CInema Review (From Barry And District News)

CInema Review

The Lord of the Rings (PG) ****

THE BIGGEST film of the year is finally here. Described as the next Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings directed by Kiwi Peter Jackson lives up to the hype.

Frodo is a hobbit who inherits a ring from his uncle Bilbo that has magical but evil powers.

Learning that the ring will only allow Sauron, the dark lord of Mordor, to enslave the people of Middle Earth, he and other allies travel to Mount Doom - the only place where it can be destroyed. However, evil tries to stop them all the way!

Jackson's fantastic visuals are allied to great performances from Elijah Wood as Frodo, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Ian Holm, Sean Bean and Liv Tyler.

After a slow start, which includes the unnecessary use of hand-held cameras, the film proves that cinema delivers pure escapism in a way that nothing else can.

Special effects in every frame, thrilling fights, amazing stunts - just think of any legend style film, only much, much better!

The excitement makes you almost believe that what is happening on screen is real.

A little too much is made of Wood's blue eyes, but his best performance so far contributes to movie magic.

It's a superb cinema experience because you actually care for the characters for once and want them to succeed in their quests.

But one question remains - who at the BBFC gave this film a PG certificate?

Some of the scenes are hell for the under 8s with demonic ogres with deformed faces everywhere and the story is simply too complex for them to follow.

Apart from that though, you will leave the cinema with some sort of buzz!