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

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin
Director: Peter Jackson

Rating: PG-13

Studio: New Line Cinema

Review Posted: 12.19.01

Spoilers: Yes

Rating: 1.5/4

By Craig Younkin. | Read Review #2

Director Peter Jackson and star Ian McKellen each bring an effectively dark tone to "Lord of the Rings", the new epic whose production story is already becoming legend. There are also some really terrifying visuals here as well, but when all is said and done, this movie is still the very worst case of style over substance.

New Line spent a bundle on making this movie, and the two others that will proceed it in the following years. They took a very huge risk in hoping that this movie wouldn't bomb, but like all stories not affiliated with Hollywood fairytales, their risk taking may just have left them with the year's second "Pearl Harbor."

The film begins in narration. The dark lord Sauron has created a ring that will give him endless power and ability to rule the land of Moldor. The kings, dwarves, men of the village know that they must fight for their freedom, and one man is even able to separate Sauron from the ring, only later this same man ends up dying because it corrupts him.

The ring then takes a long journey until reaching the pocket of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). Sixty years go by and Bilbo never uses the ring, but upon his 111th birthday, he finally decides that it is the right time. Only before he can do anything, wizard and Baggins family friend Gandalf (Ian McKellan) arrives at his door.

Gandalf has been sent on a mission to find the ring, and destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom, Sauron's castle. Only he cannot do it alone. He calls upon the help of Bilbo's cousin Frodo (Elijah Wood) and friend Sam (Sean Astin) to travel across the countryside with the ring, until it has been destroyed.

What Gandalf doesn't know though is that the same friend who sent him on this mission, is also working with Sauron to retrieve the ring. His name is Saruman (Christopher Lee), and after trapping Gandalf in a tower, he sends Sauron's half dead/living forces to capture the ring using any means necessary, including killing Frodo.

At three hours, "Lord of the Rings" is a very long film. What makes it even longer is that there is barely a story to satisfy that. The heroes continue to move from one life threatening encounter after the next, all of which have been seen in the trailer, while the in-between of each fight sequence contains absolutely nothing to hold interest.

The biggest reason why is because it is impossible to care for these characters. I marveled at how paper thin many of them were written, while in other portions I could not believe how horrid the acting was. Everyone other than McKellan marches around this film like they are acting in a play, especially in the dramatic portions, which all look incredibly cheesy. The dialogue they are given also doesn't help much. 

I couldn't identify with any one of them, and I certainly did not think that the fellowship part of the story was developed enough to find dramatic when it takes blows later on in the film. These characters remain lifeless throughout the film, and it is an absolute bore to watch them. 

Jackson also throws in a recycled "Titanic" musical score, but even a fake James Horner can't lift the dust off this sick puppy. I know many critics are praising this movie, and that it will probably become a big success at the box office, but I don't care anymore. I was excited about this series, but the terrible way it performed now leaves me with doubts about seeing the other two films. This is one critic who can definitely wait on those.

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