Viewed in
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011
Formats
Movie theater (theatrical), DVD (theatrical & extended), HDTV (extended)
Premise
Based on the first third of the trilogy novel.
Liked
Visual effects, casting.
Thoughts
My favorite part was Gandalf. Sir Ian McKellan got screwed at the awards for his humorous and human portrayal of the wizard. But everyone was excellent was excellently cast. Viggo Mortensen and Christopher Lee also shined as Aragorn and Saruman, respectively.
While the computer graphics are starting to become outdated already, overall the visuals were impressive. The sets were gorgeous and meticulously detailed. The tricks used to sell the height differences between hobbits and others were fun. I also enjoyed the flying camera shots into the caverns of Isengard.
Of the trilogy, this was the most fun, since it had more of the lighter moments to contrast with the ominous pressure of the story. It was also a bit repetitive with the constant running from ringwraiths, resting, then running again.
