Rewrite - Hadn't read books - but loved it! (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (DVD))

Member Name: louise1971

Product:	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (DVD)
Date:	11/03/02 (93 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic plot, Brilliant scenery, Fab acting

Disadvantages: None

I had never read the trilogy, and can honestly say, I never wanted to read the books (and probably still don't).
However, my fiance has read and reread them, and could not wait until this came to the cinema - although he was a bit apprehensive as to how well it would adapt to the big screen.
I went along to the cinema, expecting to need to leave half way through the epic for a nicotine fix, but how wrong I was. It was fantastic - I cannot fault any of the acting, and I was engrossed from start to finish. The special effects and make-up effects are fantastic - these monsters (such as the horrible Orcs) are real, and certainly are not forgotten once you leave the cinema. This is most definitely money well spent (both in the $300 and odd million it cost to make the movie, and the fiver it cost me to get in to the cinema).
There are not too many words to describe how good this film is. How often have you gone to the cinema and actually felt you were part of the character's (now your friends) emotional and physical journeys.
The plot is essentially straight-forward - the action takes place in Middle Earth, many moons ago. One ring has been forged by an evil lord, Sauron, to control the people of Middle Earth. This ring enraptures anyone who has it in their possession, including Bilbo (a Hobbit), who discovered the ring, but didn't know of it's powers. Bilbo wants to leave The Shire to write a book (may be famous one day!), and leaves the ring to his nephew, Frodo (Elijah Woods). Luckily, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) the wizard knows the power the ring has. Frodo must make his escape from The Shire, pursued in dramatic and scary style by Ring Wraths, who are servants of Sauron. He, Sam, Pippin and Merry (3 other Hobbits) eventually arrive in Rivendale, home of Elrond. Here it is decided by a committee on the side of good that the ring must be taken to the one place it can be destroyed - the place where it was forged by the evil of Sa
uron - Mordor (even the name is scary when said by Ian McKellen and co!). The fellowship is borne - a dwarf, elf, wizard, 2 humans and 4 hobbits must take the ring to Mordor.
My favourite bit? Impossible to say - could be the horse chase with Arwen(Liv Tyler) who must escape from the Ring Wraths, and attempt to save the life of Frodo. That did have me on the edge of my seat.
You must see this film to decide for yourself.
Finally, I can be a bit of a lightweight, but some of the effects did scare me. I wouldn't take a 9 year old to see the film!

Summary: