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

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

This was a great movie. I thought the idea and the concept of this movie was awesome!

'The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)' is an ambitious technical achievement that, slightly unfortunately, sticks remarkably close to its beloved source book but, because of this, is a rather undisciplined affair from a narrative stand-point. It's an exposition-filled and not all that pacy adventure that spends more time telling you what happened before it began - up to two thousand years before - and setting up what might happen after it reaches what is essentially a non-ending than it does showing you anything particularly in-the-moment, anything that ought to take up its whopping three hour run-time. Still, there's a lot to like and the most memorable moments are the most kinetic ones, when our fellowship is on their journey and besieged by the dark forces of their unseen enemy. These are filmed with an undeniable spirit and rag-tag inventiveness (amplified to fit its budget), both evident by the plethora of brilliant behind-the-scenes footage available on the blu-ray, that penetrate even the most unnecessary - and, by extension, dullest - of segments. It is a bizarre beast for sure, at one time my favourite of the three for its sheer amount of 'story' but now sitting somewhere in the middle because that 'story' is mostly just 'stuff'. Each time I watch it, I have a slightly different reaction. Nevertheless, I'm entertained for most of its massive run-time and the fact it can provoke a reaction each time says something in itself, I think. When it moves, it really moves and the most memorable of scenes have stood the test of time almost like no others. When all the exposition falls away and Gandalf faces off against the Balrog, the Hobbits try to outrun the Nazgul or, most powerfully, Boromir takes a stand to save his two new friends, it's a great time. 8/10

LOTR is without a doubt, the best movie I've ever seen. I don't care what the Academy says because without a doubt, it was the best film of 2001 (obviously... i said it was the best movie I've ever seen). It deserved the Academy Award 10 times more than A Beautiful Mind did. I mean look at the difference between ratings. LOTR: #3 ABM: #126 See a difference? LOTR will go on to be an unforgotten movie as what Star Wars is. In twenty years ABM won't even be on the top 250 list, while LOTR will still be in the top 50. SO LOTR fans just remember. Academy doesn't mean ****. Time says it all.

A year before this came out I was reading the Lord of the Rings books one summer. It felt a little vague but I was interested by all the fantasy themes and the origins of most contemporary fantasy sagas, especially those under the Dungeons and Dragons brand. Elves, dwarves, hobbits, trolls, spirits, wizards, warriors, and rogues are all in here. I'd hoped there would be more good fantasy films after the 1980s' Willow and this was what we got. As the first film it really sets up the story for an epic series. Lots of good visuals and breathtaking vistas from New Zealand, whose landscapes are untouched by modern technology. Plus, there's a cast of likable stars. John Rhys-Davies, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, and Ian Holm all contributed to this major event. The dwarves and the hobbits were just as good as the others and brought some comic relief to the story. If you're in the mood for a trilogy that could rival even Star Wars, this should be it!