[8.2/10] I remember reading about the “extended editions” of the Lord of the Rings films – which add scads of new footage to the point that runtimes balloon to the four-hour mark – and thinking to myself, “who would want that?” Even for films and characters and settings I love, the prospect of turning it into a nonstop four-hour experience just sounds exhausting. Even the best creative teams struggle to sustain stories and command the audience’s attention for that long.
But revisiting The Fellowship of the Ring, I get it now, for good and for bad.
I get it because right off the bat, what Peter Jackson accomplishes in this film, which sets the tone for his Oscar-winning trilogy, is incredible. The production design, the worlds created, the sheer level of craft at play in every scene is just staggering. Jackson and company summon up the earthy tones and idealized pastoral English past of The Shire. They create the rocky remnants of decaying worlds from another time, the frightening jagged edges and horrible machines of the enemy forces, the ethereal homes of angelic peoples. Who wouldn’t want to spend more time in those cinematic environs?
What’s remarkable is how real all of it feels, despite the fantasy setting. That’s not to say that Fellowship lacks in imagination or whimsy. There are impressionistic moments of lore retold, memories shared, and temptations renewed. But through the famed forced perspective shots, the budding but well-executed CGI effects, and the outstanding framing cinematography choices, the film realizes Middle Earth as a living, breathing, place beyond any other fantasy setting.
The texture of the film is just so damn good. But Jackson and company use the lighting and mise en scène and other more purely aesthetic elements to help tell the tale and give it a sense of a place. There is a golden, bucolic hue to the early scenes in the Shire, a gauzy, semi-divine light that surrounds the elves’ communities, and mordant blackness that surrounds Sauron’s emissaries and minions. The wide shots of our heroes traversing snowy mountains, or rocky cliffs, or treacherous forests give the tale its epic scope and bridge the gap between the real and the fantastical. It’s natural that the outstanding tangible details, the feel of this place, would leave fans wanting to spend as much time there as they can.
And I also get it because, despite the theatrical cut clocking in at more than three hours on its own, Fellowship feels as much like a series of character introductions, a bout of table-setting for the grand events to come, as it feels like a full story in its own right. That’s not true for the entire film. The early portions of Fellowship work as a standard-but-sterling entrée into the world of the film and its characters, and in truth, I’m not sure it ever really tops that opening frame. The milling of the hobbits, the arrival of their wizard friend, the hint that there is something sinister and wearying beneath this celebration of joy and the adventure of the wider world of that first act is near-unmatched in the rest of the film.
It is, as is often the case for genre films, the beginning of the hero’s journey. We meet Frodo and learn what kind of person he is. We see the essential quest that lies ahead of him and learn about his connection to his friend and allies. We meet his mentor, who is our guide to the mysteries of the world that are just as nebulous and foreboding to the audience (even those who know the source material) as they are to the hobbit he’s imparting these warnings to. The terrible power of the ring, the forces for good and for evil working to attain or destroy it, its humble courier and his band of allies simple and strong, all welcome the audience into the story. They establish the stakes, the major figures, and the contours of the quest, while reveling in enough of the unknown and portentous and merely teased to leave plenty more to be discovered and enjoyed.
But from there, the film is a never-ending parade of the genre-film equivalent of a series of meetcutes. Jackson and company have to put all of these big players in place for the need of the future films, and so rather than a plot squarely focused on cause and effect, where choices or unseen forces command the direction of the narrative, Fellowship barrels through what amount to a pack of character introduction scenes. Those are necessary in any story to some extent, but at some point, the film starts to feel weighed down by them, with the plot not really allowed to advance organically since we need to spend so much time trying to get the audience to grok the expansive cast.
So meet Gimli! Meet Legolas! Meet Arwen! Meet Galadriel! Meet Saruman! Meet Elrond! Most of them don’t have much to do yet, beyond hop along for the ride or give our heroes some counsel or set things up for future installment. But the actors are all great and the texture is all great and the feel of it’s all great so you don’t really notice until afterward that hey, nothing really happened there for a while. I can see wanting the extended edition to have there be more connective tissue between these scenes, to have the introductions feel less drive-by in some instances, so the story can stop and breathe and, you know, have more incident than just jumping from introduction to introduction.
