Bloody good escapism that leaves you hungry yet satisfied!

Rating: Null/10 (18 December 2002)

I am not a hard core fan of the Trilogy of The Lord of the Rings but as a movie buff, I can safely say that this installment, The Two Towers, is no less than the second in what appears to be a hat trick by Peter Jackson! It is destined for blockbuster business and a slew of Oscar nominations. It may even surpass the original in many ways.
The story starts right into the next chapter without recounting or summarizing the previous feature-bravo for being gutsy enough to trust your audience, Mr Jackson. The film diverges into three parallel storylines following each set of heroes in their quest to merge various groups of people to fight the powerful evil forces. Without losing the thrust of Frodo and his journey with the dreaded ring, we find several new characters being introduced (including a wonderful computer enhanced creature).
Clocking in at 179 minutes, the film is superbly paced and yet methodical in its characterizations and various subplots. The action is grand and mind boggling. It is almost breathtaking in its sweep and audacity. A perfect blend of special effects, set design, and natural scenery.

One can imagine Pater Jackson and his team expanding on the original source novel by enhancing the romantic aspects and the action set pieces, but as true entertainment, it was a shrewd and successful choice.
For this type of film and story, it is as close to perfection as they come. The finale cannot come soon enough!