LOTR movie review from a complete Tolkien fanatic

A

arhar

Guest
So... I finally got to see the best movie of the last 12 years, Fellowship of the Ring!! Short review: GO SEE IT NOW!!!!

Long review from a complete Tolkien fanatic: Well, the book is still better :) But not by much :D While the book is, plain and simple, the best book ever written by a human being, time will tell if the the movie will become it, because the 2nd and 3rd parts haven't came out yet.... but there's definitely IS potential.

I thought the movie was completely superb. Everything that they could do right, they did right. All the things they could've messed up, they didn't. The acting was great from everybody - Sir Ian McKellen is just like I imagined Gandalf, and the same goes for the rest of the fellowship, and Bilbo, and Galadriel... The landscapes are just stunning - now I want to move to New Zealand!! Visual effects? No one could ask for more. Monsters are extremely frightening, and very life-like.

In comparison to the book, I think there are very few people that could do better. I know if I had to do this, I would mess everything up. They left out all the parts that would make the poor transition to the movie - not many, like Tom Bombadil, Barrowmounds, etc... And they added just the right things too! A magical duel between Gandalf and Saruman, more acting for Arwen, battle between Aragorn and the lead ork in the ending, and there's probably more that I'm forgetting. The important thing is, Peter Jackson understands PERFECTLY why are the things in a book written in a certain way, and how to translate it into the movie. Like a guardian in the lake before the gates of Moria - in the book, all they can see is tentacles. In the movie, however, the visual effects are much, much better... Or the cave troll... Or the Saruman vs Gandalf - in the book there was no fight at all! The music was completely breathtaking also, the classical score is just majestic, and very epic.

In general, it's definitely not a children's movie, but amount of blood and gore is just below the R rating... however, there's enough fighting and action to fill all 3 hours, and it's NOT all "just talking" and it can be viewed as JUST as very, very good action movie, if you throw away all the deep philosophical and moral issues.

Also, I guess it's just me, but the 3 hours has passed away like 15 minutes.... I completely forgot about time, and could've stayed there and watched for about ten hours.

I'm getting tired of typing. JUST GO SEE THE DAMN MOVIE IF YOU HAVEN'T YET!!!
 
Z

Zadok001

Guest
Absolutely fantastic. The casting for the elves was particularly impressive - They looked PERFECTLY in character. Legolas runs along the top of the snow whilst the rest of the party sinks to their waists. Really, and excellent film.

I think the whole thing can be summed up rather succiently in four words:

They got it right.

:)
 
G

Gizmo

Guest
That poor Frodo fellow - he really gets the crap kicked out of him for the entire film. They might as well have called it: Lord Of The Rings I: Frodo Gets Beaten Up. The poor little guy spends half the film hanging upside down by his ankles! And if he`s managed to stay upright for 30 minutes then its probably because he`s been skewered by something pointy. I swear that Mithril armour Bilbo gives him is going to turn out to be the best present ever!

My Opinon:

I think its a very good film, but what it DOES highlight best of all is how good Hollywood has got at moving along a narrative. This film moves at Tolken-speed in the narrative pieces, which is probably to its credit - but there were an AWFUL lot of people shifting uncomfortably in their seats when the first period of calm arrived at Rivendell - just when many films are reaching a climax. Its quite a culture shock to the generation brought up to snappy dialogue, explanatory narrative and one-liners.

Casting note - well Frodo looked more elfin than the Elves did, otherwise they looked spot on, especially Sam Gamgee, who looks the epitome of Hobbitness. But its SUCH an ensemble cast that invariably some characters come in, say their one line, and then leave. Maybe Gimli is so short the camera passes over his head but half the time it`s very easy to forget he`s even there, and I dont think Liv Tyler even stopped long enough to take her shoes off, she was in and out of the film in seconds.

Doesnt Sean Bean look like HHH though?

Effects note - awesome 99% of the time, so awesome that when a random effect does finally go astray it sticks out like a sore thumb. I`ll be drawing insipiration from the shadow world the ring carries you into in every one of my White Wolf games, thats for sure. Sometimes a few too many of the effects look like somebody has pointed to a romantic generic fantasy picture and said 'draw that' but hey, its the original generic fantasy story so I cant really complain.

Personally I thought it was a good film, but I think your liking for it might be well be perfectly matched to how much you like the book. Its such a faithful conversion that it cant really win over new converts, and certainly can only disappoint the most pedantic of fans.

I really enjoyed it, Neil really enjoyed it, Neil`s girlfriend fell asleep (claims Neil) but she denies it. I also just told a girl I know from chatrooms not to rush to see it, because I dont think she`d like it.
 
C

Chaos Turtle

Guest
After seeing this, I may not even bother with the next Star Wars flick. Maybe they can get Peter Jackson and crew to handle that one, too. ;)

I can't wait though, for the next LotR film. And for the Special Edition DVD boxed set. :D
 
E

ErinPuff

Guest
I feel weird saying this on a 95%-male board but.. I want Legolas. I want him badly. Aragorn wasn't bad either, and Frodo was.. kinda cute.. a little too perfect-looking for a hobbit, I thought, but.. eh. :)

I thought the casting was very good.

I haven't finished reading FotR yet (I just got it for Christmas *cringe* I'm maybe a third of the way through.. I have to read fast because everyone else in my family wants to read it too), but I really enjoyed the movie. I want to see it again. (and not just from Legolas.)
 
A

Apollo

Guest
...Well, in that case, I look just like Legolas. Really!:)

I'm going to see it tomorrow. I'm so excited!

*Quivers*
 
A

Apollo

Guest
I saw it today! An excellent movie, the best I've seen lately (not that I see a whole lot of movies). It was very exciting; I don't know how anybody could have called it boring. Legolas and Aragorn were very cool (I like archery). It seemed like Gandalf could have used magic once in a while (like when the Orcs were attacking, he could've done a little more).

The casting was very good, but I didn't really like Elijah Wood as Frodo. I don't know, I just found it hard to think of him as a hobbit. And it seemed like Aragorn should be marching animal crackers over Arwen...

And the Spiderman trailer looked quite interesting.

But anyway, it was great. I can't wait for the next movie.

Oh, and I found my copies of LotR, which came from my parents. They're so old that the cover price is 95 cents!

Oh, and Legolas was gorgeous.:)
 
F

FoundationOfRancor

Guest
Legolas and his quiver of never - ending arrows was awesome.

Everyone I know calls him a pretty boy.
 
E

ErinPuff

Guest
Yes, I'll admit he's a pretty boy. But.. I *love* pretty boys! :D (really, I do...)

And I'm sure none of you are as good-looking as he is, you pimple-faced dirty smelly geeks! ;)
 
A

arhar

Guest
I think I kinda look like Gimli. And my temper is very close to him, too! :D :D :D
 
A

Apollo

Guest
Dwarves never get enough respect. I would've liked Gimli more if it didn't always seem that they were making fun of him.

Gizmo: Sorry, bub, but unless I'm mistaken, your pic was up on starcity.:)

Erinpuff: OK, so I don't look exactly like Legolas. Think Legolas with feathers (sexy feathers;)).
 
C

Chaos Turtle

Guest
Originally posted by Apollo
Gizmo: Sorry, bub, but unless I'm mistaken, your pic was up on starcity.:)
Click to expand...
You don't think Gizmo is cute?
*swoon*
:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top