WARNING! WARNING!

OK, the other review doesn't tell you much, but then again, you're already innundated with more than you need to know from other sources. What follows is a more detailed account of the movie and opinions about what I saw, how I perceived plot points, and what was in and out of the film versus the book.

Click your "Back" Button if you do not want any more information!

I repeat, if you do NOT want detailed analysis, then DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER until after you have seen the movie. I don't like people telling me all the details before I see a movie. So, click no further if you wish to remain ignorant of details. You have been warned thricely...

That said, I last read the LOTR a year ago--and pardon my spelling from memory. I have not memorized every name, weapon, and geographical locale. Feel free to correct, agree, or contradict me via e-mail: magweb@magweb.com (please make the subject matter: "LOTR Review Reply").

I await your responses in MagWeb.com and will post the cleverest and most informative of them after the new year.

Detailed Analysis

The film does an absolutely wonderful job of beginning with the rise of Sauron and the forging of the one Ring "to rule them all." This introduction neatly airs a short, sweet, and visually appealing summary of the rings created for elves, dwarves, and humans...and the one Ring to bind them.

A stunning battle scene shows the action at the gates where the good guys were smashing the bad guys. If you remember The Mummy Returns big battle scene, you have an idea of the scope of battle, only it's even grander. Sauron makes his entrance wielding the Ring and a huge mace, reaping death with great sweeps. Elves and humans go flying like rag dolls and Sauron seems unstoppable, until Isildur chops four fingers off Sauron's hand, with one of them the finger with the Ring. Like a shock wave from a nuclear bomb, the orcs and other baddies disappear from Mordor.

Alas, though Elrond leads Isildur to the fiery innards of Mount Doom, Isildur keeps the Ring and dooms mankind, elfkind, dwarfkind, and hobbitkind to a second brush with extinction some 3000 years later. Isildur gets ambushed on some outing, falls in the river dead, and the Ring sinks to the bottom until found by Gollum (the murder is not mentioned in the movie), who keeps it under the Misty Mountains for 500 years (quite the aged Gollum his is, but the Ring helps with longevity even as it corrupts the soul).

A short scene shows Bilbo Baggins finding and pocketing the Ring, bringing it back to the Shire. That's about all of The Hobbit you're going to get, but that's about all you need in terms of background.

Thus comes Gandalf the wizard to Bags End in time for Bilbo's big 111th ("eleventy-one") birthday bash. Already, Bilbo is altered by the Ring's corruption (about 60 years worth of holding it), and after a pleasant introduction of Gandalf and Frodo on the way towards Bags End, we get an equally pleasant re-union between Gandalf and Bilbo.

The first view of Bags End is wonderful--three cheers for the contruction crews that terraced the hill to create the hobbit holes' exterior. And three more for the set designers who made the inside of the hobbit hole jive with my imagination about what a hobbit hole home should look like. I'm not sure what was the point of Gandalf banging into the chandelier and beams, but at least there were no potty jokes.

Ah, Bilbo has been writing a book and is looking to go back and see mountains and elves again. And since 111 is a remarkable turning point in one's life, he figures he better go now. But first, the big party. Several families are mentioned by name, but I do not recall hearing about the somewhat repellent Sackville side of the family. But the Broadfoots ("Broadfeet!" corrects a character at the shindig) are there as are a host of others. It's quite the soiree, with Gandalf supplying the fireworks and Merry and Pippin getting into trouble (Tooks do that you know, and it foreshadows several other events).

Bilbo vanishes by using the Ring, Gandalf rebukes him, and in a torrid struggle of willpower, Bilbo leaves the ring behind. Frodo, now master of all Bilbo owned, lives at Bags End while Gandalf goes off in search of knowledge.

Meanwhile, the Nine Nazgul--dark Riders on black horses--sally forth from Mordor in search of the Ring. Gollum, caught and tortured, mutters two words, "Baggins" and "Shire," and that's enough to send these nine Wraiths in Black to the hobbit lands.

The Nazgul and steeds are appropriately scary, helped with goodly doses of effective sound effects. Looking much like Death (faceless, hooded figures in flowing robes, cloaks, etc), they nonetheless sport armor of some type, and wear swords.

