In the first of the three planned film adaptations of the Tolkien trilogy, Kiwi director Jackson has not only stayed true to the spirit and complex fantastical logistics of the novels in his film, but also managed to create a breathtaking and beautiful work of art of his own. The Lord of the Rings works on at least a half-dozen different levels, from the casting to the score, and from the special effects and computer-generated imaging to Andrew Lesnie's cinematography, which manages to capture the inherent hugeness of the storyline while simultaneously focusing on the film's individual characters. Jackson has accomplished what many thought undoable: He's brought Tolkien's florid majesty to the screen intact. All this and Cate Blanchett, too. Wonders never cease.
D: Peter Jackson; with Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin.