Some early reviews of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, from a couple of dudes who wear ties all the time…

The Weekly Standard’s Jonathan V. Last:

[I]n truth, “Fellowship” doesn’t have the feel of an instant success. It is a long, difficult, earnest movie, whose pleasures are not all immediately apparent. The story of swords and sorcery isn’t very hip and may call to mind unflattering images of pimply adolescents clutching their Dungeons & Dragons manuals. It isn’t clear that “Fellowship” will be embraced by audiences.

That said, it should be. “Fellowship” is the first truly epic movie to be made since “Titanic” and the first great movie in recent memory. Director Peter Jackson’s pacing is superb and his screenplay–even with a three hour running time–is a marvel of economy. In scope and achievement it may fairly be compared with “Lawrence of Arabia,” and while there is no predicting the actions of the Academy of Motion Pictures, it should win 10 or 11 Oscars.

The National Review Online’s Jonah Goldberg:

Suffice it to say that the movie might have a hard time living up to the absurd hype and it might not conjure up that deeply personal experience that came with reading Lord of the Rings for the first time. But if you can get your heart rate and expectations down to a healthy level, you will have a great, great time.

Anybody out there not even read the book yet? C’mon, raise your hands, don’t be shy…

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