Number two - Even better

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2002)

Just came out of Two Towers. It's hard to believe but Peter Jacksons done it even better this time. I don't know if it's just because I followed the story easier or wheather it was more action than FOTR but those three hours just flew.
I dreaded rumours of a 45 minute battle scene but that was quite unfair as it was actually about three interwoven battles at the same time. It was so cleverly done that I didn't notice it was so long.
Criticisms: Merry and Pippin spent most of the film literally up a tree so added very little to the story line. Some of the filming was a little dizzying. Beautiful scenery but too much panning and zooming for my liking. Too many key scenes ended with not showing us the actual outcome of a certain event. It was OK the first couple of times but got a bit stupid after five or so times. Some of the graphics sequences actually looked like graphics. Gollum was very well done though. I swear it was a guy in prosthetics.
I found some unseen parts of FOTR were very cleverly interwoven Two Towers, particularly certain love scenes, which many people criticised FOTR for leaving out. It is hard to tell wheather PJ intended it to be this was or added it as an afterthought. Either way, it worked really well.
On the whole, another marvellous addition to the trilogy. I only gave it a 10 because I couldn't give it an 11. Best picture this time PJ? Good luck.