The Four Hobbits

Frodo is dead on. Sam Gamgee I always figured to be older, more in line with an officer (Frodo) and a veteran Sergeant Major (Sam), or at least a personal batman. Here, he's about the same age. It doesn't detract, but it gives one pause.

Warned by Gandalf, Frodo soon sets out to evade the Nazgul, with Sam at his side. A short ways away, they run into Merry and Pippin who are busy stealing crops from the local--and irate pursuing--farmer. All four run for it pell mell and make good their escape from the farmer and his hounds, only to run into a Rider. The hobbits hide, the Rider sniffs (well done this scene), and the hobbits eventually bolt.

Time Warp

Fatty is nowhere to be seen in the movie. The hobbits, trying to reach Bree, are pursued in the woods by several Nazgul, but manage to escape via a ferry (Nazgul have problems with water).

The entire sequence of Tom Bombadil is absent. And Tibor and I split over this one--Tibor thought the whole Bombadil thing was dull in the book, whereas I find the character and sequences delightful. Evidently, the director sided with Tibor, because the next scene after the ferry is the hobbits entering Bree and making their way to the Prancing Pony Inn to wait for Gandalf.

Bree is a dirty place, but the inn is warm and clean enough, even if its patrons are a tad unruly. There is a hint of the human spy, but most of the interplay in the Inn is shortened. Merry or Pippin, they are somewhat interchangeable in this film, divulge the presence of Frodo Baggins, who, horrified, tries to pull his hobbit friend away, slips on a boot, and the Ring flies upwards to land on his finger--instantly making him invisible and plunging him into the shadowlands.

Great scene and special effect. The shadowlands are well done--this hazy, bluish whitish half dimension. Back in the Shire, Sauron's Nazgul swivel their heads in a cut scene and hence race to Bree.

Frodo pulls off the Ring (Sauron only knows about it when its worn by someone--a neat little plot gimme) and is grabbed by Strider, who we all know is Aragorn. The Nazgul break down the gate of Bree and proceed to the Inn. Cut scenes show the sleeping Hobbits, but is anyone truly fooled by the ol' rolled up blankets in bed trick? Even if you knew the book intimately, this is the oldest Hollywood trick in the book. Well, the Nazgul are fooled and stab the bed...and scream in frustration (great sound effects for the Nazgul). Bill the horse comes along, too, although how they traded for Bill is not shown.

Aragorn leads them away to Weathertop, where the fool hobbits cook a lovely dinner with a flame that can be seen for miles. Here come the Nazgul who attack the four hobbits while Aragorn is off scouting. The Hobbits form square, then line, then get bounced as Frodo is knocked to the ground. He puts on the Ring to escape, but the Nazgul can see into the shadowworld. Frodo resists, but gets stabbed. Aragorn reappears bearing a sword and torch and lights up the robes, chasing them away. He tries to fix Frodo, but the blade is bewitched. Even Athelas (like a healing aloe) can't help.

This seems a bit odd--ordinary flame can chase away a Nazgul. I'll have to reread this section in the book.

Evidently, a Nazgul clothing shop is nearby and the next day the Black Riders return (neat short scene of the little band at the Troll statues!). The Elf princess arrives and rides for her and Frodo's lives. A nifty horse chase scene through the trees and open lands--the white of an Elvish horse versus the nine black mounts of the Nazgul. At the river, the Nazgul advance, but the elf calls upon the water powers and in a great special effects scene, the frothing river turns into horses and drowns the Nazgul. (Well, at least the horses and bodies and the Nazgul disappear from the rest of the film).

Rivendell

Rivendell is a pleasant place--give the artists credit for visualizing and creating a marvelous canyon and waterfall setting. Elrond delivers a wonderful cameo and Bilbo and Gandalf are here to welcome a recuperating Frodo. Sam is completely underwritten, for none of his deep desire to see elves is in evidence. He just accepts it as natural--so out of character.

Gandalf tells of his imprisonment by Saruman. This is a visually appealing flashback with helicopter shots of Gandalf riding to Orthanc, home of Saruman, and then a battle of wizards--no pyrotechnics, though plenty of wire work for the flipping, flying, and twirling actors. Gandalf loses and is placed at the top of the tower, waaay above ground. Meanwhile, Saruman tosses in his lot with Sauron---the destruction of the trees and the creation of mines and Uruk-Hai breeding pits begins). Again, great special effects from the digital effects folks. The eagle comes to the rescue and Gandalf ends up back at Rivendell. How he got his staff back, I'm not sure, for Saruman grabbed it in an earlier scene. And why Saruman, who is quite capable of inflicting avalanches at long range (subsequent scene) doesn't fry the eagle is another mystery.