That’s especially true for the conflict between Aragorn, Boromir, and to a lesser extent Frodo. Boromir’s death is the climax of the film, the noble sacrifice and redemption for a character overcome by the dark influence of the one ring. It also conveniently paves the way for Aragorn, the conventional fantasy hero, to have a clearer path toward the throne his hallowed, name-checked ancestor once sat in amid the kingdom of men.
The catch is that we get only the barest, exposition-delivered details about this setup (which, in fairness, is explored more in the next movie.) We get only a couple of scenes that highlight the implicit, underlying tension between the two human members of the Fellowship. There’s an inherent gingerness between them, a continuing contrast that’s creditably left to subtext, between the noble man denied his birthright, and the weaker individual next in line. But given the brevity of the scenes that evince that sense of inherent conflict and comparison, the slight introduction for Boromir in particular, the crowding of that storyline with the description of The Quest and the carousel of new faces and other action set pieces that must happen, that noble end feels less earned and less impactful, than it would if it had more time to be fleshed out.
And yet, even where the introductions are brief, or the characters moments feel rushed, the movie soars on the back of its three central character. The first is The Ring itself, and by extension Sauron. And while it may be a little silly to consider this object a character, but drives the action of the film, it interacts with and has an effect on everyone it comes across and has more personality than some of the people that Fellowship otherwise glosses over. If there’s one thing that this movie succeeds at, it’s the texture, but if there’s a second thing, it’s at conveying the sheer power and force and danger of this seemingly simple object, that movies the hearts of men, elves, and even the most powerful magic-wielders of the age.
It doesn’t move Frodo though. That’s the other thing Fellowship sells so well – why our hero is so suited to this task. The ring represents power, and with it, the idea that even good people lose themselves in the shadow of the freedom and ability to remake and dominate the world as they see fit. But Frodo doesn’t want power. He is innocence incarnate, realized in Elijah Wood’s stellar wide-eyed performance. Time and again, he expresses the vulnerability necessary for a character stepping into a new world while being totally out of his depth. But he also evinces the quiet strength that can only come from someone whose same unspoiled innocence gives him a protection against the thing that otherwise bends and breaks figures much more worldly and powerful and him.
None is more worldly and powerful than Gandalf himself. Ian McKellen gives a tour de force performance in the role, turning on a dime from the avuncular, figure of mirth when he exalts among his hobbit friends, to the stern voice of knowing authority when those good or bad start to stray from the path, to the vulnerable sorcerer having to stand up against forces that supersede even his own, selling the gravity of this challenge at every turn. McKellen does it all and delivers the sometimes-thudding fantasy-speak with a conviction and gravitas that makes the grand tones of the movie work.
His utterance of “You shall not pass” has become memetic and iconic in the years since the Fellowship’s release, but for good reason. It is not only Gandalf’s greatest moment in the film, and perhaps the series, but the high point of the entire film. It is the fellowship assembled, the film’s best character making his stand, Jackson’s skills as an action director and crafted of tension coming to the fore, the effects and texture of the world brought to bear, the tension and heroism and loss that makes all good stories. It is, in short, the combination of all the film’s best features at once.
Who wouldn’t want more of that? The Fellowship of the Ring strings some of its character debuts together in lieu of plot, offers as much setup as it does immediate incident, and can get bogged down in its lore and details and table-setting for the climactic events to come. But it also establishes Middle Earth, introduces its major quest and most important character with aplomb, and gives the viewer a reason to care, to invest, in them and their success or failure. That’s more than enough to have fans salivating for another chunk of Middle Earth, and to leave even doubters understanding how more real estate could help, rather than exacerbate, the film’s flaws. But whether at three hours or four, Fellowship is still a sterling introduction to this world, to our heroes, and to the impossible mission that will define both for ages to come.
There's not much to say about The Fellowship that not someone way smarter than me has already said, but...
This is what happens when a filmmaker respects the source material and has enough passion to follow through. An absolute masterpiece!!!
