Written by: Kevin Berge
I think Frodo got the wrong memo when taking his picture. They wanted angry face, Frodo! (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
Quick Take: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a faithful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's first book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. With strong performances, engrossing visual design, and an action packed classic fantasy story, the film is essential modern cinema viewing that will engage any kind of audience member if they can stand the length.
I was in the second grade when I was given The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien as a present for Christmas. It was a beautiful, large hardcover edition with wide text and illustrations. I spent the next week of my winter break reading the book cover to cover, and, when I got to the last page, I flipped back to the first and started over.
There are only a few books I consider truly integral to my love of literature. The Hobbit is the number one book on that list. This book was my introduction to fantasy, and I have been hooked ever since. I couldn't get enough of what I'd consider the greatest hero's quest ever put on paper.
In the fourth grade, we began doing book reports on books we had never read, and I decided it was finally time to take the next step. It was time to read the 398 page, densely written Tolkien epic, The Fellowship of the Ring. I had no idea what I was getting into (they didn't even have the book in our elementary school library as it was considered too advanced), but I borrowed my father's brand new edition of the trilogy.
I can't say for sure I followed the whole experience of the 1008 page Lord of the Rings trilogy the first time through, but I do know I fell in love with the story all the same. Luckily for me, I was enamored just in time to start watching the films which are to this day three of my favorite films I've ever watched start to finish.
I was in the second grade when I was given The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien as a present for Christmas. It was a beautiful, large hardcover edition with wide text and illustrations. I spent the next week of my winter break reading the book cover to cover, and, when I got to the last page, I flipped back to the first and started over.
There are only a few books I consider truly integral to my love of literature. The Hobbit is the number one book on that list. This book was my introduction to fantasy, and I have been hooked ever since. I couldn't get enough of what I'd consider the greatest hero's quest ever put on paper.
In the fourth grade, we began doing book reports on books we had never read, and I decided it was finally time to take the next step. It was time to read the 398 page, densely written Tolkien epic, The Fellowship of the Ring. I had no idea what I was getting into (they didn't even have the book in our elementary school library as it was considered too advanced), but I borrowed my father's brand new edition of the trilogy.
I can't say for sure I followed the whole experience of the 1008 page Lord of the Rings trilogy the first time through, but I do know I fell in love with the story all the same. Luckily for me, I was enamored just in time to start watching the films which are to this day three of my favorite films I've ever watched start to finish.
Pretty sure this cover started my obsession with dragons as a kid. I even found an old drawing of a dragon climbing a mountain that I left in the front cover. No, I will not show that drawing to anyone. (Image Courtesy of: bookwanderer.wordpress.com)
***Everything from here will be written with the understand that the reader has watched the entirety of this film which includes the scenes in the Extended Edition. If you have not watched this film from beginning to end as the Extended Cut, you really should give it a watch before reading ahead.***
Fellowship is probably my least favorite of the trilogy, but I've still watched it more than 95% of other films. This is the opening of the hero's quest, the call to action for the unlikely hero, who begins as a rather ordinary if adventurous character. That means the film itself begins slowly and does not fully kick into high gear.
Tolkien published The Hobbit in 1937, having been written years before for his children. He then was prompted by readers to write the sequel, and he wrote The Lord of the Rings as one 1008 page novel broken up into six sections which he called books over the next 17 years. His publisher though convinced him to break it up to be published as three separate books.
I bring this up because Fellowship should be viewed under this light. It is only the first two sections of a giant fantasy epic. It has a lot of exposition and build up and very little payoff. The opening half of the film is largely explanations of the grand world and the stakes in the balance.
Of course that doesn't means there's no action. The movie begins like a horror movie. The protagonist Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and his friends Samwise "Sam" Gamgee (Sean Astin), Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), and Peregrin "Pippin" Took (Billy Boyd) all are sent running from Ring Wraiths that they cannot hope to fight, and Frodo nearly dies before the story can begin, saved by elvish medicine.
The second half kicks it up further with mad dashes away from The Watcher in the Water (an octopus-like creature), sword and bow fights with overwhelming numbers of goblins and an ugly cave troll that again nearly kills Frodo, and even an ultimate battle of the whole Fellowship against the whole of the Uruk-hai.
Still, there is a bit too much expository dialogue including an opening that explains much of the world's backstory that is largely left for the reader to discover in the books. The whimsical nature of the opening act though is one of the best quiet moments in the entire series with nothing feeling quite too serious and a sense of the world given that there is more to life than the adventures soon to come.
Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) is a kind, quiet voice to introduce the audience to the real central characters with the support of a kind-hearted, humorous wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) who provides much of this film's early humor and later its dramatic weight.
For those wondering why I'm reviewing the Extended Edition rather than the theatrical release, it's because the Lord of the Rings films are actually made better by being longer. The books are so dense with material that it can be hard to get through it all, and Peter Jackson adapts everything to film so well.
