Elves, Ents and Orcs...Oh My!!

Rating: Null/10 (23 December 2002)

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2002) **** Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Liv Tyler, John Rhys-Davies, Dominic Monaghan, Christopher Lee, Miranda Otto, Brad Dourif, Cate Blanchett, Karl Urban, Bernard Hill, David Wenham, Andy Sirkis, Hugo Weaving. Filmmaker Peter Jackson continues the saga of J.R.R. Tolkein's sprawling trilogy of fantasy and yore in this second action-packed episode with our heroes conveniently split up with three storylines running through its audacious epic tone poem: hobbits Frodo and Sam (Wood and Astin) are reluctantly united with the coveted ring's former possessor Gollum (aka Smeagol), the desiccated, pathetic/apathetic swamp creature (voiced and computer generated image of Sirkis), who directs them to their destiny: Mordor, the intimidating land being ruled by the vile Sarumon (Lee); hobbits Merry and Pippin (Monaghan and Boyd) are befriended by the Ent, a giant walking and talking tree (and convenient environmentalist) (voiced by Rhys-Davies) that is actually a forest shepherd/peace enforcement spirit; and rag-tag trio of human Aragorn (Mortensen brooding convincingly), elf archer extraordinaire Legolas (Bloom) and dyspeptic dwarf warrior Gimli (Rhys-Davies, again) also en route to Mordor while protecting the kingdom of Rohan in the midst of their noble quest. Exquisite New Zealand locales, gorgeous cinematography by Andrew Lesnie, operatic score by Howard Shore (with able assist by Greg Laporta) and audaciously fierce computer generated imagery especially the violent battle sequences between the evil orc horde and do-gooders of Middle Earth. Small gripe: not enough Liv Tyler! One of the year's best and one of the best (new) franchises in film history; cannot wait until the last chapter.