Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
2001 was a dismal year for big-budget films. Movies such as Pearl Harbor and Planet of the Apes were hardly the "events" they were cracked up to be, a fact that's all the more depressing considering the money the filmmakers had at their disposal. Think we'll be revisiting those films in five years, let alone 10 or 20? Guess again.
It's not easy to make a big-budget film these days, when studios have so much at stake and marketing tie-ins are as important as the quality of the film itself. That's why it's such a kick to watch Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, a dazzling, daring triumph that blows you away with spectacle while remaining rich in human emotions. It's the best big-budget film I've seen in years.
New Line took a huge gamble with Rings, hiring relative unknown Peter Jackson - helmer of the acclaimed 1994 indie film Heavenly Creatures - to direct and shoot all three films in J.R.R. Tolkein's epic fantasy trilogy back-to-back-to-back. It's a move that could have backfired miserably, but happily did not.
For those of you unschooled in the lore of Middle Earth, Tolkein's world consists of hobbits, dwarves, elves, dragons, goblins, ogres, and even men. If that sounds to you like a geekfest for people who don't get out enough, don't despair: There's a distinct human touch and a dark edge at the core of Fellowship that has a universal appeal, even for non-fantasy fans.
Frodo (Elijah Wood) is the hobbit at the center of this story, an unsuspecting gentleman who inherits a seemingly harmless ring from his uncle Bilbo (Ian Holm). Unfortunately, it's THE ring: "One ring to rule them all / One ring to find them / One ring to bring them all / And in the darkness bind them." After the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) warns him of the ring's powers and the pending arrival of the evil Sauron's henchman in pursuit of it, Frodo flees town along with a few fellow hobbits.
Following a series of harrowing chase scenes and narrow escapes, Frodo & Co. arrive in an "protected" elvish forest, where leaders from the other "races" gather to discuss the fate of the ring. Ultimately, it's decided that a "fellowship" of nine will carry the ring into the heart of evil to the only place it can be destroyed: the fires of Mount Doom. What ensues is a series of battles and action sequences that will have you pinned to your seat.
Unfortunately, a two-paragraph synopsis doesn't do justice to the themes and ideas addressed in Jackson's film. But beyond the thrills and the eye-popping set pieces, rest assured that there's plenty to chew on.
For those moviegoers looking for nothing more than a wild ride, though, Fellowship delivers in spades. For once, you can see every bit of the film's enormous budget on screen, from the mammoth action scenes to the grandiose art direction to the stunning cinematography. Credit Director Jackson for delivering a film that's scary, thrilling, exciting and thought-provoking.
As impressive as the film's special effects are, Jackson's knack for finding the humanity within the vast spectacle may be his greatest accomplishment. Whether showing Boromir (Sean Bean) playfully teaching the hobbits how to use a sword, or lingering on a sequence in which the fellowship mourns the death of one of their own, Jackson allows plenty of time to flesh out the characters. While some may find these stretches "slow," they ultimately make the film a far richer, more rewarding experience.
Another surprise in Fellowship is the way the cast excels. In part due to Jackson's desire to develop the characters, and in part due to near-perfect casting, the actors and actresses really shine. McKellan is superb as Gandalf, Viggo Mortensen gives a star-caliber peformance as the brooding Strider, Bean is excellent as the conflicted Bormoir, and even Liv Tyler delivers as the elf Arwen. At the core of the film, though, is Elijah Wood's Frodo, a kind of everyman struggling with the burden of the ring. Wood is simply outstanding.
To be honest, there are a few nits to pick in Rings, Several of the comic relief scenes involving the hobbits are a little lame. And perhaps Jackson may have done well to make some of the action scenes a little more realistic, instead of forcing the viewer to suspend their disbelief as a handful of people repeatedly defeat what appears to be dozens of adversaries.
But in the grand scale of things, that's a small price to pay for perhaps the best film of 2001. Fellowship is must-see viewing that demands repeat trips to the cineplex. With solid performances, astonishing special effects and brilliant direction, the only thing Fellowship will make you regret is having to wait another year to see the trilogy's next installment.
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There's a great scene in which some beer-loving hobbits arrive at a man-run inn and express their glee upon discovering the larger pint glasses served there. Raise your goblets and imbibe...
Immersing yourself in fantasy lore has never been a good way to get some action. As great as Rings is, this rule of dating remains unchanged.
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