Not as compelling as 'Fellowship'

Rating: 5/10 (4 July 2003)

Being a fan of the novels since I read them in 1998, I was doubtful when it was announced they were being made into a trilogy of movies. I didn't know if the books could be done justice on the big screen. When The Fellowship of the Ring first came out, I was awestruck. It was a breathtaking blend of fantasy, drama and action. I actually felt for these characters as they played out the history of Middle-Earth, and it's been a long time since any film moved me emotionally. I saw it eight times in theaters, each time noticing new details and nuances. Changes from the book were irrelevant; alterations were inevitable and the changes that were wrought did not detract from the experience, and added to the overall aesthetic of the film. I couldn't have been happier.
When The Two Towers came out a year later, I could hardly be restrained from seeing it as soon as possible. Any thought that the movie wouldn't be as good as Fellowship didn't cross my mind; I had been spoiled, so to speak, by the first film. I came out of the theater that night disappointed at what I had seen. I was sure it was Lord of the Rings, but it had lost something. I watched Fellowship again, and contrasted the two films; there was something different. The characters were superficially the same, the action and cinematography similar, but there was something the first film had that the second did not; a spark, a feeling, a certain virility, that seemed to bring it to life, as if what was happening on the screen became somehow possible in real life. When I looked back to the second film, I was emotionally unengaged, intellectually cynical. I could not gain the suspension of disbelief that was so easy sitting through the first film. Their plight was too artificially produced and dealt with, their motivations unsatisfactory. The way the characters acted and interacted was melodramatic and unbelievable. I just didn't care about any of it anymore.
This movie is comparable to films like Return of the Jedi or The Matrix: Reloaded. Sort of the same as the others, but not nearly as good, in a big way. I can only hope a better job is done with Return of the King.