The film gets four pluses out of five.
Yes. The Lord of the Rings lives up to its expectations. The film is a magnificent adventure film with fantastic vista shots. It is also the most violent film ever that has got a PG11 rating in Sweden. It is exciting and at times brutal. Heads roll and creatures from hell roar in terror in the faces of the gaping spectators.
A good film pulls us into its reality and Lord of the Rings manages to capture the world of Tolkien. Peter Jackson skillfully integrates the dramatic scenery of New Zeeland with computer effects as the story evolves from the peaceful and rounded hills of the Shire to icey mountain tops, dangerous rivers and the beautiful elven places Rivendell and Lothlorien.
The almost three hour long film starts off with a prologue about the evil Sauron, the different rings and how Isildur during a gigantic battle becomes the owner of the most powerful ring. The fascinating villain of the books, Gollum, shows up in the prologue and is also shown in a glimpse later on.
Peter Jackson is faithful to the spirit of Tolkien, even if the film doesn’t follow the books dogmatically. The most faithful readers might miss a few details or get upset when the elven that saves Frodo when he is injured is Arwen (Liv Tyler). But the film benefits from her expanded role. It’s possible the non-Tolkien reader will perhaps scratch their heads from time to time.
But most of all this is a dramatic adventure to get absorbed by after a slow start. The film has got the perfect actors. Elijah Wood was born to play Frodo, Viggo Mortensen is an unbeatable hero as Aragorn and heavy-weighters like Ian McEllen and Cate Blanchett can make even the most high-flown lines to sound believeble. The Lord of the Rings is a saga with a great seriousness. The heros are unsecure and doubtful. The evil ones are selfsecure an arrogant when they think they can control the temptations of power. Its all convincing, from details like dirt under Frodo’s nails to wizard Saruman's (Christopher Lee) gigantic and horrifying tower where his evil army is grown. Good. Now I want to see the sequel.
Director Peter Jackson has transformed a literary epic into a feast for the eyes and mind, bringing picturesque Hobbiton to life from each hand-crafted house down to every single original teaspoon.
The narration explains the significance of Sauron’s ring. Whether good or evil prevails depends upon who has the magical ring. In the wrong hands, it is capable of destroying Middle-Earth.
Relating to Frodo –
On his journey, he is pursued by the evil nine Black Riders sent to capture him. It is not long before Frodo is embroiled in a series of vicious, bloody battles that, unlike the Harry Potter film, are definitely aimed at an older audience. I found much of this part truly terrifying. At one point they are surrounded by swirling mist so realistic that I could feel a chill on the back of my neck. And the ferocious orcs are even more terrifying on screen. They are grey, wrinkly, slime- coloured creatures which will surely play a part in many nightmares in weeks to come.
The orcs, together with the Uruk-hai warriors and a nasty cave troll in the Moria mines, attack Frodo as we follow him on his journey. The first 30 minutes of the film are a little slow, though I was happy enough immersing myself in Middle-earth and learning about hobbit craft and culture. But from then on it’s all action.
The story really works as a film and, like the tales themselves, the movie version has an appeal that’s bound to last. Sadly for JK Rowling, her Harry Potter simply does not have it on the same grand scale.
When Liv Tyler appears in a stunning cream-beaded dress that sets off her dark hair, she makes you gasp at her beauty. As the ethereal but tough elf Arwen, she performs brilliantly, particularly as she speaks largely in elf talk accompanied by subtitles.
It is gritty and scary in a down-to-earth yet mystical way that make you believe there could be a little of the hobbit in everyone. However, despite its PG certificate, I really would not recommend parents to take young children along – it’s far too gory for that.
But to everyone else, The Fellowship of the Ring will prove irresistible. It is a hugely satisfying watch and a chance to enjoy a little escapism for an enchanting couple of hours.