The Fellowship of the Ring

Below is an analysis of the differences between the 2001 motion-picture adaptation and J.R.R. Tolkien’s works.  Generally, it follows the order of the scenes in the movie.  At the end is a short author’s commentary about the film.

 

The Last Alliance of Elves and Men

 

In the movie… The Elves (led by an unspecified ruler) and Men (led by an unnamed king) defeat the forces of Sauron by the slopes of Mount Doom.  The King of Men is killed by Sauron, who steps on his sword and shatters it.  The king’s son Isildur takes up the broken sword and cuts the Ring off Sauron’s hand.

In the books… The Elves are led by Gil-Galad, the last High King of the Noldor; Elrond is present as the king’s herald.  The Men of Arnor and Gondor (the Numenorean realms-in-exile) are led by Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anarion.  The Last Alliance crushes Sauron’s forces in the battle of Dagorlad on the edge of Mordor.  Sauron retreats to his fortress Barad-dur inside Mordor, and the Last Alliance compels him to emerge for a final showdown on the slopes of Orodruin after a seven-year siege (during which Anarion is killed).  Sauron is defeated, but Gil-galad and Elendil are both slain as well.  Elendil’s sword, Narsil, is broken when the king’s body falls on it.  Isildur uses the hilt shard of Narsil to cut the Ring from Sauron’s hand, pledging to keep it as a royal heirloom in honor of his father’s sacrifice.

 

Frodo, Bilbo, Merry, Pippin, Sam and the Families of the Shire

 

In the movie… Frodo is a “Baggins” of unspecified relation to Bilbo.  At the Prancing Pony in Bree, Pippin mentions that he is a distant cousin of Frodo.  Merry and Pippin are of unspecified relation to each other.  Sam is Frodo’s friend who also trims the lawn at Bag End and calls Frodo “mister” for some unspecified reason.

In the books… The families of the Shire have a very long, interrelated history.  Frodo is a Baggins through his father (Drogo), a Brandybuck through his mother, and a Took through his grandmother.  Thus, Frodo is Bilbo’s second cousin as well as a somewhat more distant cousin of Merry and Pippin.  Merry and Pippin are first cousins.  Sam is the son of the Old Gaffer, Bilbo’s long-time groundskeeper at Bag End; Sam took over the job and is Frodo’s faithful servant.

 

Gandalf’s Arrival in the Shire

 

In the movie… Gandalf rides into the Shire alone and is greeted by Frodo, who is apparently waiting for him.  Hobbit children run after Gandalf’s cart, and the wizard appeases them with a quick burst of fireworks.  He then arrives at Bag End for a short visit with Bilbo, during which he hits his head a couple of times on the short ceiling.

In the books… Gandalf rides into the Shire on a cart driven by Dwarves.  Frodo is not present.  Hobbit children follow Gandalf’s cart, but the wizard shoos them off and tells them to wait until the big party for fireworks.  He then arrives at Bad End for a short visit with Bilbo, and he never hits his head on the ceiling (he has been to Bag End several times before).

 

Bilbo’s Birthday Party and the Ring

 

In the movie… Bilbo throws a huge birthday party for himself, at which there is much Irish folk dancing.  Merry and Pippin disrupt the festivities by setting off Gandalf’s dragon firework prematurely.  After giving a farewell speech, Bilbo slips on the Ring and vanishes in front of all his guests.  Gandalf convinces Bilbo to leave the Ring behind for Frodo, who finds the Ring on the floor of Bag End and lets Gandalf seal it in an envelope.

In the books… Bilbo throws a huge birthday party for himself and for Frodo (they share the same birthday), who comes of age (33 for Hobbits) this year.  There is a lot of eating and drinking, but no Irish folk dancing.  Merry and Pippin do not set off any fireworks and are not mentioned specifically (Merry is a youth in his “tweens” and Pippin a Hobbit child at the time).  After giving a farewell speech, Bilbo slips on the Ring and vanishes from sight in a cloud of smoke hastily conjured by Gandalf (who later berates Bilbo for using the magic ring so irresponsibly).  Gandalf does indeed convince Bilbo to leave the Ring to Frodo when he leaves the Shire, but Gandalf’s suspicions of the Ring are only vague and the Ring is not sealed up (though he does encourage Frodo to avoid using the Ring and to keep it safe and secret).

 

The Final Record of Isildur

 

In the movie… Gandalf swiftly rides away from the Shire and, after stopping to observe Mordor’s weather patterns from afar, visits the hall of records in an unspecified city in an unspecified region.  He finds the final account (from the Year 3434 of the Second Age) of the Ring cut from Sauron’s hand by Isildur, who is identified as the High King of Gondor.

In the books… Gandalf pays periodic visits to Frodo over the next several years, and then is not seen in the Shire for nine years.  Sometime during his absence, he visits Minas Tirith and is begrudgingly given permission by the Ruling Steward Denethor to search the royal archives.  There he finds Isildur’s final account of the Ring, probably written in Year 2 of the Third Age (eight years later than the date in the movie) when Isildur sets out to take the throne of his father’s North Kingdom of Arnor, entrusting the South Kingdom of Gondor to the son of his slain brother Anarion.

 

Frodo, Sam, and the Ring Revealed

 

In the movie… Gandalf rushes back to the Shire to test the Ring.  Revealing it as Sauron’s Ruling Ring, he gives Frodo a hasty history lesson and sends him packing immediately for Bree that very night.  He conks Sam on the head with his staff when he hears him eavesdropping outside the window, and tasks him with accompanying Frodo on his sudden journey.  Gandalf tells them he will meet them at the Prancing Pony in Bree and quickly departs to visit Saruman.

In the books… Gandalf returns to the Shire one summer’s day after a long absence (seventeen years after Bilbo’s party).  He tests the Ring and reveals that it is Sauron’s Ruling Ring, and then gives Frodo a long, leisurely history lesson and tells him to plan a quiet departure from the Shire in the autumn and go to Rivendell.  Gandalf hears Sam, who is obsessed with tales of Elves, eavesdropping outside the window.  He tasks Sam with going with Frodo on the future journey.  Gandalf remains in the Shire for a couple months before suddenly departing, saying he will return before the Hobbits set out in the fall.

 

How Old Are These Hobbits?

 

In the movie… All the Hobbits are “young adults” apparently right around the same age.

