friendship later on means less.
I didn't like the battle between Lurtz and Aragorn. Lurtz is supposed to be killed by Eomer.
They unessisarily made Arwen's role larger. Well, I think that's all! As an extreme fan of the books, I think the movie was pretty darn good!
Rating:
Summary: The Ring's Legend shall live on.
Review: I believe that this movie was wonderful. The were scenes from the book that were not in the film, but when you have a book as great as the Lord of the Rings. You try to get in the important stuff. And that's what Peter Jackson did. To me he brought the story to life. And all the actors were excellent as well. My hat goes off to Elijah Wood,Ian McKellen,Viggo Mortensen, and Sean Astin they all made me feel like the charaters were right there with me. But then I also would have to give praise to: Orlando Bloom,Billy Boyd,Liv Tyler, Dominic Monaghan, and the many, many others. They all truly did a wonderful jobs in showing the struggle that each character has too go through. I will not lie I sat three hours and 20 min about three times. If you have not seen this movie I say go now. Because it will take you on a wonderful adventure.
Rating: 
Summary: I wish to protect freedom of dreams
Review: I believe the movie will be great even though they paid too much attention to make it "real". But it will also destroy the world of Tolkien the way it was inside me. Before everybody had own vision of Tolkien books. We had freedom of dreams; in our imagination we made hobbits look pretty much like we were with our own habits and speeches. We saw orcs as bad as we believed the bad creatures should look. We become older and our heroes grow with us adopting our new habits and experience. Finally most of us leave them behind with a blue of nostalgia. Well, we about to get everything back from unified view point of 40 years old kids with a lot of 3D effects and their desire to make everything looks "real". I wish them luck as much as I wish to protect my view of Tolkien even if I didn't touch it for a while. The PG-13 will protect the freedom of dream of our kids :-). Another point - the movie itself looks strong enough to live its own life.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie for a Great Book
Review: I believe this movie has been very close to the book, with spectacular special effects and great acting. The scenery is beautiful perfect for this medievel story. This version of good versus evil is one of my favorites!
Rating:
Summary: Expensive but worth the money
Review: I bought FOTR (Fellowship of the Ring) on VHS when it first came out on August 6th. My family then thought I was crazy because I wanted the EE (extended edition) on DVD. I'm used to being called crazy though, so I didn't mind. ;) I finally received the EE on DVD about a month after it first came out and OMG!!!! Some of the scenes are incredible! If you are a ringer (Tolkien fan) and you love the books and you were VERY annoyed that Galadriel giving all the members of the Fellowship gifts was taken out, you should definitely buy this. For others who just liked the theatrical version of FOTR, I don't think I would really recommend this, because a lot of the scenes you really have to have read the books to understand. AND some of them are very easy to see why they were taken out (e.g., Aragorn singing: he has a horrible singing voice!!! Sorry Viggo). One of my favorite scenes was "At the Green Dragon" (an inn in Hobbiton) with Pippin and Merry dancing on the table and singing. It was sooooo hobbit-like. One scene that I thought was strange was after Frodo is wounded by the ringwraith on the hill of Weathertop, the hobbits and "Strider" are sitting right under the trolls that Gandalf turned to stone in The Hobbit. Sam is ridiculous though, saying "Look Mr. Frodo! It's Mr. Bilbo's trolls!" Waaaay to upbeat when his master is dying. The special features are amazing too. I've watched all of them but two. Again, if you really liked FOTR but you're not that interested in seeing little scenes that were taken out or how Aragorn's chain mail shirt was made (j/k! I never saw if the chain mail shirt was Aragorn's or not), then you'll be bored by this. Every single little weapon, piece of clothing, set, location, actor, actress, crew member, is described in pinpoint detail. It's fantastic. For other ringers, a point of interest is that a part of the special features has a section where you can see the early storyboards acted out for the Sarn Gebir rapids (when there was flooding on the river where the set was, the set was washed away), the orc chase into Lothlorien, and I think something else but I forget what it was. This is definitely a must-have for all Tolkien devotees! :)
Rating:
Summary: New Line [messed] up
Review: I bought the extended DVD on the day it was released and have watched it many times over since then. The extended version is just plain better than the original - in fact, the extended version (not the original) was the best movie of the year for 2001. I can only wonder at the suits at New Line that figured the American public could not sit through 3.5 hours. They had an oscar winner on their hands and they blew it. The extended DVD rocks.
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