Perhaps the biggest triumph of this movie is that it even exists at all. Tolkien’s behemoth novels were so sweeping and ambitious, many readers swore they could never be filmed. The special effects would be too intensive and expensive, and the books’ fractured storytelling would make any traditional three-act movie feel rushed and incoherent. That means the three tomes would be a package deal, requiring three films at three times the cost. Despite selling millions of copes and invigorating the fantasy genre, The Lord of the Rings seemed unlikely for a live action adaptation.
Here then, is The Fellowship of the Ring, in all its miraculous splendor. Executives at New Line Cinema had the audacity and foresight to bankroll all three adaptations and allow director Peter Jackson the freedom to film them all at once. Jackson (who co-writes with wife Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens) gets the luxury of an entire movie to sprawl Tolkien’s world in front of us. By nature, Fellowship is an expository endeavor, but it never feels lumpy or perfunctory. Jackson and company set up the trilogy’s central conflict (and its diverse players) in a way that’s not only coherent, but exciting. Fellowship isn’t just world-building, but a near-masterpiece on its own merit.
The story begins with an epic prologue. Thousands of years before the trilogy, Rings of Power are divvied to the races of Middle Earth. Men, Dwarves, and Elves each become caretakers of the sacred rings. “But they were, all of them, deceived,” Cate Blanchett’s opening narration intones. The Dark Lord Sauron, Tolkien’s incarnation of pure evil, forged a secret ring to gain dominion over all kingdoms. In the ensuing battle, Sauron is defeated, and the One Ring vanishes into oblivion.
In the remainder of the film’s opening act, the One Ring passes to Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), a good-natured hobbit of The Shire. To destroy the Ring and eradicate Sauron once and for all, Frodo is tasked with carrying it to the barren moonscape of Mordor and chucking it into the churning volcano of Mt. Doom. For this task, Frodo gets teamed with eight companions– the titular Fellowship of the Ring.
The Fellowship is headed by Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), a noble and wizened wizard. Men are represented by Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), redoubtable heir to the throne, and Boromir (Sean Bean), the insecure Captain of Gondor. For the Dwarves, we meet sturdy, stout-hearted Gimli (John Rhys-Davies). Finally, three Hobbits join the quest: Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are loveable, naive, and incompetent, and thus providing the film with much of its comic relief. Most importantly, there’s Samwise (Sean Astin), Frodo’s bestie and conscience.
This party encounters many eye-popping sights along their journey. They embark from the beautiful Elven city of Rivendale, and descend through the musty Dwarven dungeons of Moria. Meanwhile, Gandalf battles with his old mentor Saruman (Christopher Lee) at the corrupted fortress of Isengard. The Fellowship also meets Galadriel (Blanchett), a powerful Elven queen who lives deep in a mystical forest. Finally, we see Arwen (Liv Tyler), the Elven warrior who is also Aragorn’s main squeeze.
Though it is part of a larger story, Fellowship also features its own look and feel. This film is brighter and bouncier than its sequels, and that happier energy flows through the story. It’s also the slowest Rings entry, as much of the first half gets devoted to necessary exposition. Amazingly, Jackson and company achieve this introduction without making it a fatal slog. Even though Fellowship spends so long setting up both story and tone, it keeps interest for three hours.
With every watch, I’m amazed at Jackson’s eagle eye for casting. As Gandalf, McKellen brings a grandfatherly twinkle and deadly serious edge. He’s every bit the badass fans would expect. That goes ditto for Mortensen’s future king, an irresistible blend of humble decency and smoldering gravitas. Wood and Astin provide these films with their emotional center and most likable figures. We ache for Sam and Frodo as their childlike innocence is tested by the smothering pressure of evil. That villainy is perfectly represented by Lee, whose Saruman is an unholy combination of cunning and arrogance. From top to bottom, Jackson couldn’t have picked better actors.
Equally impressive is Jackson’s rendering of Middle Earth itself. Everything from Hobbiton to Mordor looks note-perfect. Jackson’s native New Zealand, with its topography of lush fields, rolling hills, and snowy peaks, makes a gorgeous stand-in for Tolkien’s creation. Jackson supplements these vistas with a seamless blend of CGI and miniatures, making Middle Earth seem both familiar and otherworldly. Also of note are Howard Shore’s lavish, melodic score and Andrew Lesnie’s Oscar-winning cinematography, which makes use both vibrant colors and dense shadows.
If Fellowship has even a tiny flaw, it’s the unavoidable debit of first chapters. For all its wonder, this story sets up emotional payoffs that will arrive in later movies. (This was even more pronounced in the theatrical release, when an entire year spanned between each installment.) This is a great film, but we also know that bigger and bolder things are yet to come.
Still, for a story that was long labeled as beyond the reach of cinema, The Fellowship of the Ring kicks off a three-part miracle. Jackson and his team have given us a trilogy for the ages, one that can both please diehards and covert noobs. All three of these films are a must-watch for any serious movie fan.
178 min. PG-13. MAX.
