Rating: 
Summary: Awesome, must see movie for everyone
Review: Even if you haven't read the Lord of the Rings, this is a must see movie. The characters are believeable and the cinematography is absolutely fantastic. You will sit spellbound for the entire movie, 3 hours, and wish for more when it is over. The Two Towers can't come out soon enough!
Rating:
Summary: Unexpectedly perfect!
Review: I read the Lord of the Rings years ago and loved the books, but I never thought someone could successfully tackle such a large undertaking. Peter Jackson did and he created a masterwork of our time. People from all walks of life were excitedly talking about how amazing this movie was as we left the theater. I have not seen such a strong reaction since viewing Schindler's List. The movie is approximately 3 hours long, and people were complaining that it wasn't enough...they wanted MORE. Excellent acting and wonderful effects which simply enhance, but do not overpower this production. PLEASE see this movie!
Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST movies I've ever seen
Review: I thought i was going to get bored, i mean 3 hours is a long time to sit still!... but I wasn't!! It was AMAZING. It seemed like an hour at the most. The special effects and scenery were the best I've ever seen in a movie and I can't wait till the next two come out!
Rating: 
Summary: Very good movie, with some slow spots
Review: After reading all the reviews & listening to movie critics, I decided to make my trip to the theater to check it out. I wasn't really disappointed but I had really expected a little better. Keep in mind that I go to the theater very seldom since I have a theater in my home. I go for the LARGE screen cinema effect that the theater provides. The copy that this theater had was defective in the respect that it had dust or something flicking on the left side of the screen, it was very distracting. But on to the film, it was beautifully shot, the acting was flawless, as far as I could tell. The movie was generally on the "dark side" and I would not recommend it for any child under the age of 10, and even then it would depend on the child (parents should know their children well enough to know weither very scary people (?) will keep them awake at night). The first 1 1/2 hours goes by pretty quickly, but then it has spots that seem to drag. There are definite spots that the music overpowers the dialog and you are straining to hear what it being said...(this seems to occur a lot lately, what is it with filmakers, the music is supposed to enhance the film, not define it. Is it their way of getting you to come back to try once again to hear what is being said??) The special effects are superb. The storyline is good, but again spots that have you starting to look at your watch. Of course, since this is a "trilogy" the ending keeps you hanging, not knowing for certain exactly what happens. This movie isn't "perfect" like I was led to believe, but when I left the theater, I didn't feel like I had wasted my $7.50 either. It's a movie worth seeing but not without flaws.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent movie
Review: I have never read Tolkien before, but after seeing this movie I went out and bought the trilogy. This movie not only has great special effects, but it is a great story that will move you in many ways. It left me on the edge of my seat, and I can't wait until the next two movies come out.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVE PETER JACKSON!!!
Review: I have been waiting anxiously for this movie to come out in theatres ever since I first starting hearing the buzz about the movie being made. Then, there were the trailers. I saw the first couple of trailers, and thought... okay, it looks good, but don't get your hopes up. It's going to be disappointing and it may even [stink]... (much like, say, "Episode 1".... sigh). So, when the movie was finally released, I went to see it with fairly low expectations. I was completely blown away!! I felt like I was twelve years old again and watching "Star Wars" for the very first time. This movie is fantastic. I loved the story, I loved the visuals, the characters were perfect for the story (okay, so maybe Arwen was a little more zesty than she was in the book, get over it). I have now seen it three times, and will more than likely see it again a couple more times before it leaves the theatres. I dragged my Mom to see it when she came to town for the holidays. My husband and I dragged my father-in-law and brother-in-law to see it when we went to see them after Christmas. I love this movie. It has easily earned a place in my top five favorite movies of all time, and I think it's the best movie I have seen in at least five years. I cannot wait until next December when the next movie is released. Thank you, Peter Jackson, for bringing the magic back to movies!!!
Rating:
Summary: The best movie ever made!
Review: I finally watched this movie and it was well worth the loooong wait. It's so frustrating to know that the remaining 2 films are done, but we can't watch all of it now. My expectations were very high for this film, but it blew away every expectation I had. The movie brought to life the complex characters from the book. All the actors seem to fit their roles so perfectly it's hard to imagine that they are just acting. The detail in this movie is breathtaking. The only disappointment was that Tom Bombadiel wasn't in this movie, I really wanted to see what he would have looked like. I'll just use my imagination. The minor changes that were made worked very well and I didn't think it affected the story at all. I greatly enjoyed Arwen's expanded role in the film and hope she will be in expanded roles in the other 2 as well. I reread Fellowship of the Ring after watching the movie and realized that I had missed minor details in the book that the movie helped me see. I recommend watching the movie and reading the book. This is one of the few movies that is just as good as the book. For how complex the book is, I was impressed with detail was included in a movie that is 2:45. It definitely could have been longer and I don't think anyone would have complained. When the movie ended, I didn't even realize how much time had passed. I will definitely be watching this again and will be awaiting the DVD version.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie of all time!!!
Review: I LOVED this movie. I am over obsessed with it. I had read the Hobbit when I was six or so and loved the book. However, I never got around to reading The Lord of the Rings books. I went and saw the movie with a friend and since then, I couldn't get enough of it. I've seen the movie 5 times and would kill to see it again. I read the books after the first time I saw the movie and found the book was
1. more boring
2. had some differances from the movie.
the second and third book were really good.