In the books… Frodo is a fully “adult” 50 when he sets off on the quest (although he looks no older than 33, thanks to the magic of the Ring).  Sam and Merry are “young adults” of 38 and 36 respectively (Hobbits come of age at 33, probably equivalent to our early 20’s).  Pippin is 28, still in his “tweens” (the Hobbit equivalent of our irresponsible college age).

 

The Nazgul in Shire and Abroad

 

In the movie… The Ringwraiths sweep into the Shire the very night that Gandalf sends Frodo packing.  They hiss a couple words to intimidate the locals into giving up information, and they even kill one Hobbit who gets in their way.  When they track the Hobbits to Bree, they force their way through the gate and trample the guard.

In the books… The Ringwraiths appear in the Shire in the autumn after Gandalf last visits Frodo, just before he and Sam are ready for their journey.  The Nazgul question the local Hobbits, even trying to bribe some of them with gold.  They have already visited Bree, bribing some of the locals to keep an eye out for traveling Hobbits.  When the Nazgul track Frodo and his friends to Bree, the gate guard lets them in and probably tells them about Frodo’s arrival.

 

Saruman vs. Gandalf

 

In the movie… Gandalf rushes to Isengard after confirming the identity of the Ring, only to be trapped in Orthanc by a corrupted Saruman.  Saruman reveals that he has sworn allegiance to Sauron and tries to convince Gandalf to join him.  Gandalf refuses, and the wizards engage in a bizarre telekinetic duel in which Gandalf is defeated and imprisoned atop the tower.  Later, Gandalf manages to summon a moth which he enchants with some power to deliver a message.  When Saruman comes to the pinnacle to brutalize Gandalf further, Gandalf throws himself from the tower and is caught by a passing giant eagle (which presumably arrived there at that precise moment due to Gandalf’s moth message).  Presumably, the eagle carries Gandalf to Rivendell.

In the books… Gandalf does not rush to Saruman after making plans with Frodo, but instead wanders the wilds in search of more information about the movements of the enemy.  He is found by fellow wizard Radagast the Brown, who has been searching long for him at Saruman’s request.  Radagast informs Gandalf that Saruman has discovered the Nazgul are abroad and wishes Gandalf to meet with him.  Gandalf asks Radagast to call upon his bird friends to observe the land for strange events and to report what they learn to Isengard.  When Gandalf arrives at Isengard, he learns that Saruman had duped Radagast into convincing Gandalf to come.  Gandalf learns that Saruman the White has become corrupted by power, now calling himself Saruman of “Many Colours.”  Saruman reveals that he is cooperating with Sauron in hopes of eventually overwhelming him and becoming the ruler of Middle-earth himself, and he unsuccessfully tries to convince Gandalf to join him and reveal the whereabouts of the Ring.  Gandalf knows that Saruman is more powerful than he is, and he submits to being taken prisoner rather than trying to fight the evil wizard.  After many weeks as a prisoner atop Orthanc, Gwaihir the Windlord, King of the Great Eagles, reports to Isengard as Radagast had asked.  He rescues Gandalf and bears the wizard to Edoras, capital of Rohan.  Gandalf is coldly received by Lord Theoden, who orders him to take any horse and leave.  Gandalf wins over Shadowfax, the finest royal mount in Rohan, and rides back north in pursuit of the departed Hobbits.

 

Merry and Pippin Join the Quest

 

In the movie… Merry and Pippin join Frodo’s company when he and Sam trip across them while they are raiding Farmer Maggot’s crops.  They have no real reason for joining other than getting caught up in Frodo’s running from the Nazgul.

In the books… Merry and Pippin (who are related by blood to Frodo) are Sam’s co-conspirators in joining Frodo on his difficult journey, for Sam told them Frodo’s real situation.  They are both actively involved in Frodo’s move to Buckland as a cover story for his quiet departure from the Shire.  Pippin sets out from Bag End with Frodo and Sam.  The three Hobbits are later compelled to cross the fields of Farmer Maggot, who gives them some food and smuggles them in his wagon to the ferry across the Brandywine River, where Merry is waiting to join them.

 

Escape from the First Ringwraith

 

In the movie… Shortly after stumbling across Merry and Pippin, Frodo is stalked by a Ringwraith.  The four Hobbit hide in the bole of a tree while the Nazgul tries to sniff them out.  Merry and Pippin distract the Ringwraith by throwing a stick for him to chase after, somehow confusing the agent of evil long enough to allow them to escape.

In the books… On their way to Buckland, Frodo, Sam, and Pippin are stalked by a Ringwraith.  Before the Nazgul can track them down, however, he is chased off by a company of traveling Noldor (High Elves) singing a sacred song to Elbereth (the Elves’ patron demi-goddess).  Led by Gildor Inglorion, the Noldor are on their way to the Grey Havens from whence they will sail to the Immortal Lands of the Utmost West.  The Elves befriend the Hobbits and bring them as guests to their hidden shelter Woodhall.  Sam says that Gildor enjoined him never to leave Frodo during the journey (in the film Sam says it was Gandalf).  Later, thanks to Farmer Maggot, the three Hobbits avoid the Nazgul and reach Merry at the river.

 

From the Shire to Bree

 

In the movie… It is suddenly night.  The Nazgul chase Frodo to Buckleberry Ferry, and Frodo only barely manages to jump onto the ferry in time to escape their clutches.  The next scene shows the Hobbits reaching Bree, presumably that same night.

In the books… After finally reaching Buckland, Frodo sets off with Merry, Pippin, and Sam for Bree.  They decide to travel through the Old Forest in order to avoid using the road watched by the Nazgul.  They become hopelessly lost in the woods and are rescued by the strange, Dwarf-like, all-powerful Tom Bombadil and his river-nymph consort Goldberry.  After getting out of the Old Forest, the Hobbits stumble into the haunted Barrow Downs.  They are captured by the undead barrow wights, and Frodo calls out for Tom Bombadil, who suddenly shows up to bash the wights and rescue the Hobbits.  Bombadil recovers four enchanted knives from the barrow and gives one to each Hobbit.  Bombadil departs, and the Hobbits reach Bree late the next night.

 

The Prancing Pony Inn

 

In the movie… The Hobbits reach the inn where they are supposed to meet Gandalf, only to learn that the nameless innkeeper has not seen the wizard in six months.  Pippin foolishly reveals to a crowd of Men that Frodo is a “Baggins” and, in an ensuing scuffle, Frodo falls to the ground and accidentally slips on the Ring, vanishing from sight.  Strider roughly pulls Frodo into a private room to confront him about his dangerous situation.  After the Nazgul futilely attack the inn’s Hobbit rooms that night, Strider compels the Hobbits to follow him into the wilderness the next morning.  A pony appears among their company without any explanation.

