When I first walked out of the theater, I really did not know what to make of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I knew it was good, but I spent most of the time trying to digest everything on screen, while at the same time looking for what remained from the book and what was taken out. It seemed too long, a little too violent, and had too many characters with too many names. Only after sitting down and thinking through as to how the movie unfolds, instead of anticipating what the next scene might look like, was I able to form a clear opinion.

The books are very dense and somewhat incomprehensible, so I wasn’t one of the fans who were camping out. I could, however, appreciate what was at the heart of the story, the struggle for the one ring, the theme that ultimate power corrupts. It begins with a prologue that gives a background as to the creation of the ring, and how it came into the possession of Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). Baggins is a Hobbit, a group of easy-going party folk who live in the Shire, and generally have no interest in what goes on in the outside world. Bilbo’s old friend Gandalf (Ian Mckellan), a wizard, shows up to celebrate Bilbo’s 111th birthday. Surprised that he hasn’t aged in the many years since they have last seen each other, Gandalf suspects that Bilbo may be hiding something. It turns out that Bilbo is in possession of the one ring, forged by Sauron thousands of years ago, which possesses its creators evil spirit. While Bilbo is off to retire with the Elves, his nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood) undertakes the quest to get the ring out of the Shire. The rest of the film involves Frodo avoiding Sauron’s minions, which include a group of nine men, former kings who Sauron turned into screeching dark ghosts called Ringwraiths, and goblinesque creatures called Orcs. Along the way he meets up with Strider (Viggo Mortenson), who serves as both a guide and protector. Meanwhile, Gandalf seeks the advice of the leader of his order Saruman (Christopher Lee) only to be betrayed. This part was told in flashback in the book, thankfully the filmmakers more or less had it parallel with Frodo’s adventure.

Frodo and Gandalf finally meet again at Rivendell, home of the Elves. Strider is revealed to actually be Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor. Elrond (Hugo Weaving) leader of the Elves, commissions nine companions, to coincide with the nine Ringwraiths. Included is a representative from the Dwarves, Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and the Elves, Legolas (Orlando Bloom). They join Gandalf, Frodo, Aragorn, Frodo’s three Hobbits friends, and Boromir (Sean Bean). Together, they form the Fellowship of the Ring. Usually I don’t like to give so much away, but the title speaks for itself, and a head start on who's who could only help.

While many compliments have been given to McKellan for his performance, and deservedly so, the actors are uniformly admirable. Elijah Wood and Viggo Mortenson deserve special mention, because their performances are just as important, not only due to the future ramifications of their characters, but also because they are damn good. As Frodo, Wood is appropriately terrified of his journey, especially considering he has lived a sheltered life in the Shire. Yet he shows, as is often said of him throughout the movie, that he is full of surprises. Mortenson hints at the man he is to become, not only because he can kill about a thousand Uruk-Hais (Orcs crossed with men) all by himself, more that he eventually asserts himself as a leader, perhaps most importantly in a decision he makes at the end.

Its a lot to keep track of, sometimes I wonder if I still was able to follow all of the characters and locations. Hopefully the DVD will come with a map. Still, the story works very well and is more intricate than convoluted. The characters do speak in a somewhat grandiose style, but the film is so vivid that you truly feel like it exists in a different time and place, making this certainly forgivable. The action scenes overall are intense with a sense of anticipation both in the characters and audience before they happen. The violence can be a bit gruesome, but at least its not relentless or too over the top.

The scenery is both beautiful as in the Shire and Rivendell, and dark and disturbing, as when we see the depths of Isengard. The emphatic score resonates throughout the film, an intense drumbeat for the forces of evil, contrasted by a triumphant horn symphony for our heroes. The music will be associated much in the same way as Star Wars or Jaws.

That clear opinion that I mentioned earlier? This movie is very good, despite being too long, clocking in at just under three hours. Be sure to pay attention, because the sequel, The Two Towers, will be in theaters before you know it. This time I will be one of the first people in line.

Rating: ****