Review by Andrzej Rattinger Romero © 2001 Andrzej Rattinger Romero

My ass has officially been kicked.

For starters, the Premiere was at Six Flags Mexico to give it a fantasy feel, and it was in an outside Batman-show theater at night, so the temperature was damn low. So imagine the cold hard steel benches you sit in to watch a twenty-minute show and try to focus on a three-hour long flick with more names, characters and places than a chinese map. Then, add some low temperatures in December. I was wearing a sweater, a jacket, a scarf and I was shaking the whole time. Add that it was outside so the projection isn't the same as a nice comfy theater and the sound was pretty good but it was still outdoors. Add people who brought their little kids (this isn't Harry Potter!) to whom they were reading the subtitles and explaining the events as they unfolded. Also, imagine you can't go to the bathroom because it's not exactly around the corner. And they put ice in the free beverages (they were free, but I still get to complain).

With all that crap going on, I still loved the hell outta this movie. Had it lasted longer, I would've gone through it.

Given the anticipation behind this movie, it's obvious everyone has high expectations which can hardly be met. After all, this is merely one visual interpretation of one filmmaker in contrast to what millions of readers worldwide have been imagining for half a century.

The story, in case no one knows it, is about a hobbit named Frodo who must take an evil ring that once belonged to a dark lord named Sauron back to the land where it was created and have it destroyed. Along for the ride are a handful of Frodo's friends, allies and, quite on his heels, Sauron's minions.

For the record, this is merely the first of three movies. The complete novel of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings spans three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. This movie is based on only the first volume.

Director Peter Jackson makes the experience worthwhile. For starters, what he has trimmed of the story is the encyclopedical myths and legends that serve as backstory to the plot. However, the essence of such information is not forgotten. For example, we get a ten minute introduction to the ring's past without patronizing the audience, yet there is no need to try and cram tons of information only obsessive fanboys require. So if you've read the books, you'll be satisfied. And if you haven't, you still get a pretty good grip on what the whole deal is.

There is a sense of foreboding in the film, so the fact than an evil power is behind Frodo is palpable, which makes us forget this is set in a fantasy world. It's like all our nightmares come true on the screen. Noted absence: Tom Bombadil. But in essence the whole chapter with Bombadil is merely a detour off the main plot, so no great loss. Also, certain licenses had to made. Certain elements that happen at the very beginning of the second book were tagged on the end of the first movie to give it a climactic ending. Also, scenes that were explained by characters in the books are acted out here, such as Gandalf's (Ian McKellen) visit to Saruman (Christopher Lee).

The story is merely a map upon which the characters are laid out, and they are what matters. In the current political climate, it's oddly comforting to know this "road movie" is all about a group of strangers gathering together to form an alliance to thwart a tyrannical empire.

The performances are great; no one stands out as a protagonist, even if the story revolves around Frodo. If I were to nitpick, I'd say Cate Blanchett's Galadriel, the Elf Queen and Lady of the Forest, is the only stray. Perhaps she took her role too seriously, as if she were the exact opposite of the Blair Witch. The scene in which she is tempted to possess the ring goes over the top into special effects territory, which makes it lose any relevance. Other than that, I'd have to say everyone is on their mark, especially Sean Bean as the conflicted steward's heir Boromir and Viggo Mortensen, with his Han Solo-esque tormented slouch. Even Liv Tyler is good, even if her character, Arwen, is given a little more to do in the movie than in the book. Frodo and Sam's strange relationship is intact, Elijah Wood's wide eyes giving Frodo soul and naiveté and Sean Astin's puggy nose and pout adding depth to Sam's simple mind.

The special effects are extraordinary. The grandiose effects, such as the river horses (you'll see what I mean) and the Balrog (an ancient demon that lurks the underworld Mines of Moria), are visions that captivate the mind and haunt you for hours after the movie is finished, as does the cave-troll, a barbaric monster that tries to squish Frodo and company.

But it's the little things that should be noticed: the hobbits, half the size of a human being, are wonderful to the eyes, because they really are half the size of humans! Once you get used to the idea of Bilbo (Ian Holm) hugging Gandalf around the waist, the very idea that it is a special effect (or camera trickery, or stand-ins, depending on the shot) vanishes, and you can never go back: you are truly seeing a hobbit onscreen. Every effect in the movie is part of a greater scheme: to tell a story.

If there is one effect that deserves special mention, it has to do with Frodo whenever he wears the ring: since it makes him invisible, we are transported into his world, to see clearly what he does: the Dark Eye that follows him all the way from Mordor, the clarity of the Nazgul when they prey upon Frodo, how the figures around him become blurred. I was ecstatic with that effect.

The art direction is fantastic. Of course, the darker places are much more fun than the goody-two-shoes sets. The Mines of Moria and the land of Mordor are extraordinary examples of Jackson's twisted mind and, even if you didn't imagine such places exactly like they appear in the movie, they do just fine. Rivendell, on the other hand, looks like a Disneyland candy shop, like a big white cuckoo-clock, which means it's a really good-looking set, but it has too much of a fantastic feel. Not that you can blame Jackson: the book describes it as a place of such beauty that actually bringing it to life is a hard task.

Another thing to keep an eye out for: the costumes and make up. The detail is extraordinary, almost museum-like. Gandalf may look like an oversized smurf, Legolas is a pointy-eared Robin Hood and Elrond seems like Ming, but it's all part of the feel of the movie; they're all archetypes in one way or the other. Saruman, Strider, Boromir and Arwen stood out for me as examples of simple yet effective costume design. And what to say of the Nazgul, the Ringwraiths? The extraordinarily creepy horseback Black Riders that chase Frodo and friends around are damn fine examples of evil personified.

The film's pace is extraordinary. Given its length at almost three hours, you figure it should have felt longer. It's no lie that by the time it's over you are sore and exhausted, but you are also exhilarated: the editing is flawless and Jackson's hyperkinetic camera swoops so much around the characters you can't help but be enthralled. By the end, I was upset at the fact I have to wait another year to see The Two Towers. And it's funny, too: Jackson keeps the pace by constructing the movie in small set pieces: first an introductory scene, then some humor and then the dark revelations, the climactic action scenes. The film is built with little puzzle pieces of emotional tinkering that has the audience wrapped around Jackson's finger.

The Harry Potter movie may have every written word up on the screen, but it missed what was behind the words, which makes it a cold adaptation. Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, goes for the heart, and doesn't let you forget that after all, it's what's behind the story that counts. This is without a doubt, the movie to beat. Hear me now: this one will garner Oscar nominations galore, mostly on the technical aspects. The cinematography, the sound design, the editing, the makeup, the production design, the special effects, the sound effects, the directing and the adapted screenplay are sure bets for next year's Oscars. With any luck, Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen will get nominated as well.

Only Jackson could have pulled this off. He has directed some of the most visually interesting films I have seen (Dead Alive, The Frighteners, Heavenly Creatures). Also, the fact that he is from New Zealand (the film was shot there as well) gives him a different perspective. Sure, he's just like Sam Raimi when it comes to visual inventiveness and has a dark David Fincher streak to him, but he's also like Woody Allen: he has a style all his own with themes only he can touch.

I cannot praise this movie enough. Sure, the hype is great and it might not be what everyone is expecting. I'm positive some expectations won't be met. But what I do know is that this is a spectacle that should not be missed.

	Running Time: 178 Min | Rated: PG-13 | US Release: Dec 19th | More >>

Related Links:

• Official Site
• TheOneRing.net
• TolkienMovies.com
• Tolkien Online - The One Ring
• Imladris: Lord of the Rings Movie News