"LORD OF THE RINGS" RULES THEM ALL (reviewed by OG)

The release of “Star Wars: Episode One” marked a dark period for thousands of Sci-Fi fans who’d been looking forward to a worthy addition to the Star Wars legacy. What resulted was a sacrilegious blow to what up to that point had been an untainted trilogy. It seemed that nothing was sacred anymore, and before you could say “Jar Jar Binks”, rumors of a Lord of the Rings adaptation began circulation, leading to international groans of cynicism. Just how badly were they going to screw this one up?

All of that changed, however, when it was announced that director Peter Jackson was helming the production, which would involve the continuous filming of all three LOTR installations during a year and a half period. Jackson, whose credits include the art-house “Heavenly Creatures” and the hilarious gore-fest “Dead Alive” seemed, for some reason, like the kind of guy who could pull it off.

As fate would have it, Mr. Jackson has not only pulled off a faithful adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien masterpiece…the man has given the world of Jedis and lightsabers a run for its money.

“The Fellowship of the Ring” is a mind-blowing fantasy feast that’s destined to delight and marvel those dedicated to the original literary works as well as those new to the world of hobbits, wizards, and cave trolls. The key to its success, however, lies not in the seamless special effects sequences (which are truly amazing), but in the heart and soul that the film comes armed to the teeth with.

The story revolves around an ancient ring that, after being taken from its evil forger (the Dark Lord Sauron), ends up in the hands of Frodo Baggins (played by a youthful and vibrant Elijah Wood), a kind-hearted hobbit whose mission it is to destroy the ring by traveling to its origins with a cadre of friends and protectors, all the while avoiding and battling Sauron’s dark allies and servants.

The wonderfully talented and adept cast includes Ian Holm (as Bilbo, Frodo’s predecessor), Ian McKellen (as wizard Gandalf the Grey), Liv Tyler (as Arwen, the elf princess), Christopher Lee (as evil Saruman), Vigo Mortensen (A perfect choice for Aragorn), Cate Blanchett (as Galadriel), Hugo Weaving (as Elrond), and Sean Bean (playing a flawed yet brave Boromir)

So what’s a hobbit…and just who the heck are all these characters, you ask (assuming, that is, that you’re not a fan of the books)? The essence of Jackson’s LOTR experience, splendidly enough, is finding that out for yourself. From the astounding opening battle sequence (unlike anything ever seen on screen) to the standoff between the demon Balrog and Gandalf the Grey, “The Fellowship of the Ring” delivers on every cinematic level. In terms of visceral visual experience, the film has raised the bar, but it has accompanied that feat with genuine emotional release, a feature completely void in the latest Star Wars installment.

The cast, of course, should be given full credit for this. McKellen was born to play both X-Men’s Magneto and LOTR’s Gandalf the Grey, giving the wizard a gentle vulnerability beyond that attributed to him in the book, and Wood is a perfect choice for hobbit hero Frodo. It’s veteran bad-guy Christopher Lee as Saruman the White, however, that turns in the most effective performance, fueling the role with a seething sense of evil while removing any possibility of camp. As for Jackson himself, you can tell the director loves his subject. He fills every moment of the 2 hour and 45 minute film with a detail and dedication that makes the time fly by.

In pouring himself into a project so lovingly, Jackson has managed to pull off the greatest feat of all: getting those who already know how the story ends worked up and salivating for more. Hope, it would appear, is not entirely lost.

(12.7.01)