*********SPOILERS************

In a word... breathtaking!

I thought the FOTR was a visual spectacular, but this is more epic, more dramatic, more exciting, just MORE!!!

As reviewers have been saying already Gollum steals the show. Jackson develops his schizophrenic nature, and he skips between a bitter twisted freak obsessed with the ring, and a pituful lonely sometimes even cute creature. There is great character interaction in this thread of the story with the suspicious Sam and the more sympathetic Frodo- who sees shadows of himself in Gollum. There are also some great set pieces in this section, at the Black Gate and involving the winged Nazgul. Some of the changes to Faramir I wasn't so sure of though.

Over in Rohan Gandalf makes a spectacular return, and Jackson has some fun playing with the identity of the white wizards. I have heard some complaints about the part where Aragon dreams of Arwen, but I thought some romance worked well in the (pretty relentless) battle sequences. Gimili gets to be the funny sidekick, and pulls in off very well (although is rather too overtly Scottish!) Legolas is too smug by half, but gets some great fighting in. Of the newcomers Theoden is played well, and Wormtongue is creepy, but a bit too melodramatic.

And then there's Helms Deep... AMAZING!!!

The only real let down is the Merry and Pippen part. The ents are decent, but in a film of world beating special effects they're not quite up there. It's made a bit worse by cutting in during the Helms Deep battle. But thankfully their part is rescued with a fantastic march of the ents on Isengard. The shot when they burst the dam, flooding Isengard and drowning helpless orcs while the ents stand firm, all watched by an incredulous Saruman from Orthanc is one of the films highlights.

Bring on Return of the King!

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: Do not read!

One of the things I've found lacking in most of todays films is a sense of awe. Not since Jurassic park has a film made me stop and just say "Whoa!"

The Two Towers starts with Gandalf's battle with Durin's Bane. After a very brief recap of what occurred on the Bridge of Khazad-dum in Fellowship of the Ring, we see Gandalf fall into the chasm, only this time we follow him in his descent where he (a bit unrealistically, perhaps) catches up with the Balrog. They then proceed to fight while still in freefall. While it sounds corny it actually works very well. The special effects in this sequence are stunning... but only the beginning...

After this we join Sam and Frodo in the midst of Emyn Muil and are soon introduced to the REAL star of The Two Towers: Gollum. While he is far from the first completely computer generated character to be seen on film, he unquestionably sets a new standard. His movements, expressions and overall appearance are so life-like it's disturbing. You've never seen such a wretched creature. The schizophrenic bickering betweem Gollum and Smeagol could be Oscar worthy.

Don't get me wrong, there are moments when he is clearly a CG character, but most times he truly looks like a living breathing creature. My only complaint is his voice. While he sounds just like you would expect Gollum to sound, with the raspy gurgling "gollums" (sounds suspiciously like a cat yacking on a furrball) and Gollumish mannerisms, this makes him a little difficult to understand at times.

The following sequences with Man, Elf and Dwarf tracking Uruk-hai and Hobbits is portrayed pretty close to the book.

We then meet Treebeard. Wow! I have to say, the Ents looked quite different from how I pictured them, but the difference is an improvement. Very tall and gangly with VERY long legs. Some may not like the look of the Ents but I thought they were fantastic. As with Gollum, Treebeard's raspy, booming voice can be a bit difficult to understand. You'll hardly recognize it as John Rhys-Davies.

Our next close encounter of the Tolkien kind is with Wargs. They look a great deal like giant hyenas, but without the sense of humor. They're huge and ferocious and nasty and a welcome site on screen.

At this point, things start to deviate from the book. I won't go into what's different because... well, because I don't want to. And because I don't have the time! I have to go to work I'll post the second half of my review sometime tomorrow...

I just got back...I liked it very much Better than the first one, I thought. More to come later, but now it's 2am and I want to go to bed...

I hope they didn't change Faramir too much...

Thanks Anilorak. I had to leave the show for a few minutes to get my coke so I guessed I missed it then.

UTTER AND COMPLETE RAMBLING AHEAD:

Sam should have killed Gollum as soon as they left the Marshes ... Sam is always right - no one listens to him...

