The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Review
by Bob Bloom (bobbloom AT iquest DOT net)December 18th, 2001
LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001) 3 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm and Christopher Lee. Music by Howard Shore. Screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson. Directed by Peter Jackson. Approx. 3 hours. Rated PG-13.
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring presents an opulent, ambitious adaptation of the first book of J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece.
Only the most ardent purists will object to any deletions and compressions wrought in the page-to-screen transfer. Most viewers and lovers of the novel will find this a most satisfying rendition.
And if you've not read Lord of the Rings nor its prequel, The Hobbit, don't worry. Ring opens with a lengthy prologue giving a history of the One Ring, its importance and how it came into the possession of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.
Creating a realistic fantasy world may seem like a contradiction. But it is the linchpin of success for an undertaking such as Fellowship of the Ring.
The technical sorcerers, led by Jim Rygiel, who worked with director Peter Jackson, have conjured a magnificent replica of Tolkien's Middle Earth. The Shire, the hobbits, dwarves, elves, wizards and orcs who inhabit this mythical land all look as if they stepped out of pages from the book.
At three hours, the first of a trilogy (the next two movies will be released in December 2002 and December 2003, respectively) hardly lags.
Out of necessity, much of Tolkien's explanations and expositions have been deleted or condensed.
This fast-paced adventure epic moves on a grand stage. The film overflows with fierce battles, frightening characters and perilous situations. It almost plays like an old movie serial, as Frodo Baggins and his friends bound from one death-defying exploit to another.
The film weaves a magical spell through its humor and heart, one as big and vast as the New Zealand landscape that serves as Middle Earth.
Like most fantasy novels, the main plot of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is a quest. Frodo Baggins, the nephew of Bilbo, must return the powerful One Ring to Orodruin, the fire-mountain where it was forged, and cast it into the Cracks of Doom to destroy it.
The evil wizard Sauron the Great, who forged the ring but then lost it, covets it because its power grants him dominion over the earth.
The timid but determined Frodo and the eight other members in the Fellowship of the Ring have sworn to destroy the ring so Sauron cannot reclaim it.
And while Ring's special effects dominate the film, the script by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Jackson do not allow the characters to be gobbled up by movie magic. They bring Frodo and his friends to life, giving them distinct personalities.
As portrayed by Elijah Wood, Frodo is a reluctant hero, assuming the responsibility for destroying the ring even though he does not want such a burden.
The strong cast complements each other, especially Sean Astin as Sam, Frodo's close friend and protector. Others in this fine ensemble include Ian McKellen as the wizard Gandalf, whose magic aids Frodo and his friends; Liv Tyler as Arwin, an elf; Viggo Mortensen as Strider the Ranger; Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; John Rhys-Davies as Gimil the dwarf; Billy Boyd as Pippin and Dominic Monaghan as Merry, hobbit friends of Frodo's; Orlando Bloom as Legolas, an elf; Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith in The Matrix) as Elrond the elf king; Sean Bean as Boromir; Ian Holm as Bilbo; and the legendary Christopher Lee as Saruman the wizard.
Even though a few of these actors have little more than cameo performances, I suspect they will have more screen time in the sequels.
Lee's presence pleases me to no end. It has been several years since this towering actor had a meaty role, and the former Hammer Films icon does not disappoint.
Howard Shore's score has a mythical lilt, a near Celtic flavor.
Also worth mentioning is the extraordinary camera work of cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, especially in the forced perspective photography used to make Wood, Astin and the other hobbit actors appear smaller than their actual size.
The Fellowship of the Ring soars and captivates. I highly recommend it, not only to fans of the books, but to all who enjoy traversing realms of fantasy. You will not be disappointed.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or at [email protected]. Other reviews by Bloom can be found at www.jconline.com by clicking on golafayette. Bloom's reviews also can be found on the Web at the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
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