Back in my day, we had to wait for a movie to come out on VHS before we could watch it at home. Now these young punks get to watch movies from their phones while they’re sitting on the toilet. And they get to choose a “special edition” with all the stuff the director was smart enough to cut out in the first place. You know the kind of stuff: scenes that add 15 extra minutes of people walking, and boring conversations that have nothing to do with the plot.
And they expect me to review this “extended edition” of a movie that came out over 20 years ago. I’ll admit, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was good the first time, but a good movie is like a good steak; you don’t need a whole plate of it to know it’s good. But I guess these kids don’t know that, with their avocado toast and their “dabbing.” So here I go again, watching a movie that’s longer than a commercial flight to get a bigger picture of a story I already understood the first time.
Review by Ben Dover
What’s a hobbit, you ask? A hobbit is a little short guy with hairy feet who likes to eat. That’s the one thing I can get behind in this whole movie. I mean, they’re practically my spirit animal. I swear, the first half-hour of this thing is just hobbits eating, drinking, and smoking a pipe. It’s a peaceful little town called the Shire, which is probably named after the fact that all they do is eat and get fat. The main character, some kid named Frodo, inherits a ring from his crazy old uncle Bilbo, and then his friend, Gandalf the Grey, tells him it’s a piece of junk that’s gonna take over the world. So, of course, Frodo has to go on an adventure to get rid of it.
Now, this is where the movie gets a little too long for my taste. Frodo and his buddies, who are all also hobbits, have to walk. And walk. And walk. All the walking, and they don’t even get in shape. They just keep getting dirtier. But then they run into this long-haired guy named Aragorn, who’s a ranger, which I guess is what they call a vagabond with a fancy sword in this world. This guy is the real deal. He’s a true man of action, but they keep making him sing these stupid elf songs. What’s with all the singing? I didn’t pay to watch a musical.
Then they all meet up with some other dudes who are supposed to be the “Fellowship of the Ring.” There’s some elf pretty boy named Legolas, a dwarf who I actually like named Gimli, and a couple of other guys. The whole lot of them are on this quest to throw the ring into a volcano. It’s a simple premise, which I appreciate. The problem is they keep running into trouble. First, they get stuck in a snowstorm, which could have been avoided if they just wore some coats. Then they have to walk through this dark mine where everything is dead. They meet a big fiery demon, and Gandalf falls off a bridge. It’s a good scene, but I was secretly hoping the fire demon would get all of them. Then I could go home and have a sandwich.
Now, this “extended edition” has some extra scenes, which you think would make things better, but they don’t. We get a little more of a hobbit trying to get a woman at a pub, and some other boring parts that were rightfully cut from the original. Oh, and they add some extra moments of the hobbits talking about how much they trust this Aragorn fella. Like I care. I’m just here for the action. There’s a decent fight at the end with some monster-looking things called Uruk-hai, and the guy who tries to steal the ring gets shot with like a hundred arrows. It was glorious. Frodo and his little sidekick Sam go on their own, and the other guys go their separate ways. It’s a good ending, I guess, but I could have sworn there was a whole other movie after this, so I guess the story isn’t over. Great.
Rating
★★★★☆ (4/5 Stars)
The extra walking in the extended edition knocked it down a star watch the original, it’s actually a better movie the way Peter Jackson intended.
Ben Dover’s Breakdown of the Extended Edition
I’ve already wasted enough of my precious time on this movie, but since you kids can’t seem to get enough of it, you want me to list all the little changes between the theatrical version and the “extended” version. It’s like asking me to list the differences between a normal hot dog and a “jumbo” hot dog—it’s the same thing, just a little bit bigger and a lot more to sit through. But here you go. Don’t say I never gave you anything.
The extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring is about 30 minutes longer than the theatrical version. What do you get for those 30 extra minutes? Mostly, more talking and more walking. It’s like they took all the scenes that the director, Peter Jackson, was smart enough to cut in the first place and then decided to put them back in for all the super-fans.
Here’s the rundown of some of the key differences:
- More of the Shire: The movie starts with a longer scene of Bilbo writing his book and talking about hobbits, their love of food, and their general laziness. I thought we already got the point, but I guess not.
- A Touching Moment: There’s a little scene where Frodo and Bilbo have a more emotional farewell. It’s supposed to make you feel something, but I was just waiting for the hobbit to get out of the house already.
- More Gandalf: There are a couple of extra scenes where Gandalf talks to Frodo about the ring. It’s a lot of exposition and a lot of talking. It felt like a history class I didn’t want to be in.
- The Council of Elrond: This scene is already long, but in the extended edition, it’s even longer. You get more of the characters arguing and some extra shots of Gandalf talking about how dangerous the ring is.
- Aragorn’s Singing: Yes, you get to hear Viggo Mortensen sing. He sings a song in Elvish. He’s a good actor, but that doesn’t mean he should be a singer. It was a strange little scene that was probably best left out.
- More Walking in Moria: The Fellowship spends more time talking about the history of the mines and how the dwarves dug too greedily. It doesn’t add much, other than making the journey feel even longer.
- Galadriel’s Gifts: In the theatrical version, we only see Frodo get a gift from the Elven queen. In the extended version, all the members of the Fellowship get a gift, like cloaks and Elvish rope. I thought it was a nice touch, but who cares what a bunch of dwarves and elves get for Christmas?
- Gollum: There’s a quick shot of Gollum following the Fellowship in the river as they leave Lothlórien. It’s a little hint that he’s still around and is a pretty good little easter egg for those of you who read the books.
