Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring

Reviewed by Justin Colburn & Keayn Dunya

If you look at the history of fantasy films in American cinematography you'll think of such classics as Clash of the Titans, Legend, Willow and countless others. This movie blows all of them away. The Fellowship of the Ring will set the standard by which all fantasy films will be compared. Just as the Lord of the Rings series did to fantasy storytelling so many years ago. This was as close as you can stick to a book rendition and still captivate an audience with a movie.

Thousands of years ago, all the races created rings. Unknown to all the other races' rulers, The Dark Lord, Sauron, created the One Ring with which he could control all other rings. The Dark forces of Sauron clashed with the combined army of the other races. Through a twist of fate Sauron is defeated, yet by not destroying the One Ring a human king allows his dark legacy to live on. When Gandalf discovers the Ring in the possession of an old friend, Bilbo. Frodo (Elija Wood Oliver, Twist), Bilbo's nephew is entrusted to carry the ring to Mount Doom so that it may be destroyed. The Fellowship of the Ring is created to ensure that the ring, and through it Sauron, meet the destruction in the fires of it's creation. The Fellowship consists of Gandalf (Ian McKellen, X-Men), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) the Elf, Gimli (John Rhys-Davies, Raiders of the Lost Ark) the Dwarf, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen, G.I. Jane), Boromir (Sean Bean), Frodo and his three Hobbit friends Merry (Dominic Moanghan), Pippin (Billy Boyd) and Samwise (Sean Astin, Goonies). Their quest to destroy the One Ring is the only hope for the end of the Dark Lords reign.

There is no amount of praise that can do this movie justice. We could tell you about the special effects and the wardrobe, but in the end it doesn't really matter. You don't watch Fellowship of the Ring. You experience it! If you haven't seen it yet, fold up this paper, put it under your arm, get in your car, go to the theater, buy your ticket and experience the greatest fantasy film ever made. And when the movie's over, go out to the nearest bookstore and buy the boxed set of the Lord of the Rings. The only greater crime than not liking Fellowship of the Ring, is not seeing it.