The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Director: Peter Jackson
Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom
Runtime: 228 minutes (Extended Edition)

Synopsis: A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.

Verdict: I was introduced to the Lord of the Rings trilogy when I was in high school, about 10 years ago. Being one of the most popular franchises in cinematic history, I had to see for myself what all the fuss was about. So I put on the theatrical cut of “The Fellowship of the Ring” and vividly remember that I had to watch it in parts because I kept pausing it as I just couldn’t properly get into it. I felt detached from the journey to Mordor, disconnected from the massive lore that came with the Middle Earth universe. A few years later, I gave the books a shot, hoping that I’d get more out of them as I truly did want to familiarize myself with the world created by J.R.R Tolkien. Alas, I had to abandon my plan halfway through the first novel because, once again, I wasn’t able to transport myself to the Shire. I stayed away from the franchise ever since, only to recently decide to give the extended editions a shot since the general public seems to agree that they’re more rewarding than the theatrical cuts.

Revisiting “The Fellowship of the Ring” over a decade later made me have a newfound respect for the technical aspects of the film. Peter Jackson does a phenomenal job building the rich universe inhabited by hobbits, men, wizards, elves, dwarves, and other fantastical creatures. Even though the CGI does feel a bit dated, the practical effects featured are timeless, especially in the scenes involving the use of false perspectives to highlight the differences in height between the protagonists. Howard Shore’s score is sublime, perfectly reflecting the scale and fantastical elements of the narrative. All in all, there’s absolutely no denying that it’s a masterclass in technical achievements.

But once again, I was never able to emotionally attach myself to the quest despite loving what it stood for. And what’s most annoying in situations like these is the fact that minor issues in the narrative such as small conveniences or deus ex machina moments become more noticeable. It was a rather frustrating experience because I loved Frodo and his colorful friends but never felt invited to join the fellowship. It was as if I was invited to participate in a sports match only to sit on the bench for the entirety of the game.

By the end of the 4-hour long runtime (including 30 minutes of end credits), I felt exhausted more than anything else. It’s unfortunately yet another case of me respecting a movie more than actually loving it despite really, really wanting to.

FINAL GRADE: 6/10