SPOILERS

I did like the part where Frodo tries to slice open Sam's gullet - I thought it was appropriate to show just how far the ring was taking Frodo. And Sam wrestling Frodo to keep him from putting on the ring - that was great. And I hope they show Frodo telling Sam he can't keep his hands off the ring - and Sam holding his hands (looks like they are setting that up) - but they didn't do as much with the "weight " of the ring - so I'm wondering if they will have Sam carrying Frodo in ROTK - or even if Sam will bear the ring (what do you think?)

POH - TAY - TOES

Frodo had far too mcuh pitty for Gollum - Gollum was right - MURDERER. Frodo was not a liar, a cheater and a murderer. Frodo was redeemable - but Gollum was not -

The look in Sam's eyes were great "NO FRODO!" he begged - he *knew* ... at least he wasn't the troll from Bashki!

and the one arrow thing was a bit wonky - but by then I was "what the hell... they are in Gondor and this whole plot is now wonky."

YAAAAAAAAAY Sam!

[Edited on 12/21/2002 by swampfaye]

I suppose I'll continue my review now. I had planned to wait until I'd seen the film again so that everything would be fresh in my mind. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that is going to happen until after the Christmas so I'm just going to wing it. Just keep in mind that it's been a few days and my recollection of the film may be flawed.

But first, did anyone notice Legolas's super-cool horse mounting stunt during the Warg scene? Very very cool Not quite sure how they did that. If it was CGI it was some of the most photorealistic CGI I've ever seen! But I can't figure out any other way they could have pulled that off.

Anyhoo... review part 2.

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: Do not read!

After the warg scene, one of the most questionable events in the whole movie occurs... Aragorn dies. Or at least, we think he's dead. He washes up a little later looking like a drowned rat and then dreams of Arwen. While I've only seen the film once, and admitedly I wasn't using my critics eye at the time, I can't seem to figure out WHY this change was made. Perhaps it will come to me at a later viewing...

The meeting (and exorcism!) ofTheoden and the subsequent casting out of Wormtongue is done a bit differently but is satisfying none the less. In fact, for movie purposes, it's an improvement.

Sam, Frodo and Gollum's encounter with the mumakil came as a bit of a shock to me. I did not think they were so huge! I knew they were big, especially by Hobbit standards, but these suckers are the size of dinosaurs! Were they that big in the book? I don't remember... That said, they look fantastic and Sam's reaction to them was spot on. I was thrilled to see them.

Now for the biggest controversy in the whole movie: Faramir. He ain't the Faramir we know. At least, he doesn't appear to be. Actually, he's barely in the movie. I think we'll see and learn more of him in RotK. There's still hope.

The detour to Osgiliath bothers me not simply because it's there and shouldn't be but more because it effects your since of scale. PJ's Middle Earth is considerably smaller than Tolkien's. Hints of this pop up elsewhere as well. It seems to take no time at all for Aragorn and Co. to make their way from Fangorn to Edoras. However, this is a minor gripe.

Now I come to my two fave scenes in the film. Helm's Deep and the Ent assault on Isengard. This is where the whoa! factor really comes in. The sheer number of Uruks in Saruman's army is a sight to behold. The detail in each of the CGI fighters is incredible and once the battle begins, it never lets up. Stunning. I was happy that Gimli and Legolas' body count game was included. It's these little nods to the book that, for me at least, make up for the changes. I really wish we saw Gimli's reaction to Aglarond as well... perhaps the extended version.

Now for the pinacle... the Ents at Isengard! I made a reference earlier to Jurrasic Park. When I first saw Jurrassic Park (and indeed, when I read Michael Crichton's book prior to that) I truly felt a since of awe and wonder... like I was seeing something I'd never seen before. The Ent attack gave me that same feeling. While it gets a disappointingly short amount of screentime, it's easily the most awe-inspiring scene in LotR up to this point. The tearing down of the walls and hurling the debris at Orthanc... the breaking of the dam and the ensuing flood...these Ents are some bad mofo's! But really, it defies description.