It is my recollection that Gandalf snuck away on an eagle's back, not in the middle of a torture session. I also had the feeling that Saruman was more playing both sides against each other, not that he was Sauron's flunkey. Again, I'll have to reread the book.

In any case, Elrond calls a session, the Fellowship of the Ring is created with nine members (nice axe scene there by a dwarf) and off they head into the wilderness.

I recall that in the book, Aragorn carried the sword that was broken. In the movie, the sword was in pieces at a statue. Elrond's elves re-forged it anew in the book. Not mentioned as far as I can recall in the movie.

Lots of helicopter shots of the party as they walk. Indeed, very effective use of helicopter shots throughout. When not in danger, slow pans, when danger is near, faster flybys. Quite emotionally effective.

Saruman's crows discover the party and Saruman causes a long-range avalanche to close the mountain pass Gandalf chose. Down they go to enter the mountain via Mines of Moria. The octopus or squid in the lake makes a tentacled appearance (thanks for a hobbit's boredom--he tosses rocks in the lake) and is suitably shafted and hacked. I thought the dwarven doors (open to "Friend") closed behind them and sealed them in the mines. In the movie, the tentacles rip the doors off and a rockfall comes crashing down to seal the entrance. Again, I'll have to go back to the book.

Mines of Moria

In any case, Gimli's cousin is the owner, but he's long dead, killed off by orcs. They discover that from the skeletons of the fallen.

Ah, the orcs. So appropriately nasty, disfigured, and zombie-like for Hollywood. I had a slightly different picture, or a green demi-human that a thousand companies have created. These look more like something out of Dawn of the Dead. Perhaps it is because they can only come out at night. In any case, they shuffle, scuffle, and die in droves, but I get ahead of myself.

So far, the party has been ignored. They read the last words of the scribe who told of the orcs attacking and overwhelming them, especially the booming of drums. But again, the same damn bored hobbit touches a few things in the tomb room, one of which is armor held up by bones, which crumble to his touch. Down goes a helmet in a well, banging away on the sides--a real long fall! Then goes a big clanking chain and the rest of the body. They make the most horrendous noice. There is consternation in the room and as they turn to leave, a dull boom of a drum is heard. Then another and another.

This is a great scene and what follows is an even better one. The orcs attack and a desperate struggle ensues--including a cave troll. I didn't recall one, but Tibor assures me there is one in the book. The choreographed fight scene literally whizzes by (DVD enthusiasts are going to have a great time with stepping through this) and the action bounces back and forth. Well, a victory nonetheless (Mithril is a wonderful thing), but they must flee before more show up. A great fleeing occurs as they head towards the Bridge. And then they are surrounded by thousands of orcs.

Neat graphics within the mines, although why dwarves have no fear of heights (considering the apparently bottomless chasms that are all over the place) escapes me. Certainly bannisters are nowhere in evidence.

As for the orcs, they climb vertical surfaces like ants, and indeed, they appear out of every crack and crevice. This I found a bit much--looked like a scene from Planet of the Apes. I just don't recall them climbing up and down columns, across the vertical surfaces of beams, and behaving like they were a race of Spidermen. Back to the book, I guess.

In any case, the Balrog makes an appearance, and the orcs soon forget about the party in their haste to run away before the big bad demon gets there.

Pretty cool Balrog, with wings for you purists, but a strange hunchback of flame. The face is dark, and horns curl down the sides of the head and protrude like tusks. Overall, it is well done. A sword sprouts from its hand, but Gandalf blocks it on the bridge (a very narrow bridge of stone--like a stone arch, but very narrow, barely human shoulder width--3 feet?). Gandalf cracks the stone, the Balrog falls but the flame whip ensnares one of the wizard's legs. He holds for a second, and then says, "Fly, you fools," or something dramatic, and falls into a bottomless abyss.

The orcs shoot arrows, but the party escapes unharmed into the sublight.

Lothlorien

They head to Lothlorien where Galadriel entertains them, warns Frodo via words, and shows him the possible future in her birdbath. Nice transformation when she considers accepting the Ring offered by Frodo. Some muttering about passing a test. The scene mostly lost me.

