Jaw-Dropping, Heart-Wrenching

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2002)

As I hoped, since all three movies were shot at the same time, the quality of "The Two Towers" is right up there with last year's "The Fellowship of the Ring". At first, I was a little apprehensive with the artistic license Peter Jackson was taking in this movie. But, after thinking about it awhile, the changes made do make sense for the movie version, anyway.

In the book, it is the Huorns (the nasty trees that the Ents keep under control) that actually take out a lot of Saruman's Orcs at Helm's Deep as well as Saruman's forces at Orthanc (Isengard). And of course, introducing yet another character that also gets almost no book exposure - Erkenbrand of Rohan - who comes in with the cavalry, would have been very confusing. So, having Haldir lead a troup of Elves from Lorien to help at Helm's Deep, and having Gandalf bring in the cavalry, does help to lessen confusion. I was dismayed at Haldir's death, but upon reflection, it would have been totally unbelievable if EVERY character survived such a savage and genocidal onslaught.
Regarding Faramir taking Frodo to Osgiliath before letting him go. This is just an expansion of the theme in Faramir's hidden fortress. In the book, Faramir was tempted to take the ring, although he did let Frodo go with full knowledge of what he carried. In the movie, Faramir also does this, albeit only after a change of mind and a little convincing (the winged Nazgul). The dangerous part of movie's change - having Frodo the Ringbearer ID'd by the Nazgul in Osgiliath - is that Sauron would now suspect that maybe his foes WEREN'T taking the ring to Gondor and Minas Tirith after all. He might now suspect there was a plan afoot to have the ring stealthily destroyed in Mt. Doom. That might cause him to focus less attention on Gondor, and more on his own realm's borders, to catch any attempt to get in. That would have resulted in the failure of Frodo's mission.
All in all, the movie delivers convincingly. Aragorn is coming into his own. Gollum is pitiable and sympathetic, as well as menacing. He steals the movie. Bernard Hill does an excellent job as Theoden, as does Miranda Otto as Eowyn. Uniquely beautiful, she is. Frodo and Sam are perfect, and Sam is really becoming a favorite (as he does in the book). Legolas and Gimli were good, too. Gimli was particularly funny in this one, and let's face it, the movie needed some relief of tension. I was very impressed with Treebeard and the Ents. I was hoping they wouldn't come across as silly, and for me, they didn't. Almost sad, they were.
I give it a 9/10. A subsequent viewing might make me change that to a 10/10. Don't miss this movie! But see "Fellowship" first!