Despite the fact that I didn't like the movie very much, I just can't help noticing its advantages.There are quite a lot of them (advantages): camerawork, music, sound, editing, acting, scenery, makeup, costumes. Even in 2020, the film looks very good. However, there are also disadvantages, just one disadvantage movie turned out to be quite boring. Because of this, I put 6 out of 10. However, I will watch the second and third parts. Most likely, fantasy is just not my genre.
P.S. sorry for mistakes English is not my native language.
The Lord of the Rings
The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-2001
The Two Towers (2002) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers-2002
The Return of the King (2003) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king-2003
A glorious vision of Middle Earth.
Grouping all these together because it’s hard to do otherwise. They’re individual films (and Jackson won Best Picture for only the third one, technically) but I think they must be taken together as a whole. And taken together, I feel comfortable proclaiming these movies to be one the crowning achievements of all filmmaking. Descending from the epics of D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. Demille, this is an almost indescribable spectacle.
That Peter Jackson managed to also adapt one of the most well-loved books of all time is even more impressive. (Consider how badly “The Hobbit” experience went to see how remarkable it is that he pulled off LOTR.) With a dream cast, gorgeous New Zealand backdrops, a beautiful Howard Shore score, and special effects that work to supplement, not overshadow, the story–it’s remarkable.
The greatest movie trilogy ever
"Keep it secret. Keep it safe."
What is there to add here that others haven't already said. This movie is fantastic and you can tell it took them years of preparation and care to make it the classic we all know and love.
Magnificent! A great start to the franchise.
'The Lord of the Rings' is yet another film series that I am incredibly late to viewing, at least I've finally got around to it... albeit almost twenty years on from this film's release.
'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' is delightful. I never know what to expect from a film that goes on for nearly three hours, the pacing has to be near perfection for it to work - and boy does it here. The run time flew by, which is always a terrific sign.
I love a load of things about this, the one that actually sticks out most is the outstanding score. Music can play a huge part in how much I enjoy a film, so I'm delighted to say that the score is here is fantastic. That is by no means the only positive, obviously.
The cast are excellent. Elijah Wood gives a strong performance in the lead role. I've seen Wood in others things down the years and have actually found him a bit hit-and-miss, but here he is very good. Elsewhere, I really enjoyed watching Viggo Mortensen's character.
Away from those two, there are a whole host of noteworthy cast members. Orlando Bloom, or Will Turner to me, is involved, as are the likes of Ian McKellen and Sean Bean. I also liked Liv Tyler in her role.
The look of the film is spectacular, and has aged extremely well even to this day. Everything from the cinematography to the costumes is brilliant, those two things really make the film come alive - helped by the aforementioned score, of course.
Very eager to check out the sequels, prequels and, eventually, the upcoming television series.
Watched it for at least the 20th time. Great movie!!
"I think I'm... quite ready for another adventure!"
I've recently re-watched 'The Lord of the Rings trilogy' and 'Alien' during quarantine, so the news of Ian Holm passing hit me the hardest. It would have been anywhere if I did not re-watch those movies. An excellent actor with extraordinary range as he slipped into different and complex characters so effortless. It's something I never thought about until now that the man who played a cold, yet calculated android in 'Alien', played the warm heart, but deeply troubled Bilbo Baggins, who also played the tight and rough chief from 'Ratatouille'.
With a filmography like: 'Alien', 'The Lord of the Rings', 'The Fifth Element', 'Chariots of Fire', 'From Hell', 'Ratatouille', 'Lord of War', and 'Time Bandits'. Man, what a life.
A brilliant presence that fitted every genre.
RIP Ian Holm.
"Until our next meeting.”
Great series the first watch I'm tryna re watch them but can't stay awake lol
That is how you begin one of the best movie trilogies of all time. You can't be not attracted by the beauty of this world and its beautiful landscapes.
I've watched like 25 times, I would watched 25 times more. Greatest.
Fellowship of the Ring, Peter Jackson's first swing at J.R.R. Tolkien's daunting multi-volume masterwork, lands flush on the chin of fans and casuals alike. It's a gorgeous example of just how well a literary adaptation can perform with the right mix of passion, budget, vision and expertise. Jackson's direction, though quite long-winded, seems fat free and balanced with a good sense of when to press forward and when to admire its surroundings.
