Upon seeing the movie I feel I need to write my own review of the film. After reading this you'll know why I've always left movie reviewing to a pro like Barnaby.

Before writing this though I have gone & read as many reviews & opinions as possible both to keep the movie fresh in my mind & to keep me from repeating what has already been said.

I start by confessing that when I first heard about the trilogy I had never read Tolkien & only heard of him in passing. I have simply never been a fan of SciFi & Fantasy genera. In fact as I sit here writing this & I still haven't read one word of Tolkien's writings! But don't worry my new copy of the trilogy sits on my desk patiently waiting for me.

From the very beginning I made up my mind that I would enter the theater with no expectations & an open mind. By not reading the books & avoiding substantial spoilers at all costs I was successful. In the end I was only vaguely aware of what was going to happen through less than 30 minutes of the film, scenes scattered here & there. It didn't effect how I feel about the film.

I went to see the movie on December 24th at 12 noon. I wanted to go earlier but I hadn't been able too & if I couldn't go on the 24th I'd have to see it a week or so later. & I just couldn't stand waiting any longer. I left in the middle of my family's christmas day preparations. They understood. I went alone, no girlfriend, no friends. I had tried to make plans with them all but they wanted to wait another week or more for one reason or the other.

I had not preordered my ticket & I had no idea if it might be sold out. I just went to an area where there are several large malls close together & a couple of large theaters in each mall. I knew one or the other had to have a ticket available. The second one I went to I got on, no line, no wait & when I entered the huge dolby digital surround sound theater 20 minutes before show time it was completely empty! For the first time I could pick any seat I wanted . I got the seat with the best view & where I could hear the stereo sound like it was truly live. I put my jacket in one seat, my bag of popcorn in the other,sat in the middle & waited.

I thought maybe I'd be nervous, but instead I was just soaking in every minute of the experience! As the film's staring time neared a large group of people came in all at once. must have been 50 or 60 people in less than 3 minutes. They all headed toward me & I was afraid they'd sit in front of me & ruin my great viewing spot, but I got lucky & everyone sat far from each other. Just before the movie started they gave the usual dose of new movie trailers & I was so calm that I got into the trailer to the new remake of "The Time Machine" and decided that it was a film I wanted to see. As the logo for New Line Cinema appeared on the screen all the movie related thoughts, images & comments I'd heard in the last year passed through my mind & I assured myself that this experience was going to be golden.

Warning very detailed movie spoilers ahead.

Very detailed I ain't kidding!!

The film pulls no punches, it starts with the history of middle earth, Lord Saruon, the history of the rings & the one rings journey to Bilbo Baggins. All of it is just right in length & clearly explained & of course every second of it visually breath taking!!. I was not lost or confused at any point in the movie. The clash of the last alliance & defeat of Sauron though short was the most incredible battle scene I have ever witnessed. It is just beyond description SEE IT.

Then calm... & the scene opens with the tranquil beauty of the shire & it's people. When I first saw Frodo under the tree I caught myself wondering if I'd be convinced that the different races are truly diffrent higts. Within a few seconds my concern was forgotten. They captured perfectly the peaceful lives of the Hobbit race. They are not children nor simpletons, they are just lucky enough to take for granted the paradise they inhabit. The feet at no point looked fake & within a few seconds I ws totally lost in the film. My popcorn went uneaten.

Others have said that the first scenes between Frodo & gandalf, Biblo & gandalf weren't consistent with the books. Well I was completely convinced that I was seeing real events in this 'pre history world". Gandalf in his cart reviling in his return to his Hobbit friends, Gandalf bumping his head at baggend..having a great time at Bilbo's party & his troubling good bye to Bilbo.. were all 100% believable. I felt every high & low & noticed that it was having the same effect on those around me.

I have to start handing out the accolades, Ian Holme & Ian McKellen were incredible from the very beginning. Trying to effectively show the emotional & physical power of an inanimate gold ring must have been incredibly difficult. From the first moment we see the ring, I had no doubt about its real power & it was disturbing. The idea that it is literally a fatal, insidious living poison, tempting, tormenting & then destroying everything it touches was all too clear. And the realization that the burden of keeping this beast in check had fallen upon Frodo was heart wrenching. Elijha Wood too was wonderful, from the first moment you see him, his innocence, kindness & inner strength are revealed all in those blue eyes.

