Rent Tolkien (2019)

3.3 of 5 from 488 ratings
1h 47min
Rent Tolkien (aka A Light in the Darkness) Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
  • General info
  • Available formats
Synopsis:
Tolkien explores the formative years of renowned author J.R.R. Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) as he finds friendship, courage and motivation among a group of fellow outcasts at school. Their bond strengthens as they mature, until the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the fellowship apart. Tolkien's early life experiences would later inspire him to write his famous Middle-earth novels.
Actors:
, , , Al Bollands, Kallum Tolkien, , , , , , , , , , Adam Bregman, , Michael Bryceson, Andrew Bissell, ,
Directors:
Producers:
Peter Chernin, David Ready, Kris Thykier, Jenno Topping
Writers:
David Gleeson, Stephen Beresford
Aka:
A Light in the Darkness
Studio:
20th Century Fox
Genres:
Drama, Romance
Collections:
10 Films to Watch Next If You Liked: Prick Up Your Ears
BBFC:
Release Date:
09/09/2019
Run Time:
107 minutes
Languages:
English Audio Description Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:
English Hard of Hearing
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.39:1
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Dome Karukoski
  • First Look
  • Audio Commentary by Dome Karukoski
  • Gallery
BBFC:
Release Date:
09/09/2019
Run Time:
107 minutes
Languages:
English Audio Description Dolby Digital 5.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles:
English Hard of Hearing
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.39:1
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Dome Karukoski
  • First Look
  • Audio Commentary by Dome Karukoski
  • Gallery

More like Tolkien

Found in these customers lists

Reviews (10) of Tolkien

It's About Fellowship - Tolkien review by BG

Spoiler Alert
01/12/2019

We've had a biopic about A. A. Milne, so it was only a matter of time before we had one on J. R. R. Tolkien, the most successful fantasy writer who has sold millions of books. The film takes us through the author's life after he became an orphan, his gift for inventing languages, bonding with friends at school, his love for Edith Bratt and a brief separation, struggling to get in at Oxford and staying there, and the terrors of trench warfare in World War One. The film ends with Tolkien starting to write The Hobbit, so we don't get to see his latter years and the success of Lord of the Rings. The film may have a conventional approach that most bios contain, but there are some strong moments. The cross cutting between the war and Tolkien's early life was effective, and when he experiences the horror of battle, there are "visions" of dragons and demons. There was never any doubt that the war affected the author so that his epic Lord of the Rings was really about those terrors in fantasy dress. An effective moment sees a huge evil shape towering over the aftermath of battle... surely a metaphor for the Dark Lord himself, Sauron. Also the loss of Tolkien's two members in his personal "fellowship" was quite moving. If you have admired Peter Jackson's films, then you may find this biopic interesting.

3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.

So-so biopic of Tolkien - Tolkien review by PV

Spoiler Alert
27/09/2019

Not sure whether to give this 2 or 3. Some bits 2 (miscast 'strong' actresses to play Edwardian women; silly claims Tolkien's childhood bits magically created his stories rather than hard graft, or that he has a genius memory; the absurd claim that he was poor); Some bits 3 ( the 4 teen boys and the childhood bits; the WWI scenes in part).

Anyway 2.5 rounded up.

Way too much flitting around in flashbacks for my liking, and everyone looks too modern - the faces are of our age not Edwardian England, the women too 'girlpower #metoo' - this is often the case in modern pc movies. Derek Jacobi great as usual.

Not sure re Hoult as Tolkein - he looks far too young later on.

I have never been a fan of boring fantasy novels like The Hobbit etc. No mention here either that Tolkien based his made-up Lord of the Rings language on Welsh.

Most interesting bit for me with the club of 4 boys and what happened to them, esp the poet and the last one to die.

2 out of 7 members found this review helpful.

Don't bother - Tolkien review by CP Customer

Spoiler Alert
11/11/2019

The film was very very slow and the story wasn't that interesting to be fair

I wouldn't recommend

After about 20 minutes in I should have turned it off

But I was outvoted so

It's a Nono from me . 

2 out of 7 members found this review helpful.

Unlimited films sent to your door, starting at £15.99 a month.