The acting is a relatively broad mix - while Ian McKellen resides comfortably in the quasi-leading role of Gandalf the Grey and Viggo Mortensen is both gallant and inspiring as Aragorn, I found Elijah Wood just a bit too doe-eyed as the ring-bearing hobbit, Frodo. That's nit-picking at its finest though, admittedly, especially given the scene-stealing part played by the realm of Middle Earth itself. Staggeringly realized with an obsessive attention to detail, it's a stern flex of the artistic muscle unlike anything I've seen, before or after.
Watching the film today, in the shadow of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, is doubly rewarding, as dozens of throwbacks to the events of that film are planted like seedlings throughout the landscape. For my money, this is the best plot of the three LotR volumes, to boot. With one foot planted firmly on the ground and the other teasing the abyss, it covers a gamut of emotions, isn't bashful about shedding important cast members, and gives its audience a sweeping taste of the many colors and flavors present in this world.
A wonderful fantasy-adventure hybrid, spiced with action at all the right moments, that does its mythical source material (and the legion of associated fans) proud.
Blu Ray Extended Edition slightly extends the story perception in the movie itself, making it seem fuller. However, it's still the most trimmed part compared to the original book.
We finished seeing it, after years without seeing it and it continues as well as always. Comparing this with the Hobbit is an insult to this
Good movie, could have been great but eh, bad casting does that. Can't stand Elijah Wood, ever since free willy. If they would just CGI someone in replace of him, this would be my favorite fantasy series. He is an awful actor and it stands out SOOO badly in this series. Over act much Elijah??? I think so. Casting Elijah Wood for this was like when i found out Ben Affleck was the new Batman (just 15 years earlier or so). I cringe everytime he opens his mouth. Fantasy movie mostly except for any part with Elijah, I classify those moments more as horror. I can only watch this movie once every 5-10 years. I have to let my Elijah tolerances build back up. It's so much effort to watch him without going to the gun cabinet, taking out a shotgun and putting my television out of the misery of Elijah Wood. If you have to choose between watching this series and the Hobbit, watch the Hobbit. As a HUGE added benefit Elijah Wood is not in the Hobbit but for maybe a few minutes! Everyone praises Peter Jackson for these films, ehhhhhhhhh!!!! I mean Guillermo del Toro was involved in The Hobbit(Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy). THE HOBBIT SERIES IS WAY BETTER!!!! Guillermo is a far better director. I can't even think of another decent peter jackson film, Mortal Engines??? Omg that movie sucked, couldn't even finish it. He was just some nerd that got lucky and picked for these movies. I probably would have enjoyed LOTRO more if Guillermo would have had input on these too, maybe we wouldn't have had Elijah. Shame Peter Jackson, Shame!!
A true and everlasting masterpiece. I can not imagine a better film-version of this first part of the Lord of the Rings.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Such a well made film. The beautiful shots to the perfect score to the fantastic acting. This is the beginning of the best trilogy of movies ever made.
The annual rewatch has begun.
You ever just rewatch a movie and remember why you love it?
The best movie trilogy based on Tolkien books and sci-fi/fantasy genre ever!
My favorite of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Fellowship is just an amazing fantasy film. Return of the King is good but dragging on so much makes me feel like it's over-rated.
The best fantasy movie I know and the beginning of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" saga. Monumental and epic story of the never ending battle between the good and the evil.
Favored for its memorable plot, its lovable characters, its touching soundtrack, its simple premise, its world and production, its serious attitude toward the novel of the same name, and the way the villain is absent. I love how it introduces each and every character, each and every location, and gets darker as the movie progresses.
The music is soooo beautiful. I love Gandalf arriving at the Shire and seeing everybody so happy before the big adventure starts.
Didn't notice too many differences from the extended cut.
The best movie trilogy in the history.