In the books… The Hobbits reach Bree and stay at the Prancing Pony, an inn recommended by Bombadil.  Bree is home to a large Hobbit population, and the inn is filled not only with Men but also with traveling Dwarves and local Hobbits.  Frodo and his friends are eyed by some swarthy travelers from the south and one corrupt local named Bill Ferny, all of whom have probably been bribed by the Nazgul to watch for traveling Hobbits.  Frodo is convinced by the locals at the inn to perform a little song-and-dance, and he accidentally falls and slips on the Ring, vanishing from sight.  The ranger Strider watches the scene and demands to speak with Frodo privately.  The innkeeper, Barliman Butterbur, finally remembers a letter address to Frodo Baggins in the Shire which Gandalf left with him when the wizard was last in Bree many weeks ago; Gandalf had asked Butterbur to find someone to deliver the letter, but it slipped the innkeeper’s mind.  The letter reveals that Gandalf was unable to return to the Shire to join Frodo and that the Hobbits should trust the ranger Strider, whose real name is Aragorn.  The Nazgul attack the Hobbit rooms in the inn that night, and they also chase away all the horses and ponies in the stable.  Strider leads the Hobbits out of Bree the next morning, attracting more attention than he would like.  Before leaving they buy the only baggage pony for sale in Bree, owned by the wicked Bill Ferny.  Sam takes a liking to the poor animal and names it Bill.

 

From Bree to Weathertop

 

In the movie… Strider leads the Hobbits through the wilderness.  He carries along four spare daggers, which he gives to the four Hobbits.  They camp atop the ruins of Weathertop, where Merry and Pippin foolishly make a campfire and attract the notice of the Ringwraiths while Strider is away.  The pursuing Nazgul attack the Hobbits while they are alone, focusing on Frodo when he panics and slips on the Ring.  The Ringwraith leader stabs Frodo in the shoulder with his Morgul blade.  Strider returns in time to fight off all the Nazgul with a torch and sword, chasing them away.  He finds the Morgul blade that wounded Frodo, and it disintegrates in the moonlight.  Strider orders Sam to help him find the herb Kingsfoil which can be used to soothe Frodo’s wound.  While searching, Strider is taken unawares by the Elf swordswoman-sorceress Arwen.

In the books… Aragorn leads the Hobbits east through the wilderness to avoid the main road that could be used by the pursuing Ringwraiths.  Aragorn only carries the broken sword Narsil with him, and he does not need to give any weapons to the Hobbits for they already carry Barrow-blades.  They suffer some noisy nights with the Neeker-Beekers in the Midgewater Marsh and eventually reach the ruins of Amon Sul (Weathertop), where Strider finds a rune marking he believes was left by Gandalf a few days earlier.  Aragorn builds a fire that could be used to make torches to ward off any Nazgul that might attack.  The company spends most of the time singing songs and telling stories.  When five pursuing Nazgul spot the campfire and attack, Frodo panics and slips on the Ring.  While Aragorn grabs the torches to fend off the enemies, the Nazgul Lord stabs Frodo with a Morgul knife and then flees with the other Ringwraiths before Aragorn can strike; they know the Morgul blade will work its foul magic and they need only wait for Frodo to become a wraith.  The Morgul blade left behind by the Nazgul Lord does not disintegrate until the next morning, when exposed to sunlight.  Aragorn trails the Nazgul for a while, then returns with the herb Anthalas to soothe Frodo’s mortal wound.

 

Escape to Rivendell

 

In the movie… Six days from Riverndell, Arwen leaves Strider and the others behind to carry Frodo upon her white horse more quickly to her father, Elrond.  Pursued by the nine Ringwraiths in open daylight, she lures them to a nearby river.  Arwen casts a magic spell (that sounds an awful lot like the Elven prayer to Elbereth), summoning a massive flood in the shape of horses that washes away the Ringwraiths.  Frodo wakes up in Rivendell, healed by Elrond.  His friends have all arrived, too.

In the books… Frodo is wounded seventeen days from Rivendell.  The company crosses the Last Bridge, where Aragorn finds a small beryl-stone that he suspects might be another sign.  Aragorn leads the Hobbits away from the main road deep into the Trollshaws, where they find the petrified trolls faced by Bilbo and Gandalf many decades earlier.  As Frodo’s condition worsens, Aragorn returns to the main road and is found by the High-Elf lord Glorfindel.  The pursuing Ringwraiths decide to attack again at night, and Glorfindel spirits Frodo away upon his enchanted white steed.  Frodo puts on the Ring once again.  The horse outruns the black riders and crosses the river first, while Aragorn (armed with a torch) and Glorfindel close in from behind.  Suddenly, a raging flood in the shape of horses (created by Elrond and Gandalf) sweeps downriver, cutting off the Nazgul from Frodo.  Frodo can see Glorfindel’s power as a blazing white light, and the Nazgul horses panic and charge into the raging water rather than face the Elf lord.  The Nazgul are washed away, and Frodo slips off the ring before falling unconscious.  He awakens in Rivendell, with his wound healed by Elrond and with Gandalf by his side.

 

Elven Swords

 

In the movie… Arwen wields a long, curved sword similar to a Japanese katana.  The Elves of the Last Alliance fight with bizarre sword-spear combination weapons that look like something out of Xena.

In the books… The Elves and the Men of the West fight with proper Western weapons--thrusting spears and straight-bladed swords.  Only the orcs fight with wicked curved blades (often poisoned to boot).

 

Saruman’s Orcs

 

In the movie… Saruman is shown creating a new breed of orcs deep in the bowels of his tower Orthanc.  He calls his creation the “fighting Uruk-Hai” and has them emblazon their faces with his symbol, the White Hand.  He reveals that orcs were originally created ages ago from captured Elves twisted by the Dark Power.

In the books… The Uruk-Hai are first bred by Sauron hundreds of years before the War of the Ring.  They are bigger and smarter than the more primitive orc breed, and they can better tolerate sunlight.  Saruman recruits a large army of Uruk-Hai at Orthanc and later tries to improve upon them by crossing them with some of the wicked Men (Dunlendings) in his service, producing the fearsome half-orcs.  Saruman’s orcs emblazon their helmets or shields with an “S” or the White Hand.  Tolkien does not reveal until The Silmarillion that orcs were created in the First Age by Morgoth from unfortunate Elf prisoners.

