I don't know what book Peter Jackson was reading, but it wasn't Tolkiens 'The Two Towers'!

Rating: 3/10 (18 December 2002)

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** A few disclaimers:
First, I have enormous respect for the effect of Tolkien's work despite the fact that, to be honest, his writing style doesn't do much for me.
Second, I loved the first movie. It really brought the book to life for me. The changes PJ made were forgivable because, like having Arwen save Frodo in order to get Liv Tyler more screentime, they didn't particularly alter the plot or the nature of the characters.
Third, I was annoyed with people who slammed the first movie for whatever little quibble they could come up with. I wanted these movies to be great and get no satisfaction out of reporting otherwise.
No, with this second installment it seems that Jackson and co have decided to throw Tolkien's book out the window in favor of their own screenwriters in far more meaningful ways. In interviews, Peter Jackson has even acknowledged that he thought the books were too "dense" and that they needed to be "simplified" for the average person who was unfamiliar with the books. The best part is that in the same interview, his justification for all this is that "there is a lot of money at stake here".
Well, the really sad part is that it didn't even work. During the beginning of the movie, I was trying to watch it as someone who had never read the book (which was not so difficult as it had been some time since I had) and was already disappointed. Characters are introduced too quickly, plotlines are rushed... and the changes this time around are far from trivial.

-- SPOILERS BELOW --
Of my wife and I's three favorite characters, only Eowyn, who is actually played quite well, is spared. Poor Gimli has been reduced to comic relief and does little more than fall off horses, be the subject of height jokes and axe people in the groin (yes, the film actually sinks this low). But Faramir fares worst. Apparently the average, non-tolkien-reading person off the street can't grapple with a concept as complex as a man who shows the wisdom to, unlike his brother, see the ring for what it is and not try to take it. No, in this version we are given the 'simplified' Faramir, who does try to take the ring and deliver it to his father as a gift. It takes a close call with a Nazgul (which also never appears in the book) and Samwise spelling it out to him for the 'simplified' Faramir to actually let the ringbearer go. Simplified, or just plain simpleton? The worst part is that this change does absolutely NOTHING for the plot! Sam and Frodo still end up parting ways with Faramir and his men and Faramir is still on his way to defend Gondor. The only difference is that anyone who has read the book and loved the character of Faramir is now disgusted with what we've been given instead.
I said that was the worst part. Actually, I lied. The worst part is that there are numerous scenes like this. A completely new, ill-contrived subplot involving Aragorn and Arwen wastes time by doing nothing but giving still more screentime (now in a story that the character isn't even meant to appear in) to a Mabeline-laden Liv Tyler and then taking us back to exactly where we started (unless PJ ends up messing with the characters in even more tasteless ways in the next film). The 'simplified' ents, rather than noticing that a huge chunk of their forrest has been hewn down, initially refuse to take part and have to be manipulated by Pippin into going to Isengard before doing anything. All of these changes seem inferior to the book version and yet they all deposit their characters in roughly the same position as their counterparts in the book. It makes one wonder what PJ was thinking in making the changes at all.
I feel betrayed and alienated by this movie. It would have been much better if the first film had been lousy. I wasn't expecting much at the time. But having longed to see Helm's Deep on the big screen for so long, when I saw Jackson's "Fellowship.." I developed a faith that it could actually happen. Never in my wildest imaginings would I have expected to be contemplating leaving in the middle of it. The thought actually crossed my mind that 'maybe the whole thing is really just a bad dream and then I'll wake up and we'll go see the real movie'. My wife, who is the real Tolkien fan of the family, was left literally in tears.
For those who are interested, here's the most complete list of major (ie not just nitpicking about lines added or sideways glances omitted) changes that we could put together
Gandalf literally excorcises Saruman from posession of Theoden The character of Faramir is radically different Gimli is mostly comic relief
New subplot with dog riders attacking the people of Rohan en route to Helm's deep, aragorn's "death" and Arwen's (apparent) descision not to stay with him.
Theoden is much less heroic at Helm's Deep and has to be coaxed into doing anything.
Elves show up to announce their alliance with the humans and save the day at Helm's Deep (????)
The women and children of Rohan are kept in Helm's deep instead of another keep in the mountains apparently for no other reason than to give us lots and lots (and lots) of shots of women and children crying during the fight. Eowyn is therefore there at the battle, but neither fighting nor having been given stewardship over her people.
Ents have to be tricked by pippin to decide to to do anything about Saruman
No shelob *
Gandalf does not confront Saruman (he's never even at Isengard) *
Gandalf and co never receive the plantir (black, spherical seer stone thing) *

* = this may just have been moved to the beginning of the third movie.