Brilliant story line like frodo and Sam have the best relationships together as bffs
I :sob: would :sob: have :sob: followed :sob: you :sob: my :sob: brother :sob: my :sob: captain :sob: my :sob: king :sob:
Despite a few very minor missteps, this is essentially perfect. It has some of the best filmmaking I’ve ever seen in a blockbuster; a fantastic mix of practical and visual effects, memorable camerawork, lighting & editing, interesting integration of different genres (Jackson’s horror roots show up all over this) and Howard Shore’s score is epic. It really knows when to exaggerate with the cinematography and sound effects in order to give everything the maximum amount of dramatic weight. It also has a really unique tone, not being afraid of getting a little childlike and playful for a film that otherwise aims to be an epic fantasy. The action is outstanding and there’s not really a single dull moment for me. That’s also a result of the writing, which is pretty fantastic. The characters are really well fleshed out, exposition is kept to a minimum and the overall structure feels very cinematic. The casting is also pretty exceptional, everyone does a great jobs at selling dialogue that could easily come across as cheesy in the wrong hands. Occasionally there’s a shot that doesn’t look great (anything involving slow motion in particular), or a moment that feels a little too schmaltzy, but any of those issues are negligible. As a story it doesn’t leave you with much to chew on, it plays with simple themes and there’s not a lot of interesting subtext, which is why I’m not giving it the absolute highest rating. However, as far as ‘nerdy’ spectacle goes, this is easily some of the best ever put to film.
9/10
Theme- 10/10
Rewatchibility- 8/10
Acting- 9.5/10
Kinematography- 10/10
Time- 8/10
Total - 45.5/5 = 9.1
The Fellowship of the Ring truly captures the essence of the fantasy world created by J.R.R. Tolkien. The acting is fantastic, with each character bringing their own unique personality and depth to the story. The cinematography is superb and truly transports you into the world of Middle-earth. The attention to detail in the set design, costumes, and visual effects is amazing. From the lush landscapes of the Shire to the dark depths of Moria, every scene is crafted with care and precision. Overall, a must-see for any fan of epic storytelling, and a cinematic masterpiece.
I really dislike Lord Of The Rings, i think it's super overrated !!!
That female voice during the epic monologue at the beginning is awesome! And a 7 minute long monologue/intro is also quite something :D
The annoying/frustrating parts: Gollum, Hobbits (they're fun but seem quite unfit for this quest - e.g., making a fire at night was obviously dumb and that "noise incident" at the mine), and men (they only seem to bring doom).
The good parts: "One does not simply walk into Mordor" (but only because of all the memes - I didn't really feel it here), most of the journeys/parts, Gandalf, Aragon, Legolas, and Gimli.
The strange parts: Galadriel, Sam calling Frodo Mister Frodo, those open areas and scary bridges in the mines, and Arwen (the romance with Aragon is kinda interesting for the story but I don't really feel it as Arwen feels so strange/different).
It's also interesting to watch this after having watched the first 4 episodes of The Rings of Power: Is Isildur that young "sailor" (which would seem strange) or are they just not connected? IIRC Numinor was also mentioned (at least indirectly). And I too feel now like that giant from TRoP has to be Gandalf (they both act quite similar) but who knows... And Gandalf mentioned that the Dwarves dug too deep in that mine - is that where Durin's wife Disa discovered that new ore?
It seems like a really impressive production. The technology (cameras and CGI) is obviously quite dated now and it shows but I assume this was really impressive back in 2001 (although I lack references to compare it with). I watched it on Amazon Prime where it was even available in 4K but the image quality is of course not as clear/crisp than in modern movies.
Anyway, I basically only rewatched it because of Amazon's The Ring of Power show (out of curiosity). It's quite nice but I'm not that much of a fantasy fan and I think that my main issue with it is that I find it rather boring due to the "slow" pacing (it doesn't seem slow when I think about it but somehow it feels a bit too slow to me).
The cinematography, soundtrack, and world building are all very awesome though! Lots of nice shots with a good soundtrack <3
Let’s start by establishing the fact that fantasy content, is not my cup of tea. Middle earth, trolls, magic, dragons, etc, none are what I gravitate towards. However, this movie is damn good. It’s an exciting adventure and does such a good job establishing the setting for future movies. I do like the next two movies more, but this is a necessity to get things rolling.