 

Elrond All-Elven

 

In the movie… Elrond is an Elven lord who resents the weakness of Men.  He disapproves of Aragorn, who he feels has turned his back on his royal birthright long ago.  He is apparently all Elf, and he shows little sympathy for the causes of Men.

In the books… Elrond is Peredhil (“Half-Elven”), the son of the ancient hero Earendil the Mariner (who had one-quarter Elf blood) and his wife Elwing (who had three-quarters Elf blood through her father Dior and her grandmother Luthien Tinuviel).  He chose to identify with his Noldor heritage, embracing the immortal life.  His brother Elros, however, chose to identify with Men and embraced the mortal life, ruling for a few centuries as King of Numenor before dying from old age.  Far from disapproving of the marriage of Arwen and Aragorn, Elrond knows that the union will reunite many long-sundered bloodlines (for Aragorn carries the distant lineage of his half-brother Elros).

 

The Council of Rivendell

 

In the movie… Dwarves, Elves, and Men all happen to arrive at Rivendell at the same time, apparently invited somehow by Elrond.  Boromir of Gondor meets Aragorn by Rivendell’s monument holding the shards of Narsil, which he angrily rejects as a worthless heirloom.  Aragorn carefully picks up the shards, but the sword apparently remains broken.  Arwen appears and leads Aragorn out into the woods, where they pledge their love anew and she gives him her Elf-stone necklace as a token.  Elrond then holds a council to decide the fate of the Ring, attended by many unidentified individuals.  The Ring is decried as the “Doom of Men” that betrayed Isildur.  Elrond insists that the Ring must be destroyed, because it cannot be protected forever in Rivendell (although why it cannot be hidden or simply dumped in the sea is not discussed).  Gimli chops at the Ring with his axe, and the weapon is blown to pieces.  An argument erupts over who should bear the Ring to Mount Doom where it can be destroyed, and Gimli angrily spouts anti-Elf sentiments.  Frodo quells the discord by volunteering to undertake the quest; Gandalf pledges to lead him, and Aragorn pledges his (non-broken) sword, Legolas (who is barely identified) pledges his bow, and Gimli pledges his axe (apparently he had two, since he ruined the first one smiting the Ring).  Boromir and the other Hobbits round out the Fellowship of Nine, sworn to see the Ring destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom.

In the books… Over many weeks Dwarves, Elves, and Men arrive in Rivendell from various realms, bringing strange tidings to share with the famous lore-master Elrond.  The shards of Narsil were once kept at Rivendell but were long ago given to Aragorn; with a great war against Sauron at hand, however, Elrond orders his craftsmen to reforge the sword anew (and Aragorn gives it the new name Anduril).  Arwen is present in her father’s hall, and she and Aragorn do spend time together and pledge their love anew, but she does not give him the Elf-stone.  When Frodo is recovered from his wound, Elrond holds a council to decide the fate of the Ring (properly called “Isildur’s Bane” instead of the “Doom of Men,” a phrase that technically refers to the mortal lifespan).  The council is attended by Galdor of the Havens, on behalf of the Elf lord Cirdan; Dwarf lord Gloin and his son Gimli; Legolas, the son of the Elf-king Thranduil of Mirkwood; Erestor and Glorfindel, advisors to Elrond’s house; Boromir, the son of the Ruling Steward of Gondor; Frodo and Bilbo; Gandalf and Aragorn; and additional unspecified individuals of importance.  Gimli does not spout anti-Elf hatred (later he proves himself open-minded for a Dwarf).  Nobody strikes the Ring.  Each emissary reveals what he knows of Mordor’s plots to recover the Ring and conquer Middle-earth.  The Ring cannot be hidden because there would be no guarantee against it being found again; it cannot be thrown into the sea because that would require traveling back west through country watched by the Enemy.  The Ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, for this is what Sauron will least expect.  Bilbo first volunteers to undertake the quest because he feels he is responsible for the problem.  But he is too old, so Frodo agrees to serve as the Ring-bearer.  Over the next many days Elrond carefully selects the Fellowship to accompany Frodo from among those present, a company chosen to reflect the Free Peoples of Middle-earth.  Elrond wants to send Merry and Pippin back to the Shire, but he is dissuaded by Gandalf.

 

Crossing the Mountains

 

In the movie… The Fellowship sets out south from Rivendell, hoping to cross east through the Gap of Isen.  However, when a huge flock of crebain birds sweeps past them, Gandalf decides that route is being watched too closely by Saruman.  Gimli urges the Fellowship to take the short route under the mountains by going through the mines of Moria, ruled by his cousin Balin, but Gandalf is strongly against it.  Instead he leads a begrudging Fellowship high into the Caradhras Mountains.  While hiking through the snow, Frodo drops the Ring.  It is picked up by Boromir, who is first tempted by it.  He is compelled by Aragorn to return it to Frodo.  Thwarted by a snowstorm summoned by Saruman (who hopes to force Gandalf into Moria to face the Balrog), Gandalf then asks Frodo, as Ring-bearer, to decide what route to take.  Frodo chooses Moria.

In the books… The Fellowship sets out south from Rivendell, each member free to follow the group for as long as he wishes.  Boromir is going to Minas Tirith in Gondor, and Gimli and Legolas are pledged no further than the mountains.  The Fellowship knows the Ring cannot be brought close to Saruman in Isengard, nor can they afford the long, dangerous route along the far southern coast.  The only choice is to cross the Misty Mountains.  Aragorn spots a flock of crebain birds to the south, and he feels they are spying out the land.  Gandalf argues that going through the mines of Moria is the fastest route, and he easily persuades Gimli to support him.  Balin’s expedition to Moria disappeared over twenty years ago, and Gimli hopes some of his kin can still be found alive.  No one is aware of the Balrog.  Boromir and Legolas refuse to enter the mines, and Aragorn insists on trying to lead the party over the Caradhras first.  A thunderous snowstorm (not openly attributed to Saruman) defeats the attempted crossing, and they are forced back.  Gandalf heals their fatigue by sharing his flask of miruvor (a magical drink brewed in Rivendell) with them.  Frodo never drops the Ring (Boromir’s lines here in the film actually come from the final chapter of the book).  There is still much division over entering Moria, and Aragorn issues Gandalf a grim portent of doom if he enters.  However, when the howls of evil wolves are heard drawing near, the Fellowship is forced to rush to the mines as quickly as possible to escape their approach.