One of many thoughts that crossed my mind after seeing the movie was the question if anyone, Gandalf included, truly believed The White Wizard Sarumon was ever on the side of good? From his first fake smile & well rehearsed greeting to Gandalf you know you are in the presence of pure evil. An accolade to Christopher Lee, though we see too little of him in the film to see the true depth of the character.

The infamous Wizards Duel. AWESOME!! So it wasn't in the book?? So it seems too Hollywood?? WHO CARES!! It was perfectly acted, the effects were on target & it helped keep the tolkien novice on track plot wise. I enjoyed every second of it.

The Hobbits & Strider At Bree. I know i'm VERY prejudiced, but if this had been any less than incredible I wouldn't dare deceive those reading this. Viggo has had 'ok' performances & I freely admit it. But this sure as HELL isn't one of them!!!!!!!!!! Oh My God!! He lights his pipe & you see his eyes & your like WOW who is that guy with the deep wild stare?? We've scene the whole scene in the trailers, but it looks even better five times life size. There's a darkness you immediately see in Strider. A deep pain scared over many times & it's all revealed like pages in a book in those eyes. It's classic Viggo taken to a new brilliance! He lived the role & anyone who has lived what Strider has experienced & endured as he has would show such scars. Mind you Strider is no weakling! Yes he freezes when Gandalf loses his life & sheds tears as Boroimir utters his final words. But when the battles starts all the boasts about Viggo's abilities with a sword & of the amazing battle sequences don't prepare you for the lightning fast bursts of energy & absolute carnage that Aragorn displays with such cool precision. The man literaly takes on single handedly & defeats 30 or 40 of the evil orcs & every second of it is totally believable. And the scene where he defeats Lutz, you have to see it to believe it!! Aragorn is truly the greatest warrior in cinematic history!! (I will talk more about Viggo's Performance In The Site's Lord Of The Ring Section: About Strider page)

Another point that went through my mind after the movie was that those scenes seemed chillingly real & a bit too graphic for mearly a rating of pg13.

The princess Arwen. From the very minute she appears on the screen the nonesense about 'Arwen warrior Princess' is gone. The strength in her eyes is true & the courage she shows was as thrilling for me as it was for the rest of the audience. I will concede that when I first saw the image of Arwen & Aragorn on the bridge, that we've seen so many times, I was ready to pass judgment. Until the second you see Aragorns eyes. For him this is all true & we see that his heart is finally whole & the viewer can only revel in the beauty of what they must share. Controversy OVER. Oh & the Elvish language is so cool!

The Council of Elrond was probably the lowest point, action wise in the film & I feel I need to explain to those who protest about it's length & slow pace that it's refereed to in the writing biz as Character & Plot Delevopment!! I'm not trying to be sarcastic, really. We are so used to the crap fed to us by the big budget studios, their no plot, no story, no real character, vehicles for sex & violence are so mind numbing that even for me it seemed an alien concept. We see Isodor's fall to the rings power & his fate in flash backs. Along with the terrible truth that, only Frodo is ready to bear the burden of the ring. And the hopeful birth of the Fellowship.

I had only two small problems with these scenes, we hear Elves harshly belittle Dwarves twice & since these scenes were shortened by necessity, it's not made clear why Elves who show themselves as so wise would stoop to such small minded bigotry. Secondly the true motivations for Merry & Pippin to join the fellowship & why they were allowed to join at all is also lost in editing.

One thing that truly shocked me about this part was how Aragorn's true identity is revealed. And his deeply troubled, almost humiliated reaction we see. Considering the incredible acts of heroisim we've seen Strider display, the contrast with the fear & apprehension when he is revealed as heir to Gondor is startling. But again this is another new concept for us movie goers called character dimentionality! Aragorn isn't a mindless killing machine, nor the setereotypical prince charming in rags, he is a real person! That's Viggo's magic as a character actor at work. Aragorn is only human & he's scared as hell by the burden of being the last hope of the dyeing human race. Not to mention that it was his ancestors who are responsable for the ring not being destroyed long ago. I felt his apprehension, doubt & understood exactly where it came from. It only increased the deep admiration & sympathy one feels for this character.

