A Second Look, With Subtitles In Parts, Made This Much Better

Rating: 9/10 (2 August 2006)

I didn't really appreciate this second installment of the LOTR trilogy until I watched this for the second time. The key was how I looked at the key character of this film: "Gollum" (Andy Serkis.). Once I began to appreciate and marvel at this weasel-like character, my opinion of the film went from bad to good. That doesn't mean I like that slimy creature: I don't, but I am more fascinated by him rather than totally annoyed as I was with the first viewing. A big reason was that I put on the English subtitles, so I was able to understand everything he said. I recommend doing that you has a similar problem deciphering his dialog. Now I more fully understood what a tortured soul that pathetic creature was.
Anyway, this second installment, as in the first, offers a lot of fascinating sights and sounds and a nice varied platter of action scenes and wild characters. For younger kids, I am to happy to say there is absolutely nothing, language-wise, that would offend anyone but the violence is heavy and brutal at times.
This is a solid, highly-recommended second installment in the trilogy. It's epic film-making. No, it may not be equal to the first - The Fellowship Of The Ring - but what adventure story is?