The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy

Barnes And Nobles Book Reviews

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

J.R.R. Tolkien's fabled Ring trilogy, originally published in the 1950s, set a new standard for fantasy fiction -- and its Oscar-winning live-action adaptation does the same for movies of the sword-and-sorcery genre. Perhaps the most eagerly awaited fantasy film of all time and nearly five years in the making, The Fellowship of the Ring captures the spirit of Tolkien's Middle-earth saga far more faithfully than its millions of fans dared hope. (Ralph Bakshi offered an animated adaptation in 1978, but to a much less rousing response.) The story begins as elderly hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) relinquishes possession of his most valuable keepsake, a golden ring possessing magical powers, to his youthful heir, Frodo (Elijah Wood). Charged with casting the ring into the fires from which it was forged, the young hobbit begins an arduous trek across Middle-earth, accompanied by a sturdy band that includes his best friend, Sam Gamgee (Sean Astin), the mercurial wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), the haunted warrior Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), and the blustery dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), among others. Opposed by treacherous sorcerer Saruman (Christopher Lee) and the demonic emissaries of the Dark Lord, Sauron, this continuously embattled Fellowship makes its way slowly toward the cruel land of Mordor. Studded with remarkable action sequences enhanced by state-of-the-art computer effects, Fellowship is a veritable feast for eye and ear. Director Peter Jackson shot the film in his native New Zealand, where he found stunning, picturesque locations in which to set his scenes. These marvelous natural settings combine with the beautifully crafted sets, costumes, makeup, and props to convincingly bring Tolkien's mythical world to life. The actors, one and all, play their roles as if they were born to them; even such briefly seen stars as Cate Blanchett (elf queen Galadriel) and Liv Tyler (elf maiden Arwen) perform with panache. Fellowship departs from the sacred texts in a number of ways, but Jackson's movie replicates the trilogy's first book faithfully. A rousing adventure-fantasy that will delight Tolkien devotees and newbies alike, this is truly an unforgettable film -- one that will yield new pleasures with each viewing, and which therefore belongs in every video collection. Ed Hulse

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers

The second part of this epic trilogy, based on the perennially bestselling fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, not only meets but surpasses the high standards set by the initial film, The Fellowship of the Ring. Director Peter Jackson, working from a masterfully adapted script by Frances Walsh, condenses the second book's narrative in a way that captures all the highlights and eliminates the dragging spots. The result is a truly spectacular movie, crammed with action and darker in tone than its predecessor. The story initially focuses on the hobbits Frodo Baggins (played by Elijah Wood) and Sam Gamgee (Sean Astin), who press on toward Mordor and the ultimate disposition of the magical ring they reluctantly bear. Our attention is subsequently directed toward other members of the Fellowship -- human Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) -- who join forces with a group of humans besieged by demon warriors commanded by the malevolent Lord Saruman (Christopher Lee). Utilizing spectacular New Zealand locations, Jackson's production has enormous scope and majesty, but the director never loses sight of his characters, whose personalities are fully crystallized here. The acting is of a uniformly high caliber, with octogenarian Lee and newly minted genre stalwart Ian McKellen (returning as the wizard Gandalf) edging out their younger costars for top honors. Computer-generated effects are employed generously, but rather than dominating, the action they complement it. A movie that is truly dazzling in every way, The Two Towers builds mammoth anticipation for the trilogy's conclusion, The Return of the King. Ed Hulse

The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King

The third and most spectacular installment of Peter Jackson's remarkable Lord of the Rings trilogy builds to a climax of almost endurable suspense as Middle-earth is rocked by the prospect of impending Armageddon -- an all-out war that can only be prevented by two lowly hobbits. Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) follow the treacherous Gollum (Andy Serkis) to Mount Doom, into whose fiery core must be hurled the all-powerful ring. Meanwhile, as Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) cast their lot with the besieged inhabitants of Gondor, the remaining members of the Fellowship -- Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) -- attempt to recruit the spirit warriors of Cursed Mountains in the final conflict against Sauron. Return of the King reaps the benefit of narrative seeds sown in the previous two installments: The characters and conflicts having been well established in Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, Jackson resolves everything in King on a grand scale that old-school filmmakers would never have imagined possible. Computer-generated special effects account for many of the film's visual delights, but this superb director invests the proceedings with intense emotions as well, and once the final battle has been decided he presents a protracted but satisfying denouement that ties up all the loose ends. Perfection is nearly impossible to attain in any human endeavor, but with this film Jackson has come as close to it as anybody in motion-picture history. We're hard pressed to imagine anybody else having realized a live-action version of J. R. R. Tolkien's story with as much imagination, expertise, and feeling. King swept this year's Oscars for good reason -- it's a stunning, unforgettable work that has already taken its place in cinema history. Jackson's Special Extended Edition adds 50-minutes to the theatrical cut of the film. Ed Hulse