Just Like Gollum to The One Ring: I Loved It. I Hated It.

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2002)

Warning Readers: Major Spoilers Ahead! Go back now if you don't want plot spoilage!
I didn't mind Frodo going to Osgiliath with Faramir, and I actually loved the Lothlorien Elves at Helms Deep. These diversions from the book were expected. What I couldn't stand was the break-neck speed of which the story was told. It's like Peter Jackson panicked. Granted you've got three different plots going on, but the transitions from one storyline to another was choppy and rushed.
For example: We start off with Gandalf falling and fighting with the Balrog. Cool! Love it already! Then we start off with Frodo and Sam capturing Gollum; then Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli running after the uruk-hai who have Merry and Pippin. Then we get diverted to Edoras and Wormtongue ousting Eomer from the kingdom; then to Merry and Pippin almost getting killed by the orcs; then Eomer running into Aragorn & Co. and tells them the orcs are dead. Then we're in the Dead Marshes with Frodo, Sam and Gollum; then back to Fangorn where Merry and Pippin run into a "very hasty" Treebeard who has them meet the "white wizard." Then Aragorn & Co. find the "white wizard" to actually be Gandalf.
See what I mean? And the movie goes on at this nauseating pace. I knew that Helm's Deep was going to be 45 minutes long, but it was like Peter Jackson was trying to hurry up and get to Helm's Deep to show off his new "massive" special effects. Don't get me wrong! The battle was great! But near the end, it was like, "Let's hurry up and get this over with!"
I thought Arwen's part put in a good romantic feel in the movie, but what was up with Galadriel telepathically conversing with Elrond? I found that to be the most awkward part of the movie, and I think that could have been done different. Granted Arwen may have had a mental connection to Aragorn, so I guess that's what P.J. was trying to do with Galadriel and Elrond. Tolkein Elves do exist on two planes of existence. But P.J. does a terrible job of explaining the Galadriel/Elrond connection. Like I said: awkward.
I was hoping to have the same feel that I had after I saw "The Empire Strikes Back." Dark Transition with a lot of Emotion. Now I realize I expected too much. I came out of the movie with the same yucky sensation that I had when I first saw "The Fifth Element" or "Starship Troopers" or should I dare say it: "Mission to Mars" (ugh! yuck! Gross!). Hopefully I will come to love this movie fondly as "5th Element" and "SS Troopers", and not turn it off every time it comes on like "Missed2Mars".
I'm going to see it again to see if I can get a better feel for the movie. But now I can't wait to see the extended edition of "The Two Towers" to see what Peter Jackson unnecessarily cut out of the movie. All around, I do give it a 9 out of 10, just because it's a continuation of a movie that was a 12 out of 10 for me and had characters that I really care about. It is good and I hope "RotK" to be better than "Fellowship" and much better than this slight disappointment.
Peter, if you're reading this, please take a deep breath and calm down! Don't rush this story. You've got the fans. Now give them a story they will cherish for the rest of their lives!