It's full of scenic splendors with a fine sense of scale, but its narrative thrust seems relatively pro forma, and I was bored by the battle scenes.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:37
Fresh:34
Rotten:3
Average Rating:7.9/10
Consensus: Fellowship manages to thrill and enthrall despite its length and repetition.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for epic battle sequences and some scary images
Runtime: 3 hrs 28 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:Dec 19, 2001 Wide
Box Office: $313,837,577
Synopsis:
The Lord of the Rings, the book of the 20th Century is about to become the motion picture event of the 21st Century – A groundbreaking epic of good versus evil, extraordinary heroes, wondrous...
The Lord of the Rings, the book of the 20th Century is about to become the motion picture event of the 21st Century – A groundbreaking epic of good versus evil, extraordinary heroes, wondrous creatures and dark armies of terror. Generations of more than 50 million people around the globe, in 25 different languages have grown up with this epic history. The legend has inspired an entire genre of movies, fiction, and has influenced some of the greatest artists of our time. It has made dreamers out of children and adults, and has recently been named the number one most popular book of the century. But it has never been told in its entirety on the screen.
Using the power of contemporary cinema technology, New Line Cinema is proud to transform J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings into a history-making motion picture event. Beginning in the year 2001, New Line will present a grand trilogy of live-action feature films -- The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King -- that will take audiences inside Tolkien’s living, breathing mythology, the world that is Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings will collectively re-tell the story of Frodo Baggins, who battles against the Dark Lord, Sauron to save Middle-earth from the grip of evil. In the films, Frodo and The Fellowship embarks on a desperate journey to rid the earth of the source of Sauron’s greatest strength, the One Ring, a ring of such power that it cannot be destroyed. His extraordinary adventures across the treacherous landscape of Middle-earth reveal how the power of friendship and courage can hold the forces of darkness at bay.
By shooting all three films consecutively during one massive production and post-production schedule, New Line Cinema is making history. Never before has such a monumental undertaking been contemplated or executed. The commitment of time, resources and manpower are unheard of as all three films and more than 1,000 effects shots are being produced concurrently with the same director and core cast. Helmer Peter Jackson, whose visionary style of filmmaking and emotional acuity won accolades for his Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners, brings his deep love for the source material to the project.
The film features a strong international cast that includes (in alphabetical order) Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davis, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, and Elijah Wood. But the real star of the film is the story itself - a classic hero’s quest in which the smallest of beings changes the course of the future with the vastness of his courage. -- © 2001 New Line Cinema
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Hugo Weaving, Marton Csokas
Director: Peter Jackson
Director: Peter Jackson
Screenwriter: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens
Producer: Barrie M. Osborne, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Tim Sanders
Composer: Howard Shore
Studio: New Line Cinema
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Reviews for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Tolkien completists won't find any of this overkill, but for those uninitiates among us, less is more is still a dictum worth heeding.
The production design is a marvel, and the special effects are dazzling.
The real deal, a movie epic that pops your eyes out, piles on thrills and fun, and yet stays intimately attuned to character.
McKellen plays Gandalf and, truth be told, his performance is worth more to the success of the film than all the effects, visual and aural, combined.
Maybe by his second year in Hogwarts, Harry Potter will learn the trick to making a movie this good but don't bet on it. It's one of the best films of the year.
If we're not careful, Peter Jackson's The Lord Of The Rings could give hype a good name.
Spectacular scenery, stupefying effects and epic scope ... a dream come true.
Here, at long last, is an epic adventure that's worthy of its source.
Watching it, one can't help but get the impression that everyone involved was steeped in Tolkien's work, loved the book, treasured it and took care not to break a cherished thing in it.
Certainly the most rousing and ambitious adventure film of many years and bodes well for the future of the Tolkien fan.
With this production, Jackson has used The Lord of the Rings to re-invent fantasy for the cinema in the same way that the novel provided the blueprint for the written word.
An audience looking for a Star Wars-like fix, albeit with wands and rings instead of light sabres, is sure to offer a healthy return.
Fellowship is exciting for two hours. How many other movies can you say that about?
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