Reviewed by: Suad Bejtovic, Bosnian Movie Critic

Directed by: Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson, a longtime Tolkien fan, broke new cinematic ground by shooting all three movies simultaneously, one movie for each book. Even though he took a few things out from the first book (hard to believe with a 3-hour running time), the backbone of the story remains – a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins came unto the possession of a mysterious ring, about which he only knew that it makes him invisible, a trick that comes in handy at birthday parties. However, wise wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) learns of true nature of the ring – it is the one Ring forged in the firey pits of Mordor, the land of darkness, by Sauron, the evil Lord from the title. A long time ago, he was defeated, and his ring of power lost. But Sauron rises again and wants his jewelry back.

Gandalf talks the reluctant Bilbo into giving the ring to his nephew, Frodo. After the few initial chases and narrow escapes, Frodo will find temporary refuge in the elf city of Riverdale, where The Fellowship will be assembled – selected few who will go on a quest to destroy the ring. The bad news is that the only way to destroy the ring is to throw it back into the fire of Mordor itself.

Tolkien uses his "Hobbit" hero, Bilbo, to reflect the main storyline of the first book – the yearning for power. Jackson even expands on Tolkien’s vision of Bilbo in one surprising shot. As Frodo goes along through the movie as the new ring-bearer, he will inadvertently (sometimes less so) tempt other characters with the ring. Its power is undeniable, but it is also uncontrolable, and those who are determined and honest will pass the test. It is interesting to watch how different characters react to the offer, most of all the elf queen Galadriel, played subtly by Cate Blanchett.

The movie starts off a bit slowly, taking its time to introduce us to the easy living of the hobbits. However, once the threat of the Nazgul, nine powerful and terrifying servants of Sauron, comes around, the movie moves at break-neck pace, with one of the high points being the elf princess Arwen, played by a graceful Liv Tyler, carries wounded Frodo on a white horse across the meadow, chased by nine black riders. And if Nazgul is not confusing enough, when you throw in Orcs, Uruk-Hai, dwarves, elves, and humans, putting all the pieces together may become difficult for someone who hasn’t read the book. Don’t even try to get the genaology tree of Isildur, the human king who defeated Sauron 3000 years ago, or remember what is Moria and what is Mordor. It won’t be very clear why do dwarves have such a grudge against the elves, either. Tolkien developed those details much more than Jackson would ever been able (or had time) to show onscreen.

However, Jackson compensates with magnificent images. Middle Earth province Shire, where hobbits live, is your average meadows-and-forests landscape. But once Frodo and his buddies start going through more interesting places, that’s where you will open your mouth in awe. The locations they visit and creatures they meet are done with such precision and perverse care, and effects are breathtaking on average. While Tolkien’s prose invokes different images in each of its readers, I’m sure most will be more than satisfied with Jackson’s work. Although the tone of the movie is somewhat gloomy (the trilogy was written in WWII England) and occasionally genuinely frightening, there are still traces of hope and a lot of entertainment, usually provided by Frodo’s fellow-hobbits and not only wise, but also wise-cracking Gandalf.