Refreshed and rested, off the party go in boats. The "Vial of Light" is given on screen, but no mention of lembas or elven rope or even the elven cloaks. It goes somewhat quickly, though Aragorn and Boromir seem to be coming to an unsderstanding, as if they were getting rid of unwanted relations. It's almost as if they were saying "Write if you get work."

Paddle, paddle, paddle with helicopter shots while Saruman unleashes the Uruk-Hai orcs (who are bigger, uglier, and more formidable than regular orcs and can fight in the sunshine. Anyway, paddle, paddle, paddle, ugh-run-ugh-run-ugh-run, paddle, paddle, paddle. The two forces are coming closer together.

Boromir makes his famous grab for the Ring, Frodo runs invisible, Boromir realizes what he's done, everyone goes scampering looking for an invisible Frodo, who is found (visibly) by Aragorn, who tells him to run now that the Uruk-Hai are here. Another ferocious battle occurs and more wonderfully choreographed fight sequences. The only blip is Boromir's horn. You never see the thing the whole movie, and then, in this fight, the big white curled horn appears. And the heretofore wonderful sound effects fail--too quiet a horn. I mean, the Uruk-hai quaked in fear when the thing was blown in the book, but here, it was not even a pause. It was as if Boromir had a gassy meal (now, that's a potty joke).

Anyway, Boromir gets shafted to death after hacking many an Uruk-Hai, Pippin and Merry are grabbed, Frodo and Sam sneak off across the river, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli send Boromir on his river journey of "burial." Tibor believed that the book had all the orc weapons piled in the boat to show the valor of Boromir. Not done in the movie.

The movie ends with Aragorn leading a chase and saying, "Let's go hunt orcs!" (somewhat out of place in Middle Earth purity) and Frodo and Sam far away looking over the fetid marsh of the dead.

Purists Rejoice?

At the end of the movie, my comment was, "They didn't screw it up." No re-written endings, no out-of-place characters, no obvious mismatches. Great action, great feel to locations and characters, and inspirational movie-making. And that's why I give it a 9 or 10.

However, several things, as noted above, were ommitted or very much condensed. It is difficult to adapt such a long book to such a short format. If you make a movie too filled with detail, you risk boring the audience with overly long character development. If you make a movie with only action and special effects, you lose the soul of the author and what makes the books great to begin with. Certainly in this flick you don't get to know all the characters intimately, and you lose the thought processes within each character's head. Some aspects, and I'd argue important aspects, in character revealing and character development, are truncated.

My biggest disappointment, but not Tibor's, was the elimination of the Tom Bombadil adventure. I would have added 10 minutes to the flick and done the section with Old Man Willow, Tom, the Barrows, etc. It would also explain how the hobbits threw off Nazgul pursuit once across the ford.

You also lose the "stories around the campfire" that occur during a long journey--background to Middle Earth. Here, like the Perils of Pauline, the party gets tossed into one situation after another. No singing (well, Gandalf manages a few lines), either.

Do you see what I'm getting at? The reason why Lord of the Rings appeals to so many was an inner charm that surfaced during the respites from attacks. There is a danger that this movie becomes solely a visual exercise, not a cerebral one, in a string of scenes. Don't get me wrong--I loved the battle scenes and special effects scenes, but I have a longing to extend the comraderie scenes and let the characters interact more, to bring out the "Fellowship" that was central to the book.

And yet I still gave this a 9 out of 10. I don't mean to suggest that the characters never interact. They do, and that makes a very effective part of the movie. I guess I just want to see more of a good thing. And I hope the film editors keep that in mind for the next film--don't make it all action, give me a reason to care about the characters by making them human, or hobbit, or elf, or dwarf...er, ah, sorry...or orc, too. The book carries you quite a ways with folks like me who enjoyed it and re-read it over the years. Keep it in place and keep the soul of the characters intact.

Well, I'm ready to see the second one. And I hope it does not become like Star Wars, where subsequent sequels were successively dumbed down until you got Phantom Menace. And if I have a suggestion to the movie company...move up the releases to June 2002 and December 2002. Don't make me wait until December 2002 for the second movie and December 2003 for the third and final movie. Yep, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring is that good.