Epic, Engaging... Short by a Long Shot!

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2002)

I just got back from a midnight showing of LOTR:The Two Towers, and I must
say that I'm ticked. Notwithstanding the fact that Peter Jackson deigned change the ending (I'll not spoil it..), there are large chunks of the story missing completely or so drastically shortened as to be unrecognizeable as a scene
from the book! For instance, when Merry and Pippin meet Treebeard, and the
subsequent Ent moot. In the book, this is a brilliantly paced reflection on an ancient species, and the sad story of their decline. In the movie, it's an aside. I was looking forward with great anticipation to seeing the Ents go to war, and to hearing their marching song! I'll grant that on it's own, apart from the books, LOTR:TTT is a grand epic, a spectacular movie full of suspense, action, etc. But it could have been so very much more...