 

Entering Moria and the Beast in the Water

 

In the movie… The Fellowship reaches the hidden doors of Moria.  Sam sadly bids farewell to the company’s pony, who is now revealed as Bill, sending the animal back “home” (to Bree?).  While Gandalf ponders how to open the secret door, Merry and Pippin cast stones into a huge pool of water outside the entrance.  Frodo realizes the words on the hidden door are a riddle and asks Gandalf to speak the Elven word for “friend.”  The doors open, and suddenly a huge beast with many tentacles bursts up from the huge pool of water.  Frodo is caught by the leg, but Boromir and Aragorn leap into the water and hack at the monster, rescuing Frodo.  The Fellowship rushes into the mines in the nick of time, as the tentacles tear down the entrance and trap them inside.  The beast in the water is never identified.

In the books… The Fellowship reaches the west entrance of Moria only to find the source of the nearby river dammed and much of the surrounding terrain flooded by deep water.  Gandalf ponders the riddle that opens the secret door to Moria for a long time.  Boromir grows impatient and hurls a stone into the deep floodwater, agitating a nervous Frodo.  The answer finally dawns on Gandalf, and he opens the secret door by speaking the Elven word for “friend.”  Suddenly, a huge tentacle darts out of the water and snares Frodo by the leg.  Bill the Pony panics and gallops off, and a torn Sam chooses to leap to Frodo’s aid, cutting him free.  Twenty more tentacles shoot up from the water, but the Fellowship makes it inside the mines before they can strike; the tentacles slam the secret door shut, blocking the way out to the west.  Later, the Fellowship finds a Dwarven record book in the Chamber of Mazarbul that mentions the “Watcher in the Water” blocking the western entrance.

 

Gollum Follows the Fellowship

 

In the movie… Frodo and Gandalf both notice Gollum scurrying along behind them in the darkness of Moria.  Frodo laments that Bilbo did not kill Gollum years ago when he had the chance, but Gandalf defends Bilbo’s act of pity and muses that Gollum may still yet have a role to play in the fate of the Ring.  (Much of the dialogue is lifted from Chapter 2 in the book, in which Gandalf and Frodo actually discuss Gollum’s past.)  Gollum is not seen again in the film.

In the books… Frodo, his senses in the darkness enhanced by the Ring, periodically hears movement behind him in the shadows.  While the Fellowship shelters in the fringes of Lothlorien, the Wood Elves chase off a mysterious Hobbit-like figure trying to scurry up their tree.  While sailing down the Great River Anduin, Sam notices a “log” with two eyes floating behind them.  He and Frodo suspect it is Gollum, and Aragorn reveals that he noticed Gollum carefully following them through Moria and to the River Nimrodel.  Aragorn tried to catch the crafty Gollum in the wild, but even he, a skilled ranger, failed.

 

Frodo and Gandalf’s Swords

 

In the movie… Frodo is armed with Sting, an Elven blade given to him by Bilbo in Rivendell.  Sting is unique because its blade glows blue whenever orcs are nearby.  This happens most visibly during the battle in Moria.

In the books… Bilbo finds the Elven knife Sting in the hoard of the stone trolls encountered in his adventures with Thorin and his Dwarves.  This is also how Gandalf acquires his sword Glamdring.  They are both ancient Elven blades from the First Age, and both of them glow increasingly intensely as orcs and other servants of Morgoth draw closer.

 

The Battle in Moria

 

In the movie… The Fellowship comes across a great many bodies (presumably Dwarves) upon first entering Moria.  They wander through the mines and reach the great underground city of Dwarrowdelf.  Gimli rushes ahead into a sunlit chamber, only to find the tomb of his slain kinsman Balin.  The others join him, and Gandalf pries a record book from the hands of a dead Dwarf and reads aloud of the fall of the Dwarven kingdom.  Pippin then accidentally knocks a number of metal objects down the deep well inside the chamber, arousing the sound of drums in the distance.  Orcs and a cave troll attack the chamber, and the Fellowship fights them all to the death.  The cave troll skewers Frodo with a spear during the fight, and afterwards he reveals the mithril armor given to him by Bilbo that protected him from the blow.  Despite having slaughtered a huge enemy force with virtually no casualties, the Orcs of Moria continue to attack the Fellowship as they cross a large shattered stairway, on which Aragorn and Frodo nearly fall to their deaths.  Once back in the open, the Fellowship is swarmed by hundreds of orcs, who suddenly panic and run off when the Balrog approaches.

In the books… The Fellowship does not come across any bodies in the west entrance of Moria.  They travel for several days underground to reach Dwarowdelf.  Occasionally, they come across chasms where passageways have crumbled, and they are forced to jump across (Pippin has the hardest time, not Frodo and Aragorn).  While camping in a side chamber one night, Pippin is drawn to a deep well.  Out of curiosity, he drops a stone down it to see how deep it is.  A strange noise sounds in the distance, and Gandalf scolds Pippin (in words fairly similar to those used in the movie).  Later, as they near the east entrance, they come upon Balin’s tomb in the Chamber of Mazarbul.  Gandalf finds and reads the record book written by Ori, a Dwarf known for his deft handwriting, revealing how Balin’s expedition to renew the Kingdom of Moria was overwhelmed by attacking orcs just a few years after arriving.  Drums sound in the distance when the Fellowship attempts to move on, and the companions fall back to the chamber to fend off an orc attack (including some Uruk-Hai from Mordor).  A cave trolls tries to burst into the room, but Frodo chases it off by stabbing its foot with Sting.  A sizable band of orcs eventually pushes its way into the room, but they flee after the Fellowship slays thirteen of them.  The orc chieftain suddenly rushes into the chamber and skewers Frodo to the wall with his spear.  Sam rescues Frodo by chopping through the spear, while Aragorn cleaves through the orc’s helm with fiery blade Anduril.  Aragorn picks up Frodo, presuming him dead, as the Fellowship flees out through the east door, but Frodo is alive and demands to be put down.  (Frodo does not reveal his mithril armor until outside Moria, when Aragorn insists on treating his wound.)  Gandalf attempts to cover their escape by holding the door closed with a magic spell, but soon his enchantment is overwhelmed by a powerful counterspell and Gandalf joins them in their flight.  The Fellowship reaches the narrow Bridge of Kazad-dum with a horde of orcs in pursuit.  The orcs fall back in fear, however, when the Balrog advances toward the bridge.