This is not as clear with Fellowship which is the slowest film of the three by a wide margin, but every newer scene is well done and gives a bit more breadth to the world without adding to the slow pace.
Fellowship is probably my least favorite of the trilogy, but I've still watched it more than 95% of other films. This is the opening of the hero's quest, the call to action for the unlikely hero, who begins as a rather ordinary if adventurous character. That means the film itself begins slowly and does not fully kick into high gear.
Tolkien published The Hobbit in 1937, having been written years before for his children. He then was prompted by readers to write the sequel, and he wrote The Lord of the Rings as one 1008 page novel broken up into six sections which he called books over the next 17 years. His publisher though convinced him to break it up to be published as three separate books.
I bring this up because Fellowship should be viewed under this light. It is only the first two sections of a giant fantasy epic. It has a lot of exposition and build up and very little payoff. The opening half of the film is largely explanations of the grand world and the stakes in the balance.
Of course that doesn't means there's no action. The movie begins like a horror movie. The protagonist Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and his friends Samwise "Sam" Gamgee (Sean Astin), Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), and Peregrin "Pippin" Took (Billy Boyd) all are sent running from Ring Wraiths that they cannot hope to fight, and Frodo nearly dies before the story can begin, saved by elvish medicine.
The second half kicks it up further with mad dashes away from The Watcher in the Water (an octopus-like creature), sword and bow fights with overwhelming numbers of goblins and an ugly cave troll that again nearly kills Frodo, and even an ultimate battle of the whole Fellowship against the whole of the Uruk-hai.
Still, there is a bit too much expository dialogue including an opening that explains much of the world's backstory that is largely left for the reader to discover in the books. The whimsical nature of the opening act though is one of the best quiet moments in the entire series with nothing feeling quite too serious and a sense of the world given that there is more to life than the adventures soon to come.
Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) is a kind, quiet voice to introduce the audience to the real central characters with the support of a kind-hearted, humorous wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) who provides much of this film's early humor and later its dramatic weight.
For those wondering why I'm reviewing the Extended Edition rather than the theatrical release, it's because the Lord of the Rings films are actually made better by being longer. The books are so dense with material that it can be hard to get through it all, and Peter Jackson adapts everything to film so well.
This is not as clear with Fellowship which is the slowest film of the three by a wide margin, but every newer scene is well done and gives a bit more breadth to the world without adding to the slow pace.
And here began the grandest meme of all, Sean Bean's inability to live to the end of any film or TV series. (Image Courtesy of: www.ign.com)
Fellowship kicks into gear around the time that Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is first introduced to the audience, and the intro is about as old school fantasy as you can get. Named only as the dangerous Ranger known as Strider, his presence threatens Frodo only to quickly turn out to be one of his greatest possible friends, an indomitable fighter with a quiet nature.
From there, the film continues to introduce character after character with many left to gain development in the remaining two films. Along with the comedic relief of Merry and Pippin (who is unfortunately written too one note as the reason things go wrong in the first film), the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) are almost completely one note in this film.
That is by design though to give more space to the characters who need to be developed before major events. Probably the character that means the most to Fellowship's individual plot, Boromir (Sean Bean) provides the greatest sense of the real world conflict going on beyond the foundations of the quest to destroy the ring of power.
His Gondorian pride shows the folly and strength of men in this world with a story arc that ultimately brings strength to those around him when Boromir admits to his own greed for power and sacrifices himself to bring strength to the remaining members of the Fellowship. His sacrifice in particular finally gives Aragorn a sense of pride for the world of men he must choose to eventually rule.
Gandalf also is a significant part of the early plot in this story, showing a quiet power that erupts only when necessary. His power is so mysterious that it's never quite clear even in the end of the trilogy how powerful he truly is. Here though, he is the guiding light of the Fellowship and dies in one of the film's most memorable moments, falling to his death in the wake of a war with a fire-born creature called a Balrog.
Basically, the film only has time despite its three hour plus length to develop the characters who die beyond the rest's slow growth through the plot. The second film The Two Towers though makes up for this in spades as almost that entire film is character development for every member of the Fellowship as well as some new characters.
From there, the film continues to introduce character after character with many left to gain development in the remaining two films. Along with the comedic relief of Merry and Pippin (who is unfortunately written too one note as the reason things go wrong in the first film), the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) are almost completely one note in this film.
That is by design though to give more space to the characters who need to be developed before major events. Probably the character that means the most to Fellowship's individual plot, Boromir (Sean Bean) provides the greatest sense of the real world conflict going on beyond the foundations of the quest to destroy the ring of power.
His Gondorian pride shows the folly and strength of men in this world with a story arc that ultimately brings strength to those around him when Boromir admits to his own greed for power and sacrifices himself to bring strength to the remaining members of the Fellowship. His sacrifice in particular finally gives Aragorn a sense of pride for the world of men he must choose to eventually rule.