Rating: 4.5/5 - 9/10 - Highly Recommend
I shouldn't have watched it while I was sleep deprived probably gonna rewatch it soon
9/10
SUPERB
THESE MOVIES STILL HOLD UP TODAY AND ARE STILL FAR FAR SUPERIOR TO SO MANY FRANCHISES
(EXCLUDING MARVEL).
THESE MOVIES ARE TIMELESS AND AFTER WATCHING THE HOBBITS SPECIAL EXTENDED EDITIONS WE FINALLY GET TO MY FAVOURITE
PART OF THE SAGA
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
UNRATED SPECIAL EXTENDED EDITIONS. I HAVE WATCHED THEM SO MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND I STILL GET CHILLBUMPS EVEN NOW ON THE 100th
RE-WATCH.
THESE MOVIES ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE COMPLETE AND UTTER MASTERPIECES.
THE FELLOWSHIP IS AN AWESOME AMAZING START TO AN INCREDIBLE SAGA AND I AM SO READY FOR THE NEXT PART OF THIS PHENOMENAL SAGA.
LET'S GO HUNT SOME ORC
I have always postponed this one because of the length - and damn, this really felt like a 3-days long movie. If you're concerned about the movie length, watch 1h per day and you'll be good. It's really slow paced, no rush at all to binge watch everything at once.
Its' characters are well developed and likeable, and the story seems to be good (hard to tell from the first movie). As a newbie to this lore, it feels like something is missing at the end of the movie - similar to my "Dune" experience. The lore itself seems to be really interesting.
This might be the first time I rewatched the LOTR movies after they came out in theatres. Maybe it's the 4K remaster, but the special effects have aged beautifully; it still looks better than most recent fantasy blockbusters.
My favorite thing about Jackson's adaptation is that it's fully aware that the plot is no big deal - it's the worldbuilding that made the original memorable. That's why the movie is crammed with apparently useless worldbuilding details and bewitching landscape shots. The downside is that if you can't get invested in the characters, there's nothing waiting for you here.
Although I remember the pacing being terrible, the theatrical cut is nothing compared to the recent blockbuster standards. The only problem is that the movie seems to reach its ending climax more than twice while more orc fights are still lurking behind the corner. Boromir's death has been squeezed in to surpass the climax of the mines, but I thought his character was a wasted opportunity. Despite his arc ending with this movie, he only got a couple of scenes that were definitely not enough for us to grow attached to the character.
Loving this extended version. You get to see so much more of the characters motivations.
How can anyone rate this anything but a 10? Seriously, what complaints do you have if you don't think it's at least a 9? 8.3? Ridiculous rating.
Did skip some parts pretty boring but ok movie i only watched it bc soon the series comes^^ and that will be 1000x better
Every time I check for trending movies, at least one movie from The Lord of the Rings comes up. I think that is enough to tell how good these movies are!
#Epic and classy. Well done.
My words can't do this film justice so I'll just say 10/10 masterpiece
A LIFETIME FAVORITE. Seriously, how could ANY other film ever try to compete?
P.S.: All of my heart belongs truly and only to Samwise Gamgee.
The best one out of the trilogy, though that might be because I'm a sucker for origin stories
About 7 years have passed since I have watched this gem.Still gives me the goosebumps,as a feat that this film has achieved especially from a genre which I feel was questionable as a intriguing one,but still I believe that the director Peter Jackson has the right to be commended,not only because he made spectacular fim of a not so interesting genere at least at that point of time but he even made that film interesting,as according to me,it is very hard to make people pay attention for each minute,but he pulled that off too and made us feel like we were watching as action thriller flick of about 2 hours. Bow that's what you call a perfect film which makes your every penny worth.
Now, I would also like to thank the late great J.R.R. Tolkien for writing such as aesthetic novel, similarly thanking the makers of the movie for doing justice to the novel which I feel is lacked by most filmmakers today as they adpat a novel in their own way.
To conclude with my short review, I would say that the most fantabulous thing about this movie is that it did absolutely no aspect of a ideal fim unturned,may it be audience expections,action,acting,novel justice,time,makeup,costume,set designs,editing,sound mixing,dialogues,whilist maintaining a sense of emotionality and sentimentality. Thus I believe this magnificent piece of art may not witnessed by audiences in years to come.
