9 worn cloaks / 10 (Minus one point because we never see what happened to Bill the Pony.) Would you like a shorter, funnier, or more analytical version?
And yet, for all its darkness, the film’s soul is Samwise Gamgee, who nearly drowns because he won’t let a boat leave without his friend. The final shot—Frodo and Sam walking into the unknown, while the rest cry or bleed—isn’t heroic. It’s sad. And that’s why it works.
Also, can we talk about the sound design? The Ring’s whisper is like a tiny metal scream. The Nazgûl don’t roar; they breathe —a wet, hungry sound that triggers a primal freeze response.
Here’s an interesting, slightly offbeat review of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) that goes beyond “masterpiece” or “10/10”: A Walking Simulator With Existential Horror, Hair Goals, and One Very Pressured Piece of Jewelry