Josh Keown | Night Terror Novels 🧛🏻♂️’s review published on Letterboxd:
“It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing.”
-Boromir (Sean Bean)
FOREWORD: The entirety of this past couple of months have been lost on me. I can’t actually believe it’s already several months into 2013. Between the aftermath of Christmas, two new little terrors at home and a short stint in hospital, January and February have well and truly flown by me and I’ve literally got nothing done. So yeah, I’m hoping that I can get on this site more and back into a regular thing. I’m going to finish The Lord of the Rings project I started eons ago and take it from there. And hopefully actually review my first official film of 2013. And Django Unchained. Just because. So yes, hello again, I’m sure there’s shedloads of great reviews on here that I’ve missed out on, but I’m getting back into the swing of things now.
I’ve had to mull over Jackson’s series for a while now, and I’m still not quite sure how to summarise my feelings for it. I’ve grown up with each entry, with my devoted parents taking us along to see each one at the cinema multiple times, creating many a fond memory. From a personal point of view, the LotR series will forever hold a place in my heart as one of my best loved franchises of all time, easily on par with classic movie trilogies such as Star Wars or Indiana Jones. From a critical point of view, does it stand under scrutiny, though? I would certainly say that it does, and is fully deserved of being labelled as a masterpiece of cinema.
As far as opening chapters go, The Fellowship must be one of the greatest ever made. Though an essential component, some spend far too long on exposition and set-up, so that interest quickly diminishes as the film goes on. Whilst ample time is spent on the establishing of character, setting and Tolkien’s backstory, it never becomes overbearing. The plot bustles along at an ample pace, never losing interest throughout its fairly hefty duration. Even in the build-up before Rivendell, at which point the quest truly begins, Fellowship never seems to drag as Jackson manages to juggle narrative development and awe-inspiring action set pieces perfectly. One could take issue with the cuts Jackson chose to make, but it would have been impractical to include the entire material. The one part I personally miss, however, are the Tom Bombadil sequences. The thing is, though, Jackson and his team of collaborative screenwriters manage to make the film version truly of Tolkien’s mythology, but stand-alone enough that even those with no experience of the novels themselves can find something to enjoy.
The casting decisions are perfect across the board. From Elijah as Frodo to Bean as Boromir and everyone in between, not one member of the cast feels out of place or underperforming. The amount of big name actors involved in the project from all across the globe is quite amazing, but each is given enough time to shine. Even smaller parts, such as those of Ian Holm or Hugo Weaving, are excellent. As for the main nine that comprise the fellowship, all offer fantastic takes on their roles. Christopher Lee also makes for a superb villain, but that really comes as no surprise. Perhaps the most marked highlight is Viggo Mortensen, a personal favourite of mine, who captures the rugged charm of Aragorn masterfully. It was an absolute blessing that the previous choice had to drop out at the last minute, really.
Real commendation has to be given to those that made The Lord of the Rings the sumptuous visual feast that it is though. Besides some remarkable cinematography from director of photography Andrew Lesnie, the art direction, set design and costumes are all incredibly well-done. Unlike some big-budget Hollywood blockbusters, the special effects (which still hold up over ten years later) seem to serve the plot rather than overshadowing it. The world of Middle-Earth is brought together in such a way as so few films ever achieve. It feels real, whilst at the same time maintaining the fantastical atmosphere Tolkien created. It is a world so vibrant and believable, yet at the same time one where anything is possible. A world that is, inarguably, magical. Oh, and Howard Shore’s score can never be labelled as anything short of magnificent, as he weaves on of the most memorable soundtracks of all time.
It’s not just one element that makes the film so fantastic, either. Everything, and I do honestly mean everything, is handled and executed to the very highest degree. Anyone who has even picked up a copy of Tolkien’s original books will know what a wonderful series of novels they actually are, but will also see just how meticulously and accurately Jackson recreated the magical realm from it. The Lord of the Rings also succeeds because it is not just a film about monsters and magic. It’s a film about humanity itself; about power, friendship, love and hope. If ever a film was deserved of being titled a ‘masterpiece’, then this, in my eyes, is surely it. The Lord of the Rings has been responsible for many a fond memory; it is the epitome of my childhood, and is a staple of my ever-growing love for cinema.
VERDICT; Jackson took on a monumental task by even attempting to film Tolkien’s “unfilmable” series of novels, and yet arguably pulled off the impossible to perfection. In my eyes, at least, this is the beginning of the quintessential fantasy film by which all others should be judged, a beautiful visualisation of one of the most magical and immortal series of books ever scripted.
5/5 or 10/10