 

The Balrog

 

In the movie… Saruman first refers to the Balrog, knowing that the Dwarves unleashed it from its deep resting place by digging too greedily into the earth.  Saruman forces the Fellowship into Moria so that Gandalf will have to face it.  When it attacks, only Gandalf knows what it is.  The Balrog appears as a giant beast of fire and smoke with a great horned head.  Gandalf holds the bridge while the others escape, blocking the Balrog’s assault with some sort of magic shield.  After shouting at the monster (with dialogue right out of the book), Gandalf shatters the bridge and sends the Balrog plummeting into the chasm below.  His leg is snared by the Balrog’s fiery whip, and he too is pulled into the abyss.  The surviving Fellowship rushes out the east entrance and collapses onto the ground in grief.  Aragorn coldly drives them on despite Boromir’s pity for the weeping halflings, warning that the hills will be swarming with orcs by nightfall.

In the books… Saruman says nothing about a Balrog.  Indeed, the Dwarves did first awaken the sleeping Balrog by delving too greedily into the mines of Moria, but that happened a thousand years earlier.  It is Legolas who first identifies the approaching Balrog.  (By way of contrast, in the movie Legolas does not identify the Balrog--but identifies virtually everything else, from the crebain birds to the Horn of Gondor!)  Gimli knows immediately that the creature is “Durin’s Bane” who destroyed the Kingdom of Kazad-dum so long ago.  Gandalf blocks the Balrog’s fiery sword with Glamdring, and the Elven blade shatters the foe’s evil weapon.  Both Aragorn and Boromir attempt to join the fight, but then Gandalf shatters the bridge and falls into the abyss with the Balrog (as the movie correctly shows).  The surviving Fellowship flees out the east entrance into the Dimril Dale, where they take time to mourn Gandalf and marvel at the Mirrormere lake.

 

Entering Lorien

 

In the movie… The Fellowship appears next in the woods of Lorien, a mysterious forest realm ruled by an Elf Lady rumored to be a dangerous sorceress.  Gimli is most wary, boasting that he will never be ensnared by Elves.  Just then, the Fellowship is surrounded by a squad of Elven archers led by Haldir, who says Gimli breathes so loud they could shoot him in the dark.  Aragorn knows the Elves and speaks with them in their own tongue, asking for their aid.  The Elves escort the Fellowship to the woodland city of Caras Galadon, where they meet the Elf Lady Galadriel and her unnamed consort, who is apparently an Elf of some importance.  Galadriel carefully studies each member of the Fellowship with her powerful gaze, paying special attention to Sam and Boromir.  Later, Boromir reveals to Aragorn that he feels Galadriel was testing him, showing him a vision of his home, Minas Tirith, in danger.  He expresses his deep fear that he will be unable to save Gondor.

In the books… The Fellowship travels through the Dimril Dale to the northern fringe of Lothlorien, hoping that the Elves still keep the entire forest secure against the orcs.  Only Boromir is reluctant to enter, speaking ill of Lorien until chided by Aragorn.  Legolas is happy to visit the realm of his distant kinsmen, singing some of their ancient songs and lamenting that he cannot see the great mellyrn trees of Lothlorien in their summer bloom.  That night, they are intercepted by a party of Wood Elves whom Legolas speaks with (only he knows their Silvan tongue); Legolas tells a talkative Sam that the Elves say he breathes so loudly they could shoot him in the dark.  The Elf troop is commanded by Haldir and his two brothers (though only Haldir speaks Westron, the Common Speech of the West).  The Elves watch over the Fellowship that night, destroying a warband of orcs from Moria chasing after the Fellowship to avenge their slain chieftain.  They spot Gollum trying to scurry up the tree in which the Hobbits are resting, but they do not shoot him and he flees.  Eventually, Haldir does escort the Fellowship to Caras Galadon, but only after blindfolding the Fellowship so they cannot see the way.  There, they meet Celeborn the Wise, King of Lorien, and his Queen Galadriel, eldest of the Noldor Elves still living in Middle-earth.  Galadriel carefully studies each member of the Fellowship, and only Aragorn and Legolas seem able to withstand her gaze.  Boromir later reveals that he feels as if she was testing him, but he does not share any details.

 

The Mirror of Galadriel

 

In the movie… At night Galadriel leads Frodo away from the Fellowship to speak with him privately.  She takes him to an enchanted fountain, in which visions of past, present, and future can be seen reflected in the water.  Frodo readily looks into the water, seeing glimpses of some of his companions, a horrific scene of the Shire being ravaged by orcs, and then the fiery Eye of Sauron.  Galadriel knows that Frodo sees the Eye, for she has seen it too.  She tells him that his vision of the Shire will come true if he fails in his quest to destroy the Ring.  Galadriel also warns that someone in the Fellowship will try to take the Ring from him.  Frodo offers to give the Ring to Galadriel, but the Elf lady possesses enough strength of will to refuse (with dialogue straight out of the book).

In the books… The Fellowship rests in Lorien for many days.  One night Galadriel leads Frodo and Sam to her magic fountain, breathing on the water to invoke its magic.  Sam gazes into the Mirror of Galadriel, first seeing a vision of Frodo pale and unconscious while he searches in the dark for something and then seeing a glimpse of the trees in the Shire being cut down and his father dispossessed from his home.  Galadriel then offers Frodo the chance to look, but does not command it.  Frodo decides to peer into the water and sees a vision first of someone he supposes is Gandalf, then a vision of Bilbo, and then a vision of a black-sailed ship and a city of white towers.  When Frodo next sees a vision of the fiery Eye of Sauron, the Ring worn around his neck nearly touches the water until Galadriel stops him.  She, too, has seen the Eye, and she reveals that she is also a Ring-bearer who wears Nenya, the Elven Ring of Adamant.  Galadriel does not warn Frodo that Boromir will try to take the Ring.  Galadriel refuses the Ring when offered it, though Sam comments that he wishes she would take it and use her power to save the Shire.  Galadriel says she would start with good intentions but surely turn to evil in time.

