I'm so glad I was near a theater that got this on the 16th; great movie!
The story is fairly original (perhaps not the main premise and many of the standard fantasy "hooks" throughout, but there's plenty of original content in it), interesting, and well crafted. The directing and acting is superb and combined with beautifully done creatures and environments really draws you into the film.
I haven't seen such a good fantasy film since the first Lord of the Rings was released.
