"The battle for Helms Deep is over. The battle for Middle Earth is only beginning..."

Rating: Null/10 (30 December 2002)

Two down, one to go.
The middle part of a story is often the weakest - sort of an interim between the highs on either side (witness "24," "Murder One," "Twin Peaks" etc). "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" does qualify, but it's only inferior to "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" in the same way that drinking is inferior to imbibing.
The previous movie had the principals more or less united, with the storyline similarly concentrated; this time, with the main characters all over Middle Earth, the movie's a bit episodic at times and is also guilty of making Gimli into something of a comic relief character (and as for him and Legolas boasting about how many people they kill...). But it gradually hooks you in the same way the last one did, and there are ultimately plenty of reasons for you to continue the journey.
1. Ian McKellen; Bernard Hill; Viggo Mortensen; Christopher Lee; John Rhys-Davies; Sean Astin; Andy Serkis (unforgettable as Gollum); Elijah Wood; Miranda Otto; Liv Tyler (basically in an extended cameo, but Liv is always welcome)... basically everyone except Cate Blanchett. And even here she's blessedly kept to the absolute minimum.
2. The building up of the characters, even the other two hobbits.
3. Peter Jackson's Tim Burton-esque ability to bring to the screen some images that sound laughable when talking about them (ambulatory trees that can talk) and realise them with conviction.
4. Stunning special effects and battle scenes that stir you both artistically and emotionally.
5. Howard Shore's truly striking music.
6. The fact that you end up wanting the movie to go on for another three hours.
And come Christmas 2003, it will.