Review
I think it is important to remember that Peter Jackson took up this film not in order just to make a film of The Lord of the Rings but because he wanted to make a fantasy just like the The Lord of the Rings" as he himself put it. After repeating that phrase on a number of occasions the question popped into his mind "Well why not the The Lord of the Rings itself". In doing this he of course set himself an enormous challenge he had to make a really good fantasy film one which would stand on its own and be true to what he had originally wanted to do but he would also and here the task he had set himself was enormous be true to the original book and to make a film which the legions of people who have loved this book would feel happy with. In the latter task he was certainly not helped by the author or the book Tolkein it would seem hated cinema. The book itself is HUGE this was not going to be the kind of task that the James Ivory team set themselves or Scorsese nor the kind of task facing Branagh with Hamlet nor was it going to be like the puny task that faced Columbus with Harry Potter who had the bigger budget ($130 million for one film as compared with Peter Jackson with $300m for three).
I have just seen the first volume and can say without hesitation that he has succeeded in both his goals. It is not the book but a reading of the book which is inventive and fascinating. It is the kind of experience that makes you want to go back and reread the whole thing in the light of the emphases that Jackson has brought to the story. He focuses on the corrupting influence of the ring and through this focus the character of the chief protagonists of the story are revealed. Clearly those most tempted by it are mortal men (Boromir and even in one moment Aragorn) those who already have power (Elrond The ring cannot stay here Galadriel Gandalf and Saruman) and of course those who would not normally desire it but who by accident become ring bearers Gollum Bilbo Frodo. I can see why in this reading Jackson decided to leave out the Bombadil episode. Bombadil like the Balrog is beyond the ring but the latter is important to the unfolding of the story of the fates of all the characters Bombadil isnt.
It is a miracle of this reading of the first volume of the book that one can see where Jackson is going and one can get a feel of how the reading is going to unfold. In a sense Jacksons real trial as far as those who know the books are concerned will come with the second film in the series. He has lived up to our expectation by creating even bigger ones how can he handle the story of the chase andrescue of Merry and Pippin the storming of Isengard etc stories which dont really add much to the core theme that is emerging. Or is he now going to add the theme of the great contest of good versus evil to the unfolding reading
All of this points to the fact that the film even though it is a feast of special effects focuses on character. And this also explains why Jackson chose the actors he did for their roles they are not big names no Sean Connery no Alan Rickman no Brad Pitt no Sam Neilletc. He didnt want them getting in the way of the story of character. Ian McKellans talents in particular are used to tell a large proportion of the story an enormous amount is conveyed simply through his facial expressions and even by the language of his body. The other miracle in all of this is Elijah Wood. Like many others when I first heard of Jacksons choice I groaned but Wood has been extraordinary. He brings as one friend said a strange kind of androgyny to the role and this is just perfect. McKellan has already been knighted give Wood the Oscar.
And then there is Middle Earth this is as someone put it another character in the story and the New Zealand landscape digitally enhanced on occasion lives up to its role too.
Enough. See this film! Greatest film ever made How can one make a claim like that! Silly really as silly as claiming that The Lord of the Rings is the greatest book ever written. Cant one simply love a story enjoy reading it a number of times amd lose oneself in it. One CAN claim that it is the greatest work in its genre as is the film.
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