In fact, the whole movie defies description. Especially by me! While there are some disappointments they are far, far outweighed by the overall majesty of Jackson's creation. I can't help but feel that Tolkien would approve. His biggest problem with the concept of a film adaption was that LotR defied adapting. While PJ's films, thus far, omit and change quite a bit, they are far more elaborate, respectful and visually stunning than Tolkien could ever have imagined.

Oh, I'd forgotten the added Rohan scenes where we get to see how much the poor little kiddies are suffering *spits* unneccessary, total waste of time, I don't want my heartstrings tugging thanks. That's not what either the books or the movies are about.
And I thought Legolas's horsey thing was a done with wires and bluescreen personally, not CG.

The movie was awesome, I won't go into it too much as everyone else had done it, but am I the only one who is not satisfied with the potrayal of Eowyn? It seemed to me she was either crying or laughing , and the only true moment of Eowyn that I know was when she was trying her skill with the sword. There was a scene where she let Wormtounge touched her face which I thought was quite ridiculous, especially since she seemed to enjoy it. Maybe I'm wrong, but I always imagined Eowyn to be cold, and the only moment she cried was when Aragorn wouldn't let her follow him in RoTK and later when she was with Faramir. Okay, I'm following book too much, but that's what I think anyways.

[Edited on 23/12/2002 by Naira]

I think that was a great review by itself Allyssa.

I don't know if that was Gil-Galad's body or not.

So if Gil-Gal was incinerated then he can't be opening his eyes to look at Frodo.

The lights are little torches, you only see them for a second but they are there.

The Two Towers was absolutely amazing!!! I'm still slightly awe-struck - seen it twice now but i'm definately going to have to watch it again.
Visually it was much more appealling than FofR, but their were aspects of Fellowship that I still liked better; can't really decide which one is my favourite yet.

I'm quite relieved that the Aragorn-Arwen scenes didn't play as big a role as the trailers had implied. In this sort of epic adventure romances are better left to the imagination or as a hint to those who may be interested in such things, instead of being pushed in the faces of people who are, frankly, sickened by it.

But of course what Tolkien fan would not have serious gripes with this movie - great as it is... and here are but a few of mine (plus the stuff I enjoyed - cos the glass is always half full):



I'm sorry but I thought it looked absolutely ridiculous - that move was sooo physically impossible, even for an elf; was Legolas trying to show off his elvish capabilities or something cos lets admit it 'Legolas there is an easier way'. Everyone packed up laughing when I went to see it!

One of my favourite parts of the movie is the opening scene where Gandalf fights the Balrog "from the deepest dungeons to the highest peak" the visual effects were really awesome... which begs the question 'Why did PJ use the stop motion technique for the parts where Treebeard was walking through Fangorn?' - didn't anyone else think it looked a bit cheesey?
Other than that I thought the ents looked really cool though I imagined them to be bigger. And I thought it would've looked spectacular to see the wild trees/ents throwing themselves at the Tower of Orthanc in their fit of rage!!!

My biggest gripe with the entire movie is the whole Faramir being a complete **** and taking Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath thing - which I thought would've taken them quite some time to reach anyway! I mean the whole point of Faramir being a morally better and wiser person than his brother and resisting the temptation of the ring was to show how different the two brothers were: reflecting the race of men and how different they can be. IMHO I think Tolkien effectively used Faramir as a foil character to Boromir (or the other way around). But I guess Faramir was kinda redeemed when he eventually let Frodo go at the risk of losing his own life: "then it is forfeit."
And it was pretty cool when Frodo became momentarily possesed by the ring.



I agree... good point.

The characters of Eowyn, Eomer, Theoden and Wormtongue were portrayed to perfection. I really enjoyed the 'exorcism' of Saruman too! Go Gandalf!!!



I don't think he was quite so creepy to begin with but had already gained the king's trust much earlier on and over time became twisted and down-right wicked looking from Saruman's evil instruction; thus his appearance might have changed much like Theoden's did.

Gollum was amazing: cute, funny and pityful all at the same time and I really understood his feeling of betrayal when Frodo was forced to lead him into capture by the pool in Ithilien - had this not have happened I wonder if Smeagol would've conquered over Gollum in the end?
Oh and i just loved the little song that Smeagol sang by the pool!

Poor Gimli, always the but of all the jokes - but still very funny.

