This plot revolves around a Hobbit (kind of a small, furry human) named
Frodo Baggins (Wood, The Faculty), relative of Bilbo
(Holm, The Sweet Hereafter), who has found a powerful magic
golden ring
which has prolonged his life and also has threatened to consume it. This ring was once the
creation of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the destruction of the ring at
Sauron's defeat would have ended all evil in the land. Yet through
personal greed, the ring resists destruction, and now Sauron is
returning to claim that which is his. The great wizard Gandalf (McKellen,
X-Men) enlists the aid of a motley crew
of creatures in order to escort Frodo to the Cracks of Doom
to destroy the ring and put an end to Sauron's plans. Their trek is long
and perilous, bringing them face to face with the most repugnant and
dangerous monsters of all creation, while Sauron's wraiths are hot on
their heels.
The Fellowship of the Ring is arguably the most impressive visual feast
ever created to date, with awe-inspiring backdrops and fluid CGI
characters that inject just the right feeling of grandiosity to the plight
of the situation, while also showcasing the beauty as well. The art design,
cinematography and costumes permit the atmosphere necessary to inject
realism into what is a purist form of fantasy. One might ordinarily feel that such
concentration on the magnificent visuals would obscure the story, as
has been the case with
so many other films, In this film they actually make it better.
Next to such
mammoth statues and architecture, we realize just how insignificant a
character a Hobbit is to think he might hold the key to saving the world
from all evil.
Director Peter Jackson (King Kong) does a terrific job in maintaining the dark and
terrifying tone of the film, and in fact, The Fellowship of the Ring is
actually quite the scare-fest. Grisly creatures, haunting imagery,
bone-crunching sound, and a huge injection of gravitas for the creatures'
plights all make us truly frightened as viewers when the evil creatures
are realistically evil and the destruction is grand scale. Parents may
want to note the PG-13 rating and take it into consideration. The
absence of any sex and foul language means the PG-13 rating is earned by
the violent and sometimes horrific images displayed, so there is the
possibility that young or impressionable kids may
have nightmares after viewing it.
The Fellowship of the Ring is so expensive visually that it left little
money for big name actors, as is customary for blockbusters. Yet the
casting works very well, with some fine acting by Ian McKellen, Viggo
Mortensen, and Sean
Bean (Ronin, Patriot
Games) in particular to give dimension to the minimal characterizations in
the film. The Hobbits, led by Elijah Wood in the lead 'everyman' role, are
impressively created, and seamlessly in scale compared the the elves and
humans in the film. After the initial moment when you realize how
small hobbits are, you are accustomed to their comparative size.
Rich thematic material abounds, as
Tolkien's book is about the corruptible nature of Power, and how it can
change one's soul if not checked by strength of character, willpower,
courage, and a spiritual core belief. Having a Hobbit in charge of
the ring is important, as he is the smallest, least powerful creature in
the land, and in the hands of a more powerful entity, such as Gandalf or
Galadriel, it could corrupt and be used as a cataclysmic force within
Middle Earth.
Understanding
that the initial reaction to a film this beloved and grand scale epic will be
overwhelmingly positive, try not to go in expecting a knockout.
The Fellowship of the Ring is a very good film with moments of greatness, yet I
can't quite say it's a great movie as a whole. While the visuals are literally
breathtaking, there is just something too elemental and simplistic about
what amounts to a three-hour chase flick to make it deep enough to hit
home as a standalone film. But, if you go in expecting to be entertained, you won't be
disappointed, as the film has more than enough entertainment to satisfy.
In fact, my biggest wish after seeing it was, despite the 3-hour length,
not long enough. The Fellowship of the Ring is a terrific start to a solid trilogy of films, and highly recommended for all.
-- An Extended Edition of the film
features many extra scenes to tie the film together and provides extra
character touches that round them out further. These touches do
make the film more satisfying, as they give richer context and better
pacing to the scenes of action that felt hollow and rushed in the
original theatrical release.
-- Followed by
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return
of the King (2003)
(Extended Edition)