It is by far the best and greatest adaptation of books to the cinema, even with the long duration of the films it was not possible to show all of the universe that J. R. R. Tolkien created, this film is much more than a world entirely created by its writer, Peter J. made a phenomenal work, a true fan who accomplished the feat of turning the book's perfect story into reality. It is my favorite movie in the world (the whole trilogy) I am in love with silmarillion and dream of the day that someone will have the same commitment as Peter to accomplish the same.
one of the best
the credit (30m) WoW
every second in this movie is not a waste of your time so be ready to have best moments of your life
So good, so good, so good!
As usual, I'll start with my history with this franchise: In 2000, when I was in sixth grade, our teacher had us all read The Hobbit as it was adapted into a play in our literature textbook. Another teacher that year had copies of the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in her personal collection, so, I tried it...and just couldn't get into it. The next school year, a teacher recommended that I read the actual Hobbit novel, so, I attempted to...and had the same problem. When the movie came out in 2001, me and some family members went to see it on Christmas Day...and I was quickly bored. Not only was the flick overly long--probably the longest one I'd ever seen, and definitely the longest I'd watched in a theater--but, we arrived at the theater quite early, so having to sit still that long just drove me crazy. I was used to sitcoms and quick Super Smash Bros. Melee matches; a three hour movie couldn't hold my interest.
Despite that history, thanks to DVD technology, I discovered that watching long films in more than one sitting helped me appreciate them better. For example, I had trouble sitting through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at the cinema, but watching it and the other flicks in the series on DVD over the course of two or more days was much more fun. So, since I had the Lord of the Rings flicks on my DVD rack, I figured: Why not give them a whirl? For the past couple weeks or so, I've been watching Fellowship in fifteen-minute increments; this time, my reaction has been completely the opposite. The flick that once nearly bored me to death has proved amazing, inspiring, and beautiful.
I would say that I can't wait to watch the sequels...but, before I do that, I'm going to try out the extended edition, so I can see the entire story. Plus, I'm going to give the original novels a try as well; I had them years ago, and enjoyed the first two...but never finished the trilogy, even though I meant to do so for quite a while.
If you're a fantasy fan, and haven't seen this...you need to!
Still a magnificent work from Peter Jackson and gets better everytime I watch it and by far my favourite of the hobbits and lord of the rings..
This is a classic; it's a bit of a long one though, so it's a 2 part watch :)
I've watched this a few times; it never ceases to surprise me how the forces of darkness can cover so much ground, whilst the saviors seem to be caught at every turn
I spent years avoiding this franchise but couldn't resist any longer as they came out on glorious blu ray. Overall, not bad at all. My biggest problem revolved around the extended fight scenes. Do I really need to see Kill Bill Vol 1 in a Tokien book?
follow me at https://IHateBadMovies.com
the legend the best in world film lord of the rings
DVD 2 has a music vedeo.
YOU..SHALL..NOT..NOT PASS..THE..ehhhhhh..POPCORN
I come back to this trilogy about once every 12-18 months and am still filled with enjoyment when I watch them.
I've even watched all of the extras on the extended editions 3 or 4 times over the last 10yrs... So that's something like 13hrs of movies and 30hrs of extras... I can now add to that the Hobbit movies although I only have the extended version of the first installment as the 2nd isn't out yet as I write this (only the theatrical)... So that's almost 4hrs for the movie and 9hrs or so for the extras... Assuming the others will be about the same. When all finished, there will be around 26hrs of movies and 60hrs of extras.
No longer can I have a Tolkien weekend... it will have to be a whole week. :)
One does not simply watch The Fellowship of the Ring
Only a true fan could create such a masterpiece.
I love this movie more than my wife.
