Restores The faith In Cinema

Rating: Null/10 (19 December 2002)

Dear Gang,
Last night I was lucky enough to attend a preview screening of 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers' and I thought I would express my thoughts on the film.
The word phenomenal doesn't do it justice.
Without going into too much plot details I will discuss the visceral experience. From the instance the lights go down we are greeted with a gorgeous pan shot of the Middle Earth Highlands and from there we pick up where 'Fellowship' left off. This is an EPIC in every sense of the word. Every shot has been labouriously crafted to Ooze of another world, from the kinetic movements of the action sequences to the steady dolly shots of the grand landscapes of this Middle Earth, Jackson and his team have remained totally devoted to preserving the majesty and fantasy of their source.
It is an escapist's utopia, the seemlessness of merging digital effects with live action and mechanical effects has been mastered here in 'The Two Towers'. And this is where LOTR succeeds. Jackson has meticulously staged his battle sequences to blend the digital with the mechanical to such an effect that the true use of digital effects has finally been wholly realised - to support the story and not to support the film... And it is done to eyepopping synchronicity and impact. Nowhere is this more shown than in the character of Gollum. A completely CGI character in the film, performed by Andy Serkis, this is the first film that I have viewed, and my colleagues agree, that you feel connected to a completely digitally realised persona. Through the developments of this character we see how CGI can be used to enhance the cinema experience - not cheapen it (re: Star Wars Episode II, Spiderman). At no point does any effect in this film come across as cartoonish which shows another win for the creative team at Wingnut, by proving that the love of the characters is tantamount. And the love of the characters & detail to their environment is handled with such care for the original text that you feel the passion that the film makers have for it. LOTR is a story of characters and this is the ultimate engine of the films. 'The Two Towers' drives these characters forth, and, as with any great second act, momentum picks up & the characters bonds to one another are accentuated with subtle acknowledgements rather than overt blatancy (a common misgiving in American product). And with these subtleties come endearment to the audience. All of the principle performers are accomplished and do not serve as a distraction to the amazing backdrops that adorn the film. The end result is an Epic in every true sense of the word. You leave feeling full and dazzled, yearning to see it again and knowing that even though you've seen it once you haven't seen it all. This is a WINNER, don't walk to see it - RUN RUN RUN!!!!