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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

(2001, Rated PG-13, Fantasy, Starring Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    Fabulous, but also violent and scary.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Tolerance of difference cultures and species.
  • Violence:

    Major characters killed. Intense peril.
  • Sex:

    A kiss.
  • Language:

    No four-letter words, but strong Middle Earth language.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Parents need to know that this movie might be overwhelming for younger children who are not familiar with the characters and story. You may want to prepare anyone younger than 12 with some background or encourage them to read the simpler first story in the series, The Hobbit (about Frodo's uncle, Bilbo). Characters are in severe peril and there are intense battle scenes.

Read our full review by Nell Minow

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about why it is that only Frodo seems immune to the ring's power to corrupt even honorable, wise, and powerful people and the notion that "even the smallest person can change the course of the earth." If you were going to form a fellowship for a grand quest, who would you want to be in it?

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Our Members Say

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See all 64 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    BEST MOVIE EVER

    My personal favorite of the trilogy, this movie is very well done and not needlessly gory like a lot of movies that are being made nowdays. Everything about the movie is top notch and the only thing that is graphic is when an uruk gets his arm and head chopped off by Aragorn during the final fight.

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    a good movie positive role modules

    i think its a good movie frodo is doing a good thing for middle earth

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    perfect for older kids but not for younger

    Great movie a couple of scenes had more violence than others but unless you get scared easily it is a great movie

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 1
    I rate this title off for age 3 and give it 1.0

    YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!!! ARSEHOLE!!!

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Great for 11+

    Best movie ever! Great and honorable role models. It can be a little violent, but not very bloody or gory. My 11 year old sister watched this movie, and she loves it almost as much as I do!

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Chock full of good things

    The Lord of the Rings is an excellent movie, and book. You will find beloved characters, love, war, destiny, legends, myths, monsters, suspense, power, deceit, mystery... The story plot is great, and the speical effects are wonderful. I watched it when I was a bit too young, so the hideous orcs and chilling Ring-Wraiths terrified me out of my mind. Defineitly not for the faint of heart or the young because of blood and scary monsters and tons of violence. But what makes this movie different is that there is a clear differnce between good and evil; there is love, but it is true love, and not body-related; the characters are lovable and mostly kind, and it will provide many conversations in your family. Excellent!

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism

    all stuff have NO PG 13 rated range I sall be rated PG but never G and nothing rated R

  8. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    The beginning of the epitome of modern filmmaking.

    Alright, so basically, the Lord of the Rings films are almost universally called some of the best films of all time. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. If you're looking for a direct book to film translation, however, do not look here. A common misconception about these movies is that since they are excellent, they must follow the books! Right? WRONG. If hardcore fans can see around that, they will find one of the most superior fantasy films ever conjured. Great acting, music, scenery, whatever! Everyone will find something in this movie. I think this film should be okay for kids around 10+. They would be most suited to begin to comprehend the plot and handle the sometimes intense violence (that includes an on-screen beheading, among other things). Overall: Fantastic!

  9. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

  10. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

  11. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Beware of graphic violence and scary scenes

    Outstanding film but be warned, there is tons of violence! (Spoilers following) The violent scenes include: a main character getting shot in a river by arrows, drenching the river with blood; Aragorn chopping an orc's head of, splattering his face with blood; Boromir getting slowly shot by arrows, you can hear his painful gasps of breath and the blood dribble from his wounds slowly; Aragorn chops an Uruk's arm off and stabs him, the Uruk pulls the blood stained sword further in him, you can hear the flesh tearing and blood dribbling from his mouth, which Aragorn chops his head off with such force chunks of flesh fly everywhere. Lots of scary scenes, too.

  12. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

  13. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title off for age 8 and give it 5.0

    o my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    this movie is the best movie ever my best frend saw it when we were ehght and we still are this is the best movie

  14. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title off for age 8 and give it 5.0

    o my god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    this movie is the best movie ever my best frend saw it when we were ehght and we still are this is the best movie

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 4.0

    good movie

    its a good movie but i would recommend for ages 14 and up

  16. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 5.0

    Awesome movie, one of the best ever!

    This is an amazing movie, even though it's over three hours long, it's still a movie you can watch again and again. The violence is pushing the limits for a PG-13, and younger kids will find the orcs and Ring Wraiths very frightening. Not for sensitive 11 or 12 year olds, but non sensitive ones will do just fine

  17. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    TWO THUMBS UP!

    THIS MOVIE IS AWSOME!! The whole trilogy has good messages in it and is appropriate for ages 11+. The only thing that this movie holds is: Talking about darkness And Heavy Violence But this is a great family movie and in the 3rd LOTR movie it has a great message fo kids.

  18. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Alabama
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0

    seen all three -excellant

    as a mother of 2 daughters and one son , I found this movie violent but fantasy violence to me is completly different than the trash on tv.I would rather my children watch swords and monsters such as the orcs than a drug deal gone bad, or a robbery, or some woman getting raped.my children know that this type of movie is not real .that trash on tv is a fact of life. not to say that reality is not what my children need to know about, but if they can get some entertainment with fantasy viewing rather than the harshness of reality then I am for it. they will face the real world soon enough with all of its ugliness. I like that the lord of the rings is the fight between good and evil.it shows that there is good people ,no matter who they are can be tempted with evil and how as people you have to make choices .some are difficult and there are easy ways out but you must choose the good road.

  19. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

  20. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Kentucky
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Every second of this 3 hour movie is perfect.

    I cannot describe to you how great this movie is. Sure it has violence and peril, but, come on, it is a Lord of the Rings movie. It is supposed to have all that awesomeness. Also, this movie shows that a good movie does not have to have profanity or sexual content. There is no hint of either here. A must see for tweens on up!

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