Jackson's realisation of the first of the Lord of the Rings books is one of those rare instances where everything from casting to production design, music, editing, cinematography and location come together to such stunning effect that the minor quibbles with the film feel like redundant trivialities. The fusion of location shooting around New Zealand with the production design and effects bring another world to life in a way not seen since the original Star Wars films and Jackson gives all his principals time to shine and lay the foundations for their characters over the course of the trilogy. Whilst all are great and over the course of the trilogy each will have their moments, it is Elijah Wood's Frodo that is the emotional centre of this film and he captures perfectly Frodo's wide-eyed innocence and gradual change as it is stripped away from him. McKellen also shines as Gandalf, but in the end, it is the sheer scale and dramatic heft of the story that stands out as well as Jackson confidence with the material that he never allows it to become confusing, despite the wealth of disparate locations and characters introduced here. Both the theatrical and extended versions are equally good, with the extended version being a rare instance of scenes and extensions that, whilst not strictly necessary, enhance the characters and their traits and motivations. The sequels may well up the ante in terms of scale, but this initial film remains the best.
A rare personalised review from me for this - I recall reading Tolkien's Lord of the Rings when I was about 11 and vividly remember the feeling of disappointment....when I reached the end of the trilogy. So engrossed was I in the characters and the world created by Tolkien that I simply did want not it to end (and was in fact surprised when it did given that I had not realised half the last book was taken up with Appendices). I doubt my experience is unique to fans of the books and it was nearly 13 years later that a similar experience occurred watching The Fellowship of the Ring. That isn't to suggest the following films are inferior, but that first experience of viewing Fellowship remains unique and whilst the Star Wars films were a formative experience of my childhood and started my love of film, Fellowship was a reminder as an adult of everything that was good about cinema!!
I still love it about a movie.
Elijah wood sucks lol
Keeps you begging for more! One Ring to Rule Them All!!
Such a good adaptation.
Compared to the book, the movie is pretty bad
Watching it again. Still love it.
Nothing to say really... Its LOTRs
Yea ik... lol :)
Best movie/trilogy ever. Ten years old and still nothing comes close. Story, acting, music, photography: all perfect!
Go see it if you haven't already!
Review by iliumBlockedParent2013-12-24T14:48:50Z
History became legend. Legend became myth.
And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge.
Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic masterpiece "The Lord of the Rings", Peter Jackson took up the challenge, that for the longest time was told about Tolkien's book: "Too complicated to bring a true version onto film, it cannot be done."
Describing "The Lord of the Rings" to the uninitiated may perhaps be best compared trying to describe the taste of wine: Sweet, a little bitter, and intoxicating. Yet to those, who have never tasted wine, the meaning behind this description will forever elude them.
What makes this trilogy stand out amongst other equally brilliant movies, is each individual aspect of this movie is an astonishing work of art and ties "The Lord of the Rings" to something larger than the sum of its parts. The cinematography is breathtaking, in the most literal sense of the word. At times you will hold your breath being consumed by the sheer beauty of Middle Earth. You will quickly forget your surroundings and be plunged into this world. The original score composed by Howard Shore can be considered a masterpiece and Shore's magnum opus, his most brilliant work to date. Inspired by Richard Wagner, he composed the soundtrack around 80 different Leitmotifs, each focusing on an individual character/area/scene with recurring melodies throughout the trilogy. At the time of production, the most popular composers were James Horner and Hans Zimmer, and the music scene was quite astounded at Jackson's choice for the relatively unknown Shore. Jackson said his decision heavily depended on Shore's very unique style (as seen in 'The Cell') and his ability to bring something unique to each of his work.
The (special) effects are equally amazing and more importantly, believable. You will never feel like "Ah, special effects!", but be mesmerized by their authenticity. It almost seems nonsensical to talk about the performance by leading and supporting roles. They were real. I did not see them in their previous roles or as actors, they completely filled out their roles and added their own personality.
"The Lord of the Rings" is certainly not perfect, but if you came to expect perfection, you will forever be feeling disappointed.
It is however the closest thing to perfection as one might get without feeling pretentious.
If you watch this movie for the first time and have very high expectations from all the positive reviews, forget the reviews and watch it with an open mind, but also don't watch it thinking it could never live up to your high expectations, as you might miss out.
I, for one, will be watching this movie for many many years to come, and it has become quite the tradition to watch it at least once a year.
10/10 - You will witness the events unfold through the eyes of the Fellowship and come across joy, sorrow and even great despair. A true work of art that should not be missed.
"The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true. " Galadriel