Film Review: The Fellowship of the Ring, Part 5

It's time for the next bit of The Fellowship of the Ring. Last week's bit of the review saw the Fellowship take on Moria, which we all know is only going to end badly for them (one more than the others).

In this part we say farewell to Gandalf (for a while) and head off to Lothlorien where Galadriel hands out some gifts (and warnings).

202. And it's a battle. There is fighting.

203. And a big cave troll. Kind of looks like a teacher I had once.

204. More fighting.

205. Still fighting.

206. Fighting some more.

207. Sam's fighting with his frying pan.

208. I guess the cave troll is attracted to Frodo because of the Ring, since he's the main one it's going after. It probably doesn't even know why, it's just drawn to him.

209. Everyone's just been standing there watching the troll attacking Frodo and then when he appears to be stabbed they all go crazy. That's great but it might have been a little more helpful if you'd gone crazy before you let the cave troll stab him.

210. I kind of feel sorry for the troll when Legolas shoots him. I don't think he really knew he was doing anything wrong. He looks like a big child when he plays with his floppy lip.

211. Aragorn's such an optimist: You should be dead.

212. Oh, I love this music. Doo doo dodo dooo!

213. And then, just when you think things can't get any worse, a Balrog shows up.

214. Though I kind of love how for a moment Gimli seems to think that he's scared off all the Orcs.

215. Gandalf's passing the torch. I realise he does this because he knows he can take down the Balrog once and for all, but all the same, he could kind of just carried on running with them and got out alive. I know, that's not the point, but I do love Gandalf.

216. I'd be screwed at this point because there's no way you'd get me jumping down a broken staircase, arrow-wielding Orcs or no!

217. "Nobody tosses a Dwarf!" And that sound you hear is Tolkien rolling over in his grave.

218. Word of advice for the Fellowship: Next time you're escorting the Ringbearer down a crumbling staircase, send him down first to make sure he gets to the bottom, you've got four Hobbits and three of them are somewhat expendable, you don't want to go leaving Frodo behind like that.

219. I think this will always be one of my favourite bits of this film. YOU. SHALL NOT. PASS!
Gandalf! I think Frodo says it best with his NOOOO!

220. And yeah, I know he comes back. But I still think Gandalf the Grey is just a little bit cooler than Gandalf the White. Gandalf the Grey doesn't have as much responsibility so I think he gets away with that little bit more.

221. Legolas looks so confused by all the crying.

222. Also, this bit that they're all on at the moment. Totally where the battle for Moria in the Hobbit films happens. I love picking out these little continuities.

223. Lothlorien is beautiful but also kind of creepy. It's not a comfortable Elvish place like Rivendell.

224. I know lots of people don't like Gimli being used as the comic relief in this film, but I think it works pretty well. I love his reaction as the Elvish draw their bows on him.

225. Notice how Legolas and Gimli look different in this scene? That's because they were trying out a slightly different look which they didn't follow through with.

226. I know I said Lothlorien is kind of creepy, but I'd still like to go there. I love the spirally tree staircases. It's all so pretty and twinkly.

227. Galadriel is so pretty. And smart. And powerful. I love her.

228. Okay, I can't hear the line 'Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desired to speak with him' without hearing 'They're Taking The Hobbits To Isengard'.

229. It's very clever how Galadriel can speak out loud and then talk to people in their minds. There aren't many women in Tolkien's stories but the ones that do feature are more than awesome enough to make up for it.

230. I like that they included Sam's fireworks poem as well. Though I have no idea why Gimli is snoring or why Aragorn has to hit him.

231. I do actually feel kind of sorry for Boromir here actually. I always forget that he's got burdens of his own and is just trying to do the best for his land since it's been abandoned by its King. He's just easily tempted and that's what leads to his downfall. Poor guy.

232. Galadriel is a barefoot kind of gal. I used to spend all my time barefoot. I still have been known to slip off my shoes when I'm walking Tara around the estate.

233. I wish that Sam had been in this scene as well because I like the way it plays out in the book with Sam seeing the Shire. But I guess they throw that in here so we still get a bit of it.

234. The way the Ring gets pulled towards the Mirror of Galadriel makes me think there should come up a sign on it which says 'INSERT ONE RING TO CONTINUE VIEWING'.

235. Galadriel gets really scary looking when she thinks about having the One Ring. It's not pretty. Just as well that she doesn't take it really, isn't it?

236. Little Ringbearer bonding moment. Galadriel's all 'look I've got a ring too, it's tough'.

237. And now it's time to catch up with Saruman who is giving Lurtz a little history lesson. Apparently the Elves were tortured to create the Orcs and Uruk Hai and now they've been perfected. If that's his idea of perfection I'd hate to see what he thinks a mistake looks like.

238. I love Merry and Pippin's reaction to Legolas's comment about how the Lembas can sustain a man with just a small bite. Little moments like that make this film for me.

239. So they're leaving Lothlorien by boat to get ahead of the enemy. And while they're heading out we get a little flashback to the gifts each member of the Fellowship receives.

240. Especially Gimli's gift. John Rhys Davies points out in one of the interviews about how hard it would be to actually show Galadriel giving him her hair, the way that it is done is so perfect.

241. The farewell has got to be kind of awkward for Aragorn, considering that he's basically having to speak to his girlfriend's Gran about whether or not they should be together (and she's telling him what he has to do to be worthy of her).


242. Hold onto that Frodo, it might come in handy later.

Next week will be the final part of The Fellowship of the Ring, before we move on to The Two Towers. We'll be seeing Boromir going over to the dark side, Frodo making a run for it and the Fellowship being well and truly sundered.