A spectacle that marries Myth and Method...

Rating: Null/10 (19 December 2002)

'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' continues exactly where the first left off. The majestic panoramic shots introduce the viewer to the frenzy that is 'The Lord of The Rings' and the epic saga continues as the audience quickly becomes reacquainted with the cast of characters that first appeared last Christmas. Director Peter Jackson closely adheres to his general strategy that was introduced in the first film. Seeing as the three films were filmed consecutively, his strategy seems to be efficient. This strategy includes picturesque cinematography, stunning visual effects and his trademark and climactic theatrical action sequences are all included in this arcane three-hour opus that is not applicable to all tastes. Those fans that have religiously followed the filming and releases will be quite pleased with the end result. Fans such as myself who first tasted the LOTR aura will also enjoy the film, and more so, might enjoy it even more than the first film. It is a much more thought provoking film as the unexplained is explored and the entire film serves as a nice supplement to the origin piece. It should be mentioned that Jackson is not trying to win over any new LOTR fans, he starts his picture quickly and galvanizes the viewer with a myriad of subplots the viewer must swiftly adapt to as they all have one link - the ring. Upon the first film's release last Christmas, I was very skeptic about the quality of the film residing in the hands of Director Peter Jackson. His previous efforts included the small film 'Heavenly Creatures' and the Michael J. Fox Horror/Comedy 'The Frighteners'. Yet upon the original LOTR film completion, I respected and admired the filmmaker for his ambitious undertaking, but could not find myself frenzied with the film. This was in part to my stubborn view that Jackson had more focus on style than substance. In my eyes, the original wanted to impress more than tell a story. As such, while the first film was grand in its' own way, the second reigns superior due to its juxtaposition of subplots, main plot and gothic approach in story telling. The second film neglects the aspect of brotherhood and good reason, themes the first film heavily explored. This film also releases focus on the power of the ring, this piece looks at the journey of one's inner strength, as all our characters must succumb to the realization that their mission to destroy the ring might destroy themselves. This realization arises due to the separation of our 7 characters that appeared in the original film. In this session, they are one less and the six characters embark on a journey separate from one another all in the hopes of one mission - destroying the ring. Fans will remember Jackson made it a point to demonstrate the power of the ring, yet in this film, the power is emoted in a subtle manner. Its' carrier, Frodo (played once again with childish angst by Elijah Wood) is held hostage by the mystical power of this ring and instead of displaying its utter destruction upon others, Jackson shows the inner battle of Frodo between himself and the ring. As the carrier of the ring, many inner battles arise as he must guard himself and others from the malevolence of the ring. Far superior than the first, this film captures all the mythology, the mystery and the metamorphosis between all the characters and their descent into a fierce battle with the villains of Middle-earth. This film is a bleak, morbid, dark three hour epic that moves much more quickly than the first in terms of plot development. As always, the action sequences are spectacular and serve not as eye candy, but as a device of story telling. Jackson fills his frames and paints his pictures with uber-detail as each frame of this film carries his imprint. It would be unfair of me to fully review this film, as I aforementioned; this is not a film I would regularly look forward to. Mythology and folklore are not cinematic themes that appease me, yet the quality of this film is above standard and its style are to be envied. As such, I know many critics have also hailed this film a masterpiece and one of the year's best films. Let me repeat, this is not the type of film that excites me terribly. Yet, it still is a good film, with phenomenal production values and a score by Howard Shore that will leave you breathless during the epic sequences. That said, come Oscar time, it will not obtain as much attention as the first did. The film holds nothing revolutionary except for a CGI Composition that actually becomes a key figure within the film.
The stunning complexity behind the character 'Smeagol', a devilish looking creature stalking Frodo and Sam (the Hobbits guarding the ring) is astonishing. The New Zealand Company Weta Digital has pushed the limits of technology with a psychotic and at times quite amicable creature that plays with the feelings of the audience as he battles his inner psychosis. The craft and artisanship behind this character allowed it to be a truly believable and viable character able to emote feeling, anger and inner hatred. As the movie progresses, we discover this creature - Smeagol was not always a hideously disfigured creature, but he contains a past directly linked with the ring. And as the film ends, he plays a pivotal role in setting up the final and grandest of the three pictures. It is difficult to review a film of this caliber. It can be summarized clearly this film; in my opinion it is one notch above the original. It focuses less on the Orcs and all the other evil-doers and spotlights the ring and the journey behind it, and what lies ahead. This is truly another ambitious undertaking and a testament to Jackson's passion for the film. Jackson has tremendous actors in front of the camera allowing to capture some wonderfully framed sequences and the irreverent Sir Ian McKellan returns once again as Gandolf. The cast is just a small element of a film that marries myth and method in quite a sublime way. It encompasses adventure, myth, inner hatred, greed and most of all temptation. While it surely will not be on my Top 5 List of 2002, it still is recommended if the material attracts you.
Giancarlo's Rating: **1/2