Gandalf also is a significant part of the early plot in this story, showing a quiet power that erupts only when necessary. His power is so mysterious that it's never quite clear even in the end of the trilogy how powerful he truly is. Here though, he is the guiding light of the Fellowship and dies in one of the film's most memorable moments, falling to his death in the wake of a war with a fire-born creature called a Balrog.
Basically, the film only has time despite its three hour plus length to develop the characters who die beyond the rest's slow growth through the plot. The second film The Two Towers though makes up for this in spades as almost that entire film is character development for every member of the Fellowship as well as some new characters.
I couldn't find a single photo from the film that captured this scene properly, so I chose this instead. No regrets. (Image Courtesy of: paper4pc.com)
Comparing a book and a movie can be perilous waters given how much more space the book has to tell its story, but Fellowship is almost unbelievably faithful to its source material. In fact, it may be better, speeding up certain scenes including the memorable Council of Elrond scene which was much less eventful in the book.
The story of the film is front and center and, while it is slow going, has a complete arc with enough action and development to more than make for a complete experience. Add to this the fact that the film is so impressively gritty in its creation that you can get sucked into the world of Middle Earth and feel how alive it is.
The action set pieces for this film are mixed, not helped by the first being Gandalf's fight with Saruman (Christopher Lee) which is almost comical on repeated viewings. The final fight between the Fellowship and the Uruk-hai in Parth Galen though is physical and intense in all the right ways.
This is largely an ensemble film where Elijah Wood as Frodo is the closest to the lead star, but everyone is at least solid in their roles. Wood, Ian McKellen, and the one film Sean Bean all stand out for their performances as the most central characters of the first film.
The rest of the cast like their characters were waiting for more to be given to them. No one feels out of place except Liv Tyler as Arwen, Aragorn's elven love interest, who, with her wooden line delivery and almost blank facial expressions, seemed to have only been cast because of her looks.
I also need to gives special recognition to composer Howard Shore whose scores for each of the Lord of the Rings films are iconic. Many of the themes he wrote for Fellowship would end up reappearing in the later films. If I were to pick out one song, Concerning Hobbits is the film's definitive song, capturing the early whimsy. Regarding the whole soundtrack, Enya's May It Be is also a fantastic piece.
Ultimately, this film is a set up, but it's exposition with many memorable action scenes and characters that go through an emotional arc that stands on its own despite capturing only one third of the series' complete story.
Everything is set up so well that it is difficult not to immediately throw in The Two Towers after finishing the first film to continue the story and keep watching all these characters evolve through their experiences.
The story of the film is front and center and, while it is slow going, has a complete arc with enough action and development to more than make for a complete experience. Add to this the fact that the film is so impressively gritty in its creation that you can get sucked into the world of Middle Earth and feel how alive it is.
The action set pieces for this film are mixed, not helped by the first being Gandalf's fight with Saruman (Christopher Lee) which is almost comical on repeated viewings. The final fight between the Fellowship and the Uruk-hai in Parth Galen though is physical and intense in all the right ways.
This is largely an ensemble film where Elijah Wood as Frodo is the closest to the lead star, but everyone is at least solid in their roles. Wood, Ian McKellen, and the one film Sean Bean all stand out for their performances as the most central characters of the first film.
The rest of the cast like their characters were waiting for more to be given to them. No one feels out of place except Liv Tyler as Arwen, Aragorn's elven love interest, who, with her wooden line delivery and almost blank facial expressions, seemed to have only been cast because of her looks.
I also need to gives special recognition to composer Howard Shore whose scores for each of the Lord of the Rings films are iconic. Many of the themes he wrote for Fellowship would end up reappearing in the later films. If I were to pick out one song, Concerning Hobbits is the film's definitive song, capturing the early whimsy. Regarding the whole soundtrack, Enya's May It Be is also a fantastic piece.
Ultimately, this film is a set up, but it's exposition with many memorable action scenes and characters that go through an emotional arc that stands on its own despite capturing only one third of the series' complete story.
Everything is set up so well that it is difficult not to immediately throw in The Two Towers after finishing the first film to continue the story and keep watching all these characters evolve through their experiences.
Final verdict:
Three Defining Success
Three Defining Success
- An engaging, uncompromising story that was translated perfectly to the screen.
- The realistic effects that brought a grittiness to this fantasy world that made it amazing to watch and feel real enough to invest in.
- A score of quality acting performances especially from Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, and Sean Bean.
- An opening half of expository dialogue that becomes grating even if it is necessary for the second half and remaining two films to move quickly.
- After completing this trilogy, Peter Jackson had free reign to do anything he wanted, and he chose to adapt The Hobbit into a feature length... sorry, three feature length films. Somehow he managed to turn a fast paced 289 page book into three movies with many bloated extra stories and far too much CGI. It didn't even feel like the two trilogies were created by the same man.