> Awesome reply Aaron, I was going to write the same thing but you beat me
> to it.
I'd have to agree, although I would like to add to it. Gandalf shares the roll of figurative illustration of christ with Aragorn, whose part in it is made most apparent in the final book, the Return of the King (I won't say any more than that to avoid spoilers). Note the fact that Aragorn also never touches the ring, the representation of sin. As for the remainder of the original post, I really have little to say, given that it is the most common criticism I've seen among critics; not enough action, too long, and (although it wasn't used in this instance) believe it or not, not enough sex (astonished gasps all around and a lady faints in the background). Critics today are much too jaded.