With a multi-million pound budget the latest blockbuster Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring was never going to be anything but spectacular.

The film, which opens next week, is based on the first part of JRR Tolkien's classic adventure trilogy and follows the adventures of Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), who has been entrusted with a magical, yet dangerous, ring.

If the ring were to fall in to the wrong hands, those of the Dark Lord Sauron, he would have the power to enslave all of Middle Earth.

To prevent this occurring, Frodo must take the ring to the Crack Of Doom, in the dark land of Mordor where Sauron rules and throw it into the fire in which it was cast.

On his quest Frodo is joined by the wizard, Gandalf (Ian McKellan), Strider, (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas, an elf (Orlando Bloom), Gimli, a dwarf (John Rhys-Davies), Borimir (Sean Bean), and his Hobbit friends Sam Gamgee (Sean Astin), Peregrin Took (Billy Boyd) and Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan).

Together they make up the Fellowship of the Ring and set out on a series of adventures before they reach Mordor.

But the path is not an easy one; not only is Sauron after the ring but head wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) has turned on them.

The book became an immediate classic, but is the film any good?

Brilliant

Yes and no. For a start the effects are absolutely brilliant, but the plot leaves a lot to be desired.

The makers have stripped the book down to a series of action sequences and left very little in the way of narrative.

Filmed in New Zealand, it begins with a prologue which explains how the ring found its way down the centuries to the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins before he passed it on to Frodo.

So far, so good. But as soon as Frodo takes of on his adventures, the story takes second place to the special effects.

Unfortunately the film seems at times to be nothing more than a vehicle for the special effects team.

Nor will there be any Oscars for best actor or actress. Lyv Tyler does nothing more than provide a fleeting love interest and one horse chasing scene, while Cate Blanchett as an elf queen does even less.

However, the film does have some spectacular moments and if you are going to see it, make sure it is in the biggest screen possible.

Having been to a screening at Leicester Square on Monday, I cannot see the film becoming a classic, but it is a fun way to spend three hours and will leave you wanting to see the sequel.

* Opens December 19.

December 14, 2001 13:00