Very impressive, but one frustrating change (spoilers follow)

Rating: 9/10 (15 January 2003)

I was generally very impressed by this adaptation of the book. Gollum was very well done, and the character development and interactions were much better here than in the first movie.
I didn't mind the fact that certain changes had been made. For example, I was pleasantly surprised that Arwen was given more of a role and was generally a better developed character in the movies. Also, I thought it was a fun and interesting addition to have Elven warriors show up for the battle of Helm's Deep and it was perfectly believable within the context of the story. I was less impressed with the addition of the battle with the orc riders where Aragorn is presumed dead, but I didn't mind too much.
What actually really bothered me was the dramatic change in Faramir's character. In the book, even if he is momentarily tempted by the Ring, he never attempts to force Frodo to follow him to Gondor or anywhere else. He's different from his brother Boromir. I was very disappointed by this alteration. Faramir is one of my favorite characters, and I felt he was unjustly portrayed.
I was confused as to why the movie did not end with Frodo presumed dead in Shelob's Lair. If the added bit where Faramir goes out of character were to be removed, I'm sure there would have been space for Shelob.
The Ents weren't quite as I imagined them. I always thought they were much thicker. However, that's simply quibbling. The altered Ent Moot and so on was not a big deal, and it was too bad there were no Hurons at Helm's Deep, but I didn't really feel that loss either.
Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable adaptation. The images, sounds, and character interactions were very impressive, and the battle scenes were a lot of fun. I just wish Faramir had been more fairly portrayed.