25 Best Reviewed Franchise Films Of The 21st Century (According To Metacritic)

2. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (92)

Lord Of The Rings fellowship
New Line Cinema

Peter Jackson was better known as a splatter film aficionado-turned-genre man in his early career - but he exceeded all expectations when he wrought the old-fashioned Hollywood epic as a modern-day fantasy masterpiece with his first entry in his adaptation of The Lord of the Rings.

Retrospective appreciation frequently considers this the crown jewel of the director's filmography and it's not hard to see why; it is a herculean, groundbreaking feat, delivered with a deftness that never loses sight of its heart-on-sleeve grandeur. Twenty years on, it remains glorious.

Contributor

Something of a culture vulture, Mr Steel can historically be found in three places; the local cinema, the local stadium or the local chip shop. He is an avowed fan of franchise films, amateur cricket and power-chords.