 

Leaving Lorien

 

In the movie… After an undisclosed amount of time, the Fellowship sails down the river flowing out of Lorien in three boats presumably acquired from the Elves.  Frodo has a flashback of Galadriel giving him a crystal phial containing the light of their most sacred star Earendil.  Though how they got them is not shown, the companions are all now wearing new cloaks with silver-leaf clasps.  Galadriel waves to them from the shore, and an unspecified Ring can be seen upon her finger.

In the books… The Fellowship leaves Lorien after many days of rest.  Galadriel and Celeborn hold a farewell feast for their guests, and they give the Fellowship three boats in which to sail to their next destination.  Already, disagreement begins to surface over where to go next.  Boromir urges the Fellowship to accompany him to Minas Tirith, and Frodo first begins to suspect that there is a change coming over the man.  As the Fellowship prepares to depart, Galadriel gives all of them gifts.  Everyone receives a mystical Elf cloak which camouflages the wearer in the wilderness.  Aragorn is given an enchanted sheath for his sword Anduril, as well as Arwen’s Elf-stone brooch left with Galadriel to give to Aragorn in his hour of need as a token of encouragement.  Boromir, Merry, and Pippin are given belts of gold and silver.  Legolas is given a Lorien bow and quiver of arrows.  Sam is given a small box of enchanted soil from Galadriel’s garden, with which he can refresh the earth of the Shire if it is ruined as he saw in his vision in the Mirror.  Gimli is allowed to request a gift, and he asks only for a strand of Galadriel’s hair (she gives him three strands).  Frodo is given the phial of Earendil’s star.

 

The Breaking of the Fellowship

 

In the movie… The whole band apparently is planning to accompany Frodo and the Ring to the Cracks of Mount Doom.  They sail south down the Great River past the giant pillars of the Argonath.  There they camp for the evening, and Frodo wanders away to seek solitude.  Boromir, off collecting wood for a campfire, happens across Frodo and begs him to bring the Ring to Minas Tirith, where it could be used to defend Gondor (some of the dialogue is actually from the book).  When Frodo, warned about Boromir by Galadriel, refuses to lend him the Ring, Boromir angrily tries to take it by force.  Frodo slips on the Ring, kicks himself free of Boromir, and runs off (all the while seeing ghostly images of Barad-dur and the Eye of Sauron).  Boromir (in dialogue also from the book) accuses Frodo of planning to betray them and give the Ring to Sauron, but then he trips and falls to the ground.  Coming back to his senses, he repents his deeds and weeps for Frodo to forgive him.  Frodo hides by some unnamed ancient ruin and removes the Ring.  Aragorn comes upon Frodo next, and it is his turn to be tempted by the lure of the Ring.  However, he nobly resists and agrees to let Frodo continue on the quest alone.  He then tells Frodo to draw Sting, and the blade glows blue revealing the approach of orcs.  During the battle with the orcs, Merry and Pippin notice Frodo trying to leave the group to carry on the quest on his own; they distract the orcs long enough to let him escape.  Sam, however, pursues Frodo to the shore and jumps into the water when Frodo tries to sail off alone, compelling Frodo to pull Sam out of the river and take him with him on the Ring quest.

In the books… The Fellowship sails down the Anduin unsure of its next destination.  They sail for ten days, and periodically Gollum is spotted carefully following them at a distance.  A few days into the voyage Legolas and Aragorn spot a great eagle flying in the northern sky, unsure what its presence so far from the mountains forebodes.  In the rapids of Sarn Gebir, their boats are barraged with arrows shot by orcs hidden on the eastern shore (one hits Frodo between the shoulders, but he is saved by his mithril coat).  Later that night they are menaced by a huge winged shape (revealed in The Two Towers to be a winged Nazgul mount) flying overhead, chased off by Legolas when he shoots an arrow up into it.  They sail past the Argonath and toward the mighty Falls of Rauros, stopping to camp along the west bank by the high hill of Amon Hen.  That night Aragorn tells Frodo to draw his blade; Sting glows faintly revealing orcs in the distance, but it is suspected that they are Mordor orcs far off on the east bank.  The next morning after breakfast the Fellowship must choose their destination, and it is agreed that Frodo the Ring-bearer should decide.  Frodo asks for an hour to decide and wanders off alone to think, but Boromir quietly slips off after him.  Boromir overtakes Frodo and offers his counsel, encouraging Frodo to bring the Ring to Minas Tirith.  Increasing corrupted by desire for the Ring, Boromir lays out elaborate plans for the war he would wage against Sauron if he had the Ring.  When Frodo refuses to lend it to him, Boromir attempts to take it by force (as the movie correctly portrays).  Frodo turns invisible and flees (without kicking Boromir) to the top of Amon Hen, upon which he sees the signs of war sweeping across Middle-earth and is menaced once more by the Eye of Sauron until he removes the Ring.  Frodo’s hour is long up, and Boromir returns somberly to report that Frodo has run off; he refuses to admit that he tried to take the Ring, even when Aragorn demands to know the truth.  The other Hobbits run off into the hilly woods in search of Frodo, and Aragorn charges Boromir with going after Pippin and Merry to protect them.  As Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas begin to search for Frodo, Sam suspects that Frodo will try to go off on the quest to destroy the Ring by himself.  He finds Frodo by the shore and jumps into the water, forcing Frodo to sail back and pull him into the boat.  Frodo and Sam go off together.

 

The Battle at the River Against the Orcs

 

In the movie… In a previous scene, Saruman dispatches his Uruk-Hai to find the Fellowship and bring the halflings back to him unspoiled.  The orcs attack just after Aragorn resists the lure of the Ring.  He single-handedly holds off a wave of enemies with his unnamed--but obviously powerful--sword.  Gimli and Legolas show up to join the fight, hewing countless foes with moves reminiscent of Gladiator (especially such feats as Legolas shooting two arrows at once or killing an orc by stabbing it through the throat with an arrow).  Merry and Pippin help Frodo and Sam escape by distracting the Uruk-Hai, and Boromir comes barreling out of the woods to save Merry and Pippin.  Boromir sounds the alarm by blowing his horn.  He slays many orcs despite being shot by three arrows during the fight.  In the end, however, sinks to his knees from his wounds, and Merry and Pippin are quickly overcome and carried off as prisoners.  The unnamed orc captain prepares to slay Boromir with his bow, but Aragorn suddenly arrives and engages the captain in a gruesome duel in which the orc is ultimately decapitated.