- Boromir’s Betrayal: The scene where Boromir tries to take the ring from Frodo is a little longer, with more dialogue to show his internal struggle.
- More Orcs: There are a few more shots of the Uruk-hai, the big monsters that attack the Fellowship at the end. It’s a decent addition, I guess, since that’s the only part of the movie that’s really worth watching.
Starring
- Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins: A little hobbit with big feet who has to carry a terrible ring. This kid has the kind of blue eyes that make you feel like he’s staring into your soul, which is kind of creepy.
- Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey: A wizard with a staff and a big beard. He gets to ride a cool horse and throw lightning around. He’s the only one of the bunch who seems to know what he’s doing.
- Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn: A scruffy-looking guy who is secretly a king. He’s a good fighter, but his singing is terrible.
- Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee: The loyal sidekick. He’s a good guy, I guess, but he’s a little too emotional for my taste.
- Orlando Bloom as Legolas: An elf with a bow and arrow. He’s one of those guys who thinks he’s all that, but his ponytail makes him look ridiculous.
- John Rhys-Davies as Gimli: A grumpy dwarf with a big axe. He’s the only one I would want to have a beer with.
- Sean Bean as Boromir: The human who wants the ring. He’s a good warrior, but his greed gets the best of him. And he dies. As he always does.
Special Effects
The special effects in this movie were something else. For a film that’s over 20 years old, they hold up pretty well. The creatures, like the Balrog and the Orcs, are disgusting in a good way, and the digital effects for the epic battles are well done. The landscapes of New Zealand are beautiful, but they make the whole thing look like a travel commercial. I do have to mention how they made the hobbits look small. They used a bunch of tricks, like forced perspective and digital compositing. It was a clever way to do it without making it look fake. But honestly, who cares about the technical stuff? The only thing that matters is that it looks good, and it does. I just wish they would have spent more time making the action scenes longer and less time on all the “scenic” stuff.
Music
The music by Howard Shore is pretty good, I guess. It has a lot of big orchestral pieces that make you feel like you’re on a grand adventure. There’s also some weird chanting stuff and some songs sung in a made-up language, which I could do without. The song by Enya is also in here, which I was not expecting. It’s a nice tune, but I would have preferred some rock and roll. You know, something with a good beat.
Synopsis and Plot Breakdown
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is set in the fictional world of Middle-earth. The story begins with a prologue detailing the creation of 20 Rings of Power: three for the Elves, seven for the Dwarves, nine for Men, and one master ring forged by the Dark Lord Sauron to control them all. A final alliance of Men and Elves defeats Sauron, but the One Ring is not destroyed and is lost for centuries. It is eventually found by a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins.
The main plot begins sixty years later. Bilbo, now 111 years old, decides to leave the Shire for one last adventure, passing on his belongings, including the One Ring, to his nephew, Frodo Baggins. The wizard Gandalf the Grey discovers the Ring’s true nature and warns Frodo that Sauron’s forces are searching for it. Frodo, with his friend Samwise Gamgee, must leave the Shire. They are later joined by two more hobbits, Merry and Pippin, and together they evade the Nazgûl, Sauron’s nine Ringwraiths. They meet a mysterious Ranger named Strider, who is revealed to be Aragorn, the heir to the throne of Gondor. Aragorn leads them to the Elven city of Rivendell, where Frodo is healed from a wound inflicted by a Nazgûl.
In Rivendell, a council of Elves, Men, and Dwarves is convened to decide the Ring’s fate. It is determined that the Ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, the volcano where it was forged. Frodo volunteers to be the Ring-bearer. A company of nine is formed to aid him on his quest: Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf, Boromir of Gondor, and the four hobbits. The Fellowship attempts to cross a mountain pass but is thwarted by a snowstorm conjured by the wizard Saruman, who has secretly allied with Sauron. They are forced to travel through the Mines of Moria, an ancient dwarf kingdom. Inside, they are attacked by Orcs and a Balrog, a massive fire demon. Gandalf sacrifices himself to allow the others to escape.
The remaining eight members of the Fellowship travel to the Elven forest of Lothlórien, where they are given gifts and advice from the Elven queen, Galadriel. They continue their journey by boat down the great river. At the end of the journey, Boromir attempts to take the Ring from Frodo, believing he can use it to save his people. Frodo realizes he cannot risk corrupting his friends and decides to continue the quest alone. The Fellowship is ambushed by Uruk-hai, powerful Orc-like creatures. Boromir is mortally wounded defending Merry and Pippin, who are captured. Aragorn and the others mourn Boromir’s death and resolve to save the captured hobbits. Meanwhile, Sam, having discovered Frodo’s plan, refuses to let him go alone, and the two set off for Mordor together.
5 Famous Quotes from the Movie
- “A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.” – Gandalf
- “You shall not pass!” – Gandalf
- “I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udûn! Go back to the Shadow!” – Gandalf
- “One does not simply walk into Mordor.” – Boromir
- “I can’t carry it for you… but I can carry you!” – Samwise Gamgee
5 Notes from the Movie
- Viggo Mortensen broke his toe while kicking an Orc helmet in a scene from the second movie, The Two Towers.
- The actor who played Gimli, John Rhys-Davies, is not a small person at all. He is actually over six feet tall and had to wear prosthetics and a special suit to look like a dwarf.
- The New Zealand military was offered the chance to be extras in the battle scenes for the second and third movies, but they were already deployed on a peacekeeping mission.
- The Ringwraith screams were created by rubbing a Styrofoam cup.
- The language spoken by the Elves and Orcs in the film was actually created by J.R.R. Tolkien himself.
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