STARS: ****
DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson
PRINCIPLE CAST:
Elijah Wood
Ian McKellan
Viggo Mortensen
Sean Astin
Christopher Lee
Cate Blanchett
Liv Tyler
TAGLINE: One Ring To Rule Them All.
There comes a rare film once in a great while that transcends the boundaries of its genre and general cinema to live in the hearts of everyone as a classic that represents a significant time in their life and will live in their memory forever. Such films include The Wizard of Oz, the original Star Wars trilogy, and now the Lord of the Rings films. The Fellowship of the Ring is a masterful undertaking in fantasy adventure films and more than a great start to a wonderful series.
For years, fantasy films have been labeled box-office poison, faced with both critical and box-office disappointment. However, it was an unfair title to thrust upon such a genre, when we hokey, poorly made fare as Willow and last year�s Dungeons & Dragons were all we were given to judge from. Thankfully, Peter Jackson has crafted an epic with fine detail and full heart that is so well made it is difficult not to like. For those who thought Harry Potter had high expectations, they should look at the challenges facing director Jackson. He did not only have to satisfy the needs of a few loyal readers to the Tolkien books, but a built-in fan base spanning over thirty years and he has succeeded immensely. Not only does he create a world to satisfy the vast following behind the books, but makes a solid film on its own merits that for the blank viewer is still a spectacular film experience.
The story of hobbit Frodo Baggins and his cohorts making their journey to Mordor to destroy the ring of power is one almost sacred to many. And in the skilled hands of director Peter Jackson, the story comes alive. There is little I can say about this film, not because it is bad, but because it is so good. There is not one thing about this film I do not like. The set pieces and visual effects are amazing. The talent is superb, especially the controversial casting of Liv Tyler as Elven princess Arwen. Before this movie�s release, I caught many �making of� articles and specials around and to see the hard work that was put into the movie, the fine details from the types of swords to the right eye tint, I was in complete awe. It would not be difficult for Hollywood to do a hack-job and just throw together some special effects, but for once in the action-adventure genre, the film industry has managed to beautifully blend style and substance for a major cinematic breakthrough.
There may be a few nay-sayers out there who have their own ideas of what each of their beloved characters (including middle-earth and the ring themselves) should look like, but there is no denying the power of this film. It is not only among the best movies of the year but ever made, and the only problem I had with it was I have to wait another year for the continuation. Any film that gets me interested in dressing as the characters, learning their mythological language, and wanting to wait in line the night before for the follow-up movie has major snaps from me.