Me too

Legolas: a true elf through and through - stunning.



1) I think that since many of the elves she was travelling with actually went to help in the battle of Helm's Deep, we can assume that she didn't go yet but stayed behind in Rivendel or something.

2) True - she does die, but (and I could be wrong here) I think her life is still considerably longer than Aragorn's.

It was so sad when Haldir died (even though he was kinda supercilious) especially in his final moments when he was looking out at the horror of the battle scene - the bodies of all those dead elves, who in life were so fair and peace-loving - beautiful creatures whose fate it was not to die violently in terrible battles inspired by the greed and corruption of dark forces, but to live - immortal - in the undying lands with their kin.
Sorry to ramble on but that part of the movie really struck a chord for me.



By 'little torches' do you mean those flames here and there in the marshes? Cos I expected them to look like tiny little lights, like the flames of candles, glowing faintly under the water and in the surrounding mists in the distance - come to think of it I expected it to be far more misty and dark than it was; after all in the book Gollum refused to travel by daylight for fear of the sun.

Oh welllll to end off: What did you all think of those dragon-like creatures that the Nazgul ride - Fantastic!!!

I have finally seen the movie and have to admitt that it is fairly different than the movie. I had to stop ansering my fathers questions about it about halfway through because I was basing my answers upon the book and a lot of the time I was wrong. I did not like the way that merry and Pippin had to convince Treebeard to attack Isengard but I did rather enjoy the attacking of Isengard. the ents weren't what I expected them to be but I got used to it and am now almost convinced that that was how they looked in the book. I do wish that they had put Shelob in it though instead of in ROTK.

About the elves in Helms Deep. Did anyone notice if any of the poor blighters survived?

SPOILERS!!!!!!!
Smeagol was great!!! And so was Grima!!!
Because Smeagol DOES swear on the precious!
And when Smeagol and Gollum fight, it's hillarious!
'We tells him to go away, and away he goes! Gone gone gone! Smeagol is free!' and then he prances around.
I personally liked the dead mashes part. With the 'dead faces'.
And it's so funny when Smeagol brings the rabbits to Frodo. 'Eat them! Eat them!'
AND! Smeagol sings the song about fish!

Mine apologies, methinks you are right: not impossible for an elf, but still looked kinda funny and unnecessary
But I really liked that they showed Legolas walking on the snow's surface (as is mentioned in the book) because of what you said about their etherial nature (the Elves are what I love most about Tolkien's world)

Hey all, I finally saw it and maybe my opinion is different from yours but here's what I think:
FARAMIR of course was really changed but it's better for the movie. I did not hate him, I really liked the part when he changes and lets Frodo go, although the whole taking Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath thing was too much. But I do accept this portrayal of Faramir cause it makes his character more interesting.
GOLLUM was perfect, I loved the parts where he's arguing with himself and I did feel sorry for him.
SAM and FRODO were exactly as I imagined them, especially Sam, and I loved the part where he's talking to Smeagol about potatoes.
ARAGORN was really good, but i really didn't get the whole almost dying thing, i think was just a way to show Arwen some more.
EOWYN was different from what I imagined - she laughed too much when she's supposed to be cold, but I did like her a lot even though i think the actress is a bit too old.
THE BATTLE AT HELM'S DEEP was great, and I think that the elves coming was appropriate and I liked it, of course that changes the whole book, but again it makes the movie more interesting for those who didn't read the book
LEGOLAS and GIMLI - they were great but i think their friendship should've been more obvious
ARWEN - the part where Elrond is talking to her was good, but um the elves' ships weren't supposed to leave yet at that time in the Two Towers, were they?
TREEBEARD was great and i liked Merry and Pippin in their determination to make the Ents help them. I'd say that my favorite scene in the movie was the Ents at Orthanc.
Basically I loved the movie and I accept its flaws, except for one - why didn't they actually finish the Two Towers? This means that they will have too much to include in the ROTK. They should have at least shown the part at Orthanc after the battle. Now I'm sure that in the next movie they will skip soo many parts and change so much. Although I read somewhere that 'the Return of the King' movie will be 3 and a half hours long!

Remi: Welcome to our Forum.