I can't putt off any longer the standing ovation that Sean Bean has earned for this performance. Along with Wood & Mortensen, Bean's performance is the best of the film. Period! All three characters are in a constant state of flux during the movie & each must endure immense burdens while trying to stand brave before insurmountable odds. For Borimir the pain is also deep, he is the eldest son of the Steward of Gondor. His father is growing old & his people are losing to the constant unyielding attacks of Sauron's forces. His people, the last human tribe is literally facing extinction. & the people of Gondor look to him for their salvation. Yet instead of using the ring of power who's magic could, he believes, save the human race, he becomes part of the Fellowship bent on it's destruction. It's a burden I couldn't imagine bearing. But Borimoir does & we see & feel every moment of hope , bit of mounting doubt & the beastly ring's slow destruction of this nobel warrior all in Sean Bean's performance. Like the other two I've mentioned this is an Oscar worthy performance.

I think the character that I was the most confused about was Sam Gamgie, Frodo's loyal companion. Sean Astin's performance is just right, I was convinced & at many points moved almost to tears by his displays of loyalty & friendship. But something kept nagging in the back of my mind. 'Why?' Like with Merry & Pippin, Sam's motivations are completely unknown & it takes away from fully enjoying the performance.

I don't mean to overlook the other great performances, but what I'd say about them has already been said many times. So I'll go directly to the other triumph of this movie. The ENEMY

From the orcs to the Cave troll every single one of those beasts was 100% believable, there were no bloopers anywhere in those scenes. And most importantly in a time when we movie goers think we've seen it all, the beasts of Middle earth & genuinely terrifying!.

That brings me to the sets & other special effects. The sets were so believable that I found myself simply taking them for granted, like I did with the cast member height differences. Rivendel, Mordor, Isenguard & the rest were incredible but in the end they were just background to the outstanding actor's performances that were the real focus for the audience. It's ironic but for me true.

Those three hours flew by & the movie's end left me feeling as wounded as the first time I finished seeing The Indian Runner. When you feel for characters that your have let yourself connect with & then tragedy strikes. You can only endure with them. I have to admit that inspite of the attempt at the very end to uplift the mood & give the viewer some hope about what is coming, we are left with the same feelings that the remaining fellowship themselves must feel. Things look bleak & hope is dim, it might all have been in vein.

Aragorn's last line "Lets Hunt Orcs" ,which seems to be controversial, fits the moment perfectly if you see Aragorns expression, demeanor & understand the circumstances. The Fellowship has failed & they are overcome with hopelessness. And like a good leader Aragorn sumes up in few words what the others need to focus on to snap back into action. "We're not defeated.. Now Lets Return To Battle". And they do.

Now I'll list the movie's most enduring scenes. These I'll carry with me for a long time:

- Gandalf's face when we first see him returning to his beloved Hobbit friends.

- Frodo's inner pain when he realize only he can bear the burden of the ring at the Council of Elrond.

- Borimir's disdain & mock of Aragorn when he learns that he is the Heir To Gondor "Gondor needs no King.."

- Aragorn's personal doubt when his identity is revealed to the council.

- A carefree moment when Borimir is playing with Merry & Pippin. Like a father with his sons.

- Gandalf's self sacrifice & the fellowship's reactions.

- Aragorns proud request for assistance & then humbled plea for protection to the wood elves after leaving Mordor.

- Aragorn & Frodo's final goodbye. Frodo shows the ring to Aragorn, but the ring is unable to even tempt him. He is the only character to triumph over the Ring's power. He gets down on one knee & places his hand over Frodo's hand containing the ring & tells him "I pledged my sword to you Frodo. .. I would have gone with you all the way to Mount Doom". I could barely hold back the emotion upon seeing that scene. Aragorn deserves recognition as one of modern cinema's greatest characters.

- And lastly Borimir's death in the arms of Aragorn. With his final words he recognizes Aragorn as his true king. Aragorn then tries to convince Borimiir that the human race will triumph and that he dies with his honor intact. Borimir passes on & Aragorn with tears in his eyes kisses his friend's brow.