An awe-inspiring, literate thrill-ride.

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2002)

I just saw "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" at a preview screening, and it was every bit as good as I expected it to be. The technical elements are cutting edge, and as in "The Fellowship of the Ring," perfect examples of special effects expertly used in the service of the story. This film will leave you breathless in places, awestruck and bowled-over with the fast-paced action and excitement.
"The Two Towers" is certainly darker and grittier than the first film-- as it should be.
Obviously, the question with this new Peter Jackson film, as with the last, is: Is it true to the book? Yes, it captures the spirit of Tolkien's writing, and in many places surpasses the dramatic tension of the books. Does it stray from Tolkien's plot: Yes, to a degree. To those that love the books, the differences will be obvious-- and maybe a little jarring-- but once you weigh the changes against the dramatic & visual impact the changes make, you reach the conclusion that these were the right choices for the movie. After all, this is the movie, not the book. Don't go expecting to "see the book," with every little plot detail and line of dialogue on the screen verbatim. It doesn't work that way. What Jackson has again given us is his visual interpretation of the spirit of Tolkien's Middle Earth, and the results are grand, epic, stunning, literate, surprising, vivid and unforgettable. A vastly entertaining film. Sadly, we now just have to wait another year to see the end of the story-- but that film, like this one, will surely be worth the wait.