Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

2001

4/4 Stars

Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy had a lot to live up to. The books are classics and are adored by countless fans, all of whom had their favorite scenes and characters. Going into the project, Jackson must have known that it would be impossible to please everyone turning a 530 page novel in "Fellowship" into a 178 minute film (or 208 minutes in the case of the Extended Edition). In having just watched the extended version of the film, it is clear that he has largely succeeded in this difficult task.

The proof is in the details, and it is clear that the filmmaker went to great lengths to get these right. In creating the fantasy world of Middle Earth, no expenses were spared in generating some of the most ornately detailed and beautiful sets ever made. Rivendell, with its elaborate woodworking, and even the charming natural beauty of Hobbiton overwhelm the senses. Great attention to detail is also shown in the costumes that the character's wear. The golden embroidery on Boromir's sleeves, the ornate patterns on Gimli's helmet, and the various engravings on the character's weaponry are just a few examples of this attention to detail.

This said, what makes Fellowship a great film is the story. This is truly a great story that is told well- through good acting, good dialogue, and good character development. There is a bit of everything- a classic hero in Aragorn, an anti-hero in Boromir, a mysterious wiseman in Gandalf, the everyman in Sam, and comic relief in Merry and Pippin. Combined with solid acting and good use of special effects, this adds up to a spectacular picture.

This is high fantasy with a story that grabs the audience. 4 stars.