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

From: Homer Yen <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 19:30:08 -0000

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring – A Terrific
Start of a Long Journey
by Homer Yen
(c) 2001

No one can envy Frodo's (Elijah Wood) insuperable
task.  An evil ring has come into his possession.  But
it is no ordinary ring, for it was forged from the
blood of the sinister Dark Lord many epochs ago.  

While the Dark Lord was vanquished in a mythical
battle, its spirit has remained alive and has searched
the world over and through the ages to regain the
ring.  And if it were to find its way back to its
master, darkness would cover all the lands, and all of
the kingdoms of Middle Earth would fall.  The ring
must be destroyed by casting it back into the fiery
chasm from which it was forged, in the heart of a
volcano named Mount Doom. 

Frodo, a member of the Hobbit race who are more renown
for reticence rather than adventure, understands what
must be done.  However, the spirit of the Dark Lord
sees much.  Warns a fanatic, "his gaze pierces cloud,
shadow, Earth and flesh."  There are few allies to be
found and fewer safe passages.  And so in this first
installment of LOTR, the difficult journey begins. 

No, you won't envy his task, but you will be
transfixed by this epic quest, which is a vibrant
adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the
Rings."  The film strikes an incredible balance
between ambition and gratification.  The effort is
clearly a labor of love for Director Peter Jackson who
ably transports us into a wondrous world filled with
creatures that are foul and fey, magical and mystical.
 The story is replete with visits to fantastical
cities, fraught with portents, and populated by
colorful characters.

The script crisply introduces the group (the
fellowship of the title) of companions that accompany
our brave Hobbit on this quest.  Of most help is
Gandalf the Grey (regal Ian McKellen), an aging but
still-powerful wizard with a voice that oozes wisdom,
eyes that peer into your soul, and a wrinkled face
that tells a thousand tales of adventure.  Also on the
journey are skilled warriors from the human, dwarf and
elf races as well as friends from his Hobbit home who,
unfortunately, put their bellies in front of their
brains.

Other elements of the film are remarkable.  The acting
is energetic as if passion could aid their cause.  The
musical score adds a dimension of beauty reminiscent
of angels weeping.  Meanwhile, the set design and
visuals are downright stunning.  There is great
attention in the details from the hairy feet of the
Hobbits to the ethereal presence of the Elf Queen to
the tempest-like atmosphere when Frodo turns
invisible.

Alas, it's pace and arc cannot be sustained.  It's
especially noticeable in the second hour where most
moviegoers are accustomed to a two-hour feature length
movie (this film spans three hours).  With each new
location visited, their mettle is tested either by
opposing forces or their self-serving desire for
power.  At some point, despite the changing locales,
it seems like a case of déjà vu.  

Meanwhile, special effects begin to take over, such as
where the party encounters thousands of goblins and
even a Demon.  It reminded me of scenes from "The
Mummy Returns" although the confrontations here are
more stirring.  But we can forgive the minor setback
because of the momentum and the heart that has been
developed.

Nonetheless, for those who have long-awaited the
release of this film, it's like a dream come true. 
One can only hope that the next installment will be
equally fulfilling.  I can't wait to find out.

Grade: A-

S:	1 out of 3
L:	0 out of 3
V:	2 out of 3

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X-RAMR-ID: 30552
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 274592
X-RT-TitleID: 1108476
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: A-