Subject: Review: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)

From: Robin Clifford <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 19:56:31 -0000

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"

"One ring to rule them all, One ring to find them. One ring to bring them
all and in the darkness bind them." So begins the epic adventure of J.R.R.
Tolkien brought to the screen for the first time in live action by director
Peter Jackson in part one, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the
Ring."

Tolkien's sword and sorcery trilogy has eluded filmmakers since its
introduction in paperback to America in 1965. Animator Ralph Bakshi gave a
valiant, but vain, attempt at recreating Middle-earth with his inventive
rotoscope technique where live action is filmed, then animated. (See
Richard Linklater's recent, experimental film, "Waking Life," for an
interesting use of the anime method.) But, Bakshi ran out of steam and,
especially, money, and only provided the first installment of the Tolkien
epic, with the rest only a dream.

Decades have passed since Bakshi's attempt and, now, fantasy master Peter
Jackson ("Heavenly Creatures") has taken on the daunting task of breathing
cinematic life into The Lord of the Rings classic. With budget figures
estimated anywhere from $300 million to $500 million Jackson, his principle
cast, a 2400-person production team and 26,000 extras have spent years on
filming the entire adventure with plans to release the trilogy over the
next two years. There has been a great deal of anticipation by the sizable
number of fans of the books - especially for those of us whose interest was
whetted by Bakshi unsuccessful attempt - and the first in the franchise
will soon be here for the holidays.

Jackson and his enormous crew have recreated Tolkien's world in a way that
gives an accurate and wonderfully detailed imagining that is very close to
my own mind's eye of the work. I read it a couple of times many years ago
and the story has stayed with me ever since. When the camera first unfolds
the laconic charms of Hobbiton and its cozy earthen homes where in
habitants like a good meal and a warm seat in front of the fire I felt
right at home and snuggled down myself as the author's words came to life
on the screen.

Those familiar with the story do not need a description of the Tolkien
tale, but for the uninitiated (who, I hope, will become initiates of both
the film and the books) this is the original S&S yarn (well, at least since
King Arthur's mystical story) that spawned all the rest. The story really
begins with Tolkien's 1935 fantasy story, The Hobbit, where meek little
Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) is called upon to perform uncharacteristic
heroic deeds and is given an important ring to protect with his life. But,
the Ring has power beyond all imagination and the film begins many years
after Bilbo first took possession.

Kindly wizard Gandalf the Gray (Ian McKellen) drives his wagon into
Hobbiton for the event of Bilbo's 111th birthday party and is joined by one
of his favorites, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Bilbo's nephew. But, there
is a hidden agenda around the visit and, following Bilbo's dramatic
disappearance at his party, we soon learn that the Ring the elder Hobbit
has possessed for so long has aroused the attention of an evil force that
once was the dark lord Sauron (Sala Baker). Gandalf, knowing the Ring needs
to be returned to the place of its making, Mount Doom, and cast into the
fires that first formed it, enlists Frodo to the task of destroying the
Ring of Power. (There is background information provided about the Ring and
its scions done in narration at the beginning of the film, filling in the
uniformed nicely.)

As Frodo and his loyal friends Sam (Sean Astin), Pippin (Billy Lloyd) and
Merry (Dominic Monaghan) set out on the long journey away from home Gandalf
learns that the Ring is beckoning its creator, Sauron, to bring forth an
evil army of the spawn of Hell, called Orcs, to destroy the peaceful
coexistence of Hobbits, humans, dwarves and elves. After nearly being
destroyed by head wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee), who has been turned by
evil Sauron, Gandalf realizes the little Hobbits, brave as they may be,
will need help navigating the dangerous terrain between Hobbiton and Mount
Doom. Joining the little fellers is the human and son of a king, Aragorn
(Viggo Mortensen), human warrior Boromir (Sean Bean), elfin archer Legolas
(Orlando Bloom) and a battling dwarf named Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) to
become the Fellowship of the Ring. The little, determined band must face
danger upon danger, do battle with the evil Orcs and seek the assistance of
elf queen Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). This is the stuff that sword and
sorcery fantasy is meant to be.

The huge main cast is made up by a group of professionals who are able to
give character to the roles they inhabit, despite the fact that the
concentration of the film is in telling the story of the Ring and not on
"character development." The actors bring Tolkien's myriad collection of
creatures to life with Wood giving Frodo the wondering innocence and
forthright resolve I remember from reading the stories. Ian McKellen is
particularly notable in his wonderful and complex playing of Gandalf. Sean
Astin is endearing as the not-too-bright but undyingly loyal aid to Frodo.
Cate Blanchett is elegance and grace personified as the almost ethereal elf
queen. There is an embarrassment of acting riches with the likes of
Christopher Lee, Mortensen, Hugo Weaving and Ian Holm filling out their
various characters nicely. Even Liv Tyler gives a pleasant perf as elf
warrior Arwen.

Technical efforts range from first class to brilliant, starting with
Jackson as helmer and co scripter (with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens).
Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie will garner attention for his crisp,
beautiful color palette with photography that ranges from dramatic close-up
(especially with McKellen as the subject) to panoramic views of Hobbiton
and the sinister fiery gloom of Sauron's lair, Mordor. Production design by
Grant Major brings the world of Middle-earth to life from the homes of the
Hobbits to the elfin lair and the dark lord's den of evil. Costumes by
Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor also help convey the fantasy world of
Tolkien's imaginative mind. F/X, led by Jim Rygiel, are superb in capturing
the creature proportions and mystical aspects of The Lord of the Rings and
makeup and creature effects (including Sauron's Ring wraiths), by Richard
Taylor, are top-notch. Score, by Howard Shore, is suitably majestic and
stirring and sprinkle with a couple of songs composed and sung by Enya.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" richly deserves the
anticipation that has been building for so long with its fan base. My only
complaint about installment number one of the trilogy is that I have to
wait for so long for the rest. I give it an A.

For more Reeling reviews visit www.reelingreviews.com

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