In the books… These events are actually from the first chapter of The Two Towers.  As the orcs carry off Merry and Pippin, it is revealed that they are actually from different places--some are Uruk-Hai from Isengard, but many of the lesser orcs are goblins from Moria still out for revenge and some are even Uruk-Hai from Mordor (flown across the river by the winged Nazgul mount Legolas shot with an arrow a few nights earlier).  The orc captain is named Ugluk, and he violently insists on completing his master Saruman’s orders:  “Kill all, but NOT the Halflings!”  The orcs first come upon Merry and Pippin as they search fruitlessly for Frodo.  Boromir, in events not described in the book but only referred to as he lays dying, fights to the death trying to save the Hobbits.  He blows the Horn of Gondor, which Aragorn hears and runs toward while invoking the name of his ancestor “Elendil!” (which he also exclaims, without any explanation, in the movie).  Aragorn never fights any of the orcs.  Legolas and Gimli later mention that they fought some orcs in the woods, but not the ones attacking Boromir, and their action scene is not described.  Ugluk is not killed at this time.

 

The Death of Boromir and the Sundered Fellowship

 

In the movie… Aragorn saves Boromir from being slain by the orc captain, but his companion is already mortally wounded.  Boromir admits that he tried to take the Ring from Frodo, and he praises Aragorn for doing what he could not do--letting Frodo go.  With his dying breath, Boromir movingly hails Aragorn as his captain, his king.  Aragorn, while expressing doubt about the strength of his blood, pledges to Boromir that he will not let Minas Tirith Fall.  Aragorn is, thus, portrayed as a wise and successful leader.  The slain Boromir is placed in one of the boats and given burial in the river, his remains swept down the waterfall.  Aragorn then convinces Legolas and Gimli that the Fellowship will endure if they remain true to each other, and the three heroes end the movie pursuing the orcs who captured Merry and Pippin.

In the books… In an event actually from the first chapter of The Two Towers, Aragorn hears the Horn of Gondor and comes upon Boromir sitting with his back to a tree, his body riddled with orc arrows.  Boromir does indeed reveal that he tried to take the Ring from Frodo.  With his dying breath, Boromir bemoans that he has failed and calls upon Aragorn to save “my people” (he does not hail Aragorn as his king).  Aragorn does not question the strength of his blood, but he does pledge that Minas Tirith will not fall.  Boromir does say before dying that the orcs captured the halflings, but Aragorn does not learn if Frodo was among them.  The Fellowship is shattered, some of the companions are taken prisoner, and the fate of Frodo and the Ring is unknown.  Thus, Aragorn is portrayed as an imperfect leader.  The three remaining companions take the time to place Boromir in one of the boats along with a number of orc armaments as trophies to his valor (they also notice there is an S on some of the helmets, implying Saruman); they give Boromir burial in the river, but they do not let his bier drop down the falls (since his remains reach Gondor later in the book).  The companions notice that one of the boats is missing, and they hold out hope that Frodo escaped and Sam with him.  After singing a song in honor of Boromir, the three companion admit the fate of the Ring-bearer is out of their hands and decide to put off going to Minas Tirith in order to chase after Merry and Pippin.

 

Author’s Comments

 

Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring is an outstanding cinematic achievement.  It is an excellent movie adaptation of a very challenging novel, one that many people doubted ever could be turned into a comprehendible live-action film.  Jackson and New Line should be praised for undertaking such an adventurous endeavor, especially in light of how stupid or terrible the typical Hollywood film is these days.  The film is obviously intended to be a “blockbuster” (given the tidal wave of marketing), yet it is also a film of intense artistry.  It may be difficult for true Tolkien fans to keep this in mind amidst the “hunky Strider” action figures and Liv-Tyler-as-Arwen wall posters, but we need to grant the film its Hollywood obligations and view it for its own worth.  Sometimes this can be difficult: as a blockbuster the film must devote a large amount of screen time to action, so the fights are given more emphasis (long scenes laden with special effects designed to appeal to teenage boys who have spent countless hours playing Diablo or Buldur’s Gate) at the expense of some character development (especially for the Hobbits).  Nonetheless, there is much of worth in this film.  The film is at its best when it breathes life into the world envisioned by Tolkien: the rural charm of the Shire, the sweeping vistas of Eriador and the River Anduin, the mystical grandeur of Lorien, the towering majesty of the Argonath.  The script is especially strong, and the writers should be praised for incorporating so much of Tolkien’s actual words.  Understandably, virtually all of the songs and poetry are gone--yet, more importantly, a great deal of Tolkien’s quaint dialogue has been transformed into believable speech.  Surely the fans of the books might quibble that much of the dialogue has been shifted around, appearing in the movie storyline at different times than in the book storyline, but at least it does appear.  Many literary film adaptations keep no original dialogue from the novel, replacing its text with typical Hollywood drivel.  The Fellowship of the Ring retains much of Tolkien’s dialogue and makes it sound very good.

 

The film is at its worst, however, when it tries to improve upon Tolkien’s story.  My analysis above has charted all the times the film attempts this (and there are quite a few), and almost without exception this weakens the strength of the story: Merry and Pippin have no real reason for dutifully following Frodo; Elrond has no real reason for aiding Aragorn; Saruman has no real reason for wanting to capture the Ring.  The only time the film does improve upon Tolkien is the character of Boromir.  His corruption by the Ring is more gradual, his passionate desire to use the Ring to save his homeland is more believable, and his death is more moving.  All the performances in the film are quite strong, but special mention should be given to Sean Bean (Boromir) for his emotional portrayal of the flawed hero.  Again, Tolkien purists might lament that the character of Arwen is expanded (debased?) by merging her role with that of Glorfindel from the book, but it hardly affects the overall shape of the story.  Furthermore, Liv Tyler is truly breathtaking as Arwen Undomiel.  There is a great deal of Tolkien-inspired artwork featuring Arwen, yet to my mind none of it ever effectively depicted her.  Liv Tyler’s Arwen looks and sounds exactly as I imagined her.  The same is true for Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel, and her performance even captures the unusually low voice for a woman which Tolkien mentions in his description of the Noldor queen.  Indeed, it is this kind of attention to detail that pays off so handsomely in the film.  You can see it in the captivating cinematography and hear it in much of the authentic dialogue.  As a work of cinema, The Fellowship of the Ring deserve an A grade; as an adaptation of Tolkien, it only merits a B grade.  Still, a B grade is much better than things could have been (do you shudder to remember the 1978 animated version?), and Tolkien fans can hope that the next film with be even more loyal to the novels which we cherish so dearly.