IMO the greatest and most complicated character that Tolkien ever created. A tortured, haunted, humorous, simultaneously a sympathetic, tragic, and abhorrent figure. Solid proof that Tolkien was capable of creating complex, multi-dimensional characters, despite the claims of those reviewers overly enamored of realism/ naturalism who criticize Tolkien for lack of character development. Perhaps the greatest and saddest moment in the books is when Gollum almost repents of his plan to lure Frodo and Sam into Shelob's Lair. It's not in the movie, though IMO it should have been.
