The long anticipation, the nail biting, hair twirling, lip biting wait for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings first installment The Fellowship of the Ring finally arrives--revealing big crowds at the movie theater on its premiere. The young, the middle age and the old gathered to view J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved novel come to life on the silver screen. However, the inevitable question voiced by anxious moviegoer is, "will the movie live up to the long pending hype?"

The lowdown for those who are not yet acquainted with the plot of Tolkien's Lord of The Ring's series, The Fellowship of the Ring, vividly accounts the adventures of the well known relative of hobbit Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins, beginning with the introduction of the dangerous yet magnetic aura of the ring the evil Sauron has created to wield the power of the world. The seemingly defeated Sauron disappears from legend--until the ring calls for its maker, its master. The impending emergence of the evil lord Sauron serves as the catalyst for the destruction of the ring. The catch? The ring can only be destroyed in the flames where it was forged--Mount Doom. Obstacles must be faced to conquer evil-to destroy the ring once and for all. The task befalls on Frodo and his friends to return the ring into the fiery flames of Mount Doom to save the existence he and the rest of the world hold dear.

The verdict, you ask impatiently? The Fellowship of the Ring exceeded the hype and even my own severe expectations. Not a short movie, mind you, bordering close to three hours, it is however one of the best. No wait a minute, it almost slipped my mind that this year, the ever increasing genre of simple-minded action flicks were painstakingly dominant (not to name any names)--I would have to come to the easy decision that The Fellowship of the Ring is the best film of the year. The magnificent vision Tolkien had dreamed in his novels comes to life-goblins, elves, dwarves, demons and monsters. Of course with the help of the special effects department, as well as the excellent choice of casting and outstanding performances by Ian Mckellan, Viggo Mortensen and Elijah Wood, what once only existed within Tolkien's realm of imagination is now alive.

Conclusion: A must see! It's the best money can buy for movies these days. A spectacular display of what happens when imagination comes to life. 10/10.

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