A One Mann’s Movies review of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition)” (2002).
In their latest “Throwback” season, Everyman Cinemas in the UK are showing the Extended Editions of Peter Jackson’s classic LOTR films over three successive weeks. This week, I saw the first of these “The Fellowship of the Ring”. And what a joyful (almost) 4-hours this was to see this classic back on the big screen again.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) is approaching his one hundred and eleventh birthday. But there is a secret to his extreme old age. For he has in his possession a ring of power: an object that will bring great danger to his cousin and heir Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and his friend Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen).
Certification:
UK: PG; US: PG. (From the BBFC web site: “Contains moderate battle violence and some scary scenes”.)
Talent:
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Marton Csokas, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, John Rhys-Davis, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving.
Directed by: Peter Jackson.
Written by: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson. (Based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkein).
Twitter Handle: (As an objection to the hate-filled content of Elon Musk’s platform – and Musk himself – I am deleting my Twitter profiles, so will not be promoting Twitter handles from this post onwards).
Running Time: 3h 48m.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” Summary:
Positives:
- A truly immersive movie experience, bringing to life Tolkein’s Middle Earth.
- Every scene is wonderfully crafted from the initial Shire scene-setting to the creation of the Fellowship to the temptation of Galadriel in Lothlórien.
- Terrific performances, with both McKellen and Holm both being standouts for me.
Negatives:
- I have nothing. This is near movie perfection.
Review of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”:
What can you say?
This is SUCH a classic, it’s almost impossible to review. Peter Jackson crafts such a classic that you can barely believe the images you are seeing on screen. The film is almost 4 hours long but you really don’t feel it. The action barrels along like a train but it pauses between the set pieces for really thoughtful interludes, whether that’s the touching relationship between Frodo and Gandalf, the heartbreaking love affair between Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and Arwen (Liv Tyler) or the simmering competition between Aragorn and Boromir (Sean Bean). The extended edition (adding a full 50 minutes over the 2001 original release) really fills in these relationships nicely.
One of the best on-screen representations of addiction.
There have been many films over the years that have focused on addiction, whether that’s concerning alcohol (“Days of Wine and Roses”, “Flight“); drugs (“Trainspotting”, “Beautiful Boy“); porn (“Don Jon”, “Crash”); or gambling (“The Cooler”, “Casino”). But “Fellowship of the Ring” really is another one. The hold that the ring exerts on its bearer is extreme but beautifully realised as Bilbo desperately tries to leave Hobbiton with the ring still in his pocket. It takes Gandalf scaring the life out of him (and then kindly assuring him of his friendship), to force him to come to his senses and relinquish the vice. In the same way that addicts are never free of the disease, the scene in Rivendell where Bilbo turns monstrous in wanting to hold his ‘precious’ again “one last time” is pitiful and brilliantly portrayed by Ian Holm.
An astonishing soundtrack.
Howard Shore delivers an astonishing, and indeed Oscar-winning, soundtrack with superb cues for the Shire (flute provided by James Galway), epic ‘travelling’ music and exciting action cues.
Why didn’t it win ALL the Oscars for 2002?
The film deservedly won four Oscars in that year:
- Best Score
- Cinematography
- Best Make up
- Best Visual Effects
but it was also nominated for another nine:
- Best Picture
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role (McKellan)
- Best Director
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Art Direction
- Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing
- Music, Original Song (Enya) and
- Best Sound
With the benefit of hindsight and history, you’d really think it should have picked up more. It was however up against Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind” (which took Best Picture and with Howard picking up Best Director). It was clearly considered a more ‘Oscar appropriate’ film for the time. It was to be “The Return of the King” before the Academy doled out its top award to the franchise.
Summary Thoughts on “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
An astonishing film that stands up even 22 years later. I’m greatly looking forward to catching at least the next in the series (though I think vacation might scupper the 4 hour 10 minute treat which is the extended “Return of the King”!)
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nZdmwHrcnw .
Subscribe
Don’t forget, you can subscribe to One Mann’s Movies to receive future reviews by email right here. No salesman will call!
