A meek hobbit of the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to
Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring and the dark lord Sauron.
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: J.R.R. Tolkien (novel),
Fran Walsh (screenplay)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Story line
An ancient Ring thought lost for centuries has been found, and through a
strange twist in fate has been given to a small Hobbit named Frodo.
When Gandalf discovers the Ring is in fact the One Ring of the Dark Lord
Sauron, Frodo must make an epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to
destroy it! However he does not go alone. He is joined by Gandalf,
Legolas the elf, Gimli the Dwarf, Aragorn, Boromir and his three Hobbit
friends Merry, Pippin and Samwise. Through mountains, snow, darkness,
forests, rivers and plains, facing evil and danger at every corner the
Fellowship of the Ring must go. Their quest to destroy the One Ring is
the only hope for the end of the Dark Lords reign!
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) User Review
It is with no surprise
that Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring film has received such
mixed critics. Many viewers refer to it as being childish, boring and
uninteresting. Seems to me that it is bound to the same fate of
Tolkien's books, destined to be a target for the same type of
misunderstandings that keep attacking this literary masterpiece many
decades after it's first publication.
Having read the books
several years ago, I went to see this `impossible' film when it came out
with many doubts on my mind. I really liked it, but left the theater
with as many doubts as I had before. Was it perfect? Well, maybe not,
but what an achievement. After watching it a few times on DVD, and
thinking about it for some time now, I find myself loving this film more
and more. Let me tell you why...
The Lord of the Rings is a
fairy-tale of myth and fantasy. Peter Jackson directed a film that was
considered, for a very long time, impossible to make, and not only for
technical reasons. The narrative roots are incredibly long and detailed,
and the storyline is deeply connected with the creation of a fantastic
continent from a time unknown called `Middle Earth'. It's author,
Tolkien, dedicated a considerable part of his life developing this
continent's background, it's mythology and origins, it's different kinds
of people, cultures and languages, and therefore it's geographic
references are determinant to the unfolding of the story of the One
Ring.
Peter Jackson went out to achieve the impossible and came
out with a recreation of the original that is pure and true to the story
in every detail. The first time the four hobbits meet a black rider on
the road, for example, is absolutely faithful to the feeling of the
book. The assault of the riders at Weathertop is another great example,
and it captures that feeling of danger, density and atmosphere that are
the main characteristics of the tale. Jackson also took some liberties
with the story, and made some right choices along the way. If the so
called `purists' may not approve the removal of Tom Bombadil altogether,
it should be comprehensible that the travel from Hobbiton to Rivendel
is a very long and detailed one and could easily make a movie on it's
own. I felt more uneasy with how short the Council of Elrond was. In the
book, the council is where the whole story of the rings is first
explained, and many passages from the past ages of Middle Earth are
unveiled. It is a fascinating moment of the story, that had to be
shortened for obvious reasons. Still, after some consideration, I now
agree with the options made by Peter Jackson, and think that the movie
prologue narrated by Galadriel was the wisest choice. The magic is all
there when Gandalf shuts his eyes the moment Frodo stands in the council
and says `I will take the ring'. It is there at Moria's Gate, and at
the fall of Boromir. It is a powerful film that doesn't fit the rhythm
of the standard Hollywood action movie. It is a film that breeds, that
takes time to unfold, it's tale branching in every direction.
I
could go on and on, talking about all the different elements that bring
this film close to perfection, but I'll end saying that deep down, this
is not about action, beards and big monsters. The greatest thing about
this film, to me, is that it brought me back to a time when I was in
love with a different world where everything was possible. Reading The
Lord of the Rings night after night, I came to understand what this
thing of `mankind' really was all about. The corruption of absolute
power, the importance and value of friendship, the inevitability of
growing up, the strength of hope... That this film could capture that
magic, and be a new bearer to it's message of humanism, is a statement
to it's greatness. Gandalf's words, that even the smallest person may
change the course of the world, and have a part to play in the destiny
of all, are immortal.
In the end, this is a wonderful film, but
that doesn't mean you are going to like it. I cannot tell you what it is
like to see this film if you don't know or love the book. But I hope it
may plant a seed on your heart to discover a great world of fantasy,
beauty and humanity. I believe Tolkien would have liked that.
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