The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Written by CinemaSerf on September 2, 2023

So now that the picture houses across the UK are beginning to reopen, this is the third film I've settled down to watch in front of a huge big screen - and it's a belter. You can only wonder at the sheer imagination of JRR Tolkien and of Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens as they adeptly adapt this epic tale of power for a new generation. Certainly, it over-hams the accents - maybe just a few too many "rrrs" in "Arrragorrrrn" but otherwise it's a feast for senses. When the hairy-footed Hobbit "Bilbo" (Sir Ian Holm) gets to eleventy-one he sets off to write his life-story with the elves. He leaves his possessions - including a mysterious ring - to Frodo (Elijah Wood). When visiting wizard "Gandalf" (Sir Ian McKellen) identifies it as the epitome of wickedness that puts all of their lives are in danger, "Frodo" and his lifelong friend "Sam" (Sean Astin) must flee their bucolic happiness. This first instalment of the trilogy tracks the journey of the hobbits as they meet "Stryder" (Viggo Mortensen) and together try to evade the pursuing wraith attempting to get to "Elrond" the Elvish king in "Rivendell" and decide what is best to do with this evil, seemingly indestructible talisman. Their only solution proves to be returning the ring to the lava-filled cavern of "Mount Doom" where it was forged: only there can it's corruption be defeated. The brave hobbits, together with two men, an elf and a dwarf set out to accomplish this all but impossible task fighting the weather, evil orcs, malevolent magic and the harsh terrain on their treacherous way. It's the ultimate fantasy adventure; that sticks to the spirit, if not to every word, of the original work. The effects both in make-up and from the computer are expertly applied creating a real sense of tension and peril that compliments, rather than subsumes, the actual action and beautiful cinematography of the New Zealand scenery through which our intrepid gang must travel. This is probably the weakest of the three episodes as it takes a good hour to get going; but once it does and the "Fellowship" takes firmer form with a superb John Howard-Davies; a handsome Orlando Bloom and even the usually wooden Sean Bean raises his game to give us as a truly cracking, at times quite scary adventure that is magnificently scored by the inspired Howard Shore. This is not really a film that works on the telly - however large the screen may be. To do justice to the creativity of all concerned it just has to be given the respect it deserves and be seen in the cinema. If you get a chance, you should go see it (again!).