What I liked best was that all the actors really fit their parts well. Even when looking their part, they still acted their part REALLY well. The backround music is really good and the scenery is amazing.SEE THIS MOVIE!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Reading Tolkein's novel is a prerequisite to this film.
Review: Unlike most people, my adolescence and schooling did not include a reading of J.R.R. Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, which has garnered endless fans and followers since its publication began in 1954. And now, almost half a century later, New Line Cinema has released "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," which boasts some of the most sophisticated and dazzling special effects to date in creating a world of fantasy and gothic evil. In fact, much of the movie is composed primarily of special effects, which might also explain why the story, at 178 minutes, feels empty and devoid of entertainment. Now mind you, books transfer to the screen with successful results all the time, from Hollywood's very beginning films to today's biggest blockbusters. "Gone With the Wind" and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" are two striking examples of adaptations done right, due much in part to their ability to make the movie entertaining for those who have read the novels on which they are based, and those who have not. "The Fellowship of the Ring" fails to achieve this, and in effect, becomes long and drawn out. The story casts Elijah Wood as Frodo, a hobbit who is left in possession of a gold ring long withheld by his town's eldest citizen, Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm), whose age of 111 does not seem proportionate to his younger appearance. Frodo's mentor, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), informs him of the ring's history, reaching back to the annuls of a time when the evil Sauron sought world domination with his brutal armies, only to lose the ring in battle and disappear from the earth. Strange occurrences and a search party of faceless riders known as Ringwraiths can only mean the return of Sauron, who steadily regains his power, leaving Frodo only once choice: to return the ring to its place of origin, Mount Doom, located in the dark recesses of Mordor. And so, after gathering a band of companions including friend Sam Gamgee (Sean Astin), Frodo sets out to complete his journey, unaware of the dangers that await him. Along the way, they meet Aragon (Viggo Mortensen), a strider with a knack for the sword, and various other characters ranging from all shapes and sizes and personalities. Some of these people provide some comic relief, while others maintain sinister intentions arising from the power of greed that the ring seems to emanate over them. The cast does well with all of this, though I imagine much of their time was spent in front of a blue screen imagining the evils that surrounded their characters. Wood shows a sufficient mix of heroic courage and primal fear that keeps us in tune to Frodo's instincts and thoughts, while McKellan, with his gentle voice and learned appearance, was an ideal choice for Gandalf. Mortensen is not as ideal a hero as he could be, but his performance is serviceable enough; actresses Liv Tyler and Cate Blanchett also make appearances, but they're hardly worth mentioning, as they grace the screen for less than ten minutes apiece. Other actors in the famed Fellowship of the Ring are given comical lines here and there, but that's the extent of the attention devoted to their characters. The real star of the film is the stunning array of special effects, which give the notion that the movie is constantly trying to one-up itself through each new interpretation of the vast worlds and settings of Tolkein's fantasy yarn. The film has been quoted as "a movie only modern technology could create," and for the most part, this statement rings true. Each new twist of the plot brings us a newly-fashioned and breathtaking visual effect: from the high-arched ceilings of the Mines of Moria, to the vast armies that storm the lands of Mordor in the opening sequence of the film, the movie is an eye-popping, sumptuous visual feast that audiences will surely eat up. But, like the effects-vamped summer movie "Pearl Harbor," there is no soul to its story, nothing with which to garner any interest in the characters or the events and twists. There is only a minor amount of suspense supplied in the action sequences, never really reaching the high-level intensity it so richly deserves. Characters come and go, some in the blink of an eye, some from beginning to end, though they're not very interesting, nor do they have much presence in the story. For a book that has been touted as "the greatest fantasy epic of our time" by many readers, the film should have had the ability to make the source material accessible to readers and non-readers of Tolkein. The previews for "The Fellowship of the Ring" are not to blame entirely; the story is only vaguely presented, while the film's final hour is never revealed. Still, it managed to raise my expectations higher than normal, which is why I'm sitting here, discussing my thoughts on a movie that I didn't completely despise, but did not embrace wholeheartedly. To be sure, the movie will leaves its mark on history, as will its already-filmed sequels. This is serviceable entertainment at best, but I can't look at it as anything more than a lackluster blockbuster for the masses.
Rating:
Summary: Peter Jackson's vision is exceptional!
Review: I've seen this movie 4 times so far and it still amazes me. I laughed, I cried, I was frightened and exhilerated. It surpassed the vision I had in my head when I read the books. This movie is 3 hours long and, in my opinion, not nearly long enough. I didn't want it to end. Yes, things were cut out from the book but the balance between content and length was nicely carried out. The movie is violent but not as violent as the books. Anyone who had a problem with sword fighting should probably not be seeing a fantasy movie. The movie is rated PG-13 for a reason so please stop complaining that it was too violent for your 9 year old. The movie ends abruptly. It is the first book in a trilogy. If you read the books you'll find that the first book ends much more abruptly than the movie. Just realize that there are two more parts coming out, so don't freak out at the cliffhanger ending. I felt that the movie was cast brilliantly with stars who are known not for their popularity, but for their acting talent. The special effects are the best that any movie in this genre has ever pulled off. The adaptation from the books is done with care and reverence, although some people will miss Tom Bombadil, the barrow-downs, and some other minor plot enrichments. Definitely a must-see... and a must-read.
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