Part Two: An Examination of Trust, Intention, and Goodness

Rating: 10/10 (30 November 2007)

The Two Towers is the second book in Tolkien's masterpiece trilogy of invented English mythology and the second film in Peter Jackson's film trilogy based on the original mid-20th century novels.
The Fellowship has physically disbanded, though through its bonds of purpose and friendship, remains intimately connected. Two Towers follows the members of the fellowship through their continuing, and increasingly dark and dangerous, adventures as they each do their part (whether accidental or intentionally) to try to save all that is good in Middle Earth from the power-hungry eye of Sauron, Lord of Mordor. Frodo (Wood) and Samwise (Aston) are lead by their captive Smeagol/Golem (Serkus) to Mordor, but Golem's intentions are, at best, suspicious.
The ring has begun to taint Frodo's mind and soul, and rage and hate make fleeting and uncharacteristic appearances in this previously innocent and light-hearted Hobbit. He has already begun to recognize that he and Golem have more in common than anybody would care to admit. His profound friendship with Sam is very nicely portrayed in this film and is as central in the film as it is in Tolkien's original work. Smeagol/Golem is also treated sympathetically and his ambiguity and the polarity of his personalities are key to his role as an unpredictable element.
The story also introduces three major human characters- Theodin (Hill), Eowyn (Otto), and Farromir - all of whom will play important parts in the Fellowship's mission as the story progresses. Two important, but less often present characters are also introduced  Grima Wormtongue (Dourif) and Eomer (Urban). As I discussed in my review of the Fellowship, the casting and acting are perfect, and the new additions are no exception.
Andy Serkus' and the animation team's Golem becomes a major character in The Two Towers. Serkus' contributions to the character are profound, and very nicely reflected in the special features for the Two Towers. I look forward to seeing more work from this performer and I sincerely hope that he does not go over-looked or remain type-cast.
In the first film, during a valiant and successful attempt to prevent harm from coming to Frodo, Merry and Pippin (Monaghan and Boyd) are carried off by Saruman's army, narrowly escaping into Fangorn forest when the Uruk'Hai party is slain by an exiled band of Rohirim lead by Eomer. The hobbits manage to wind up in the hands of an Ent  a wise old walking tree and steward of the forest, who they try to convince to join in the fight against Saruman and Sauron.
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas continue their dogged attempt to rescue Merry and Pippin, and an old friend unexpectedly re-enters the story as several components of the Fellowship come together to devise an improbable defense of the land of Rohan against the overwhelming force of Mordor.
Like The Fellowship, the Two Towers manages to capture the essence of Tolkien's story and characters while rearranging portions for better cinematic continuity and emphasizing interpretive connections which are not wholly obvious in Tolkien's writing. Two elements keep Frodo from the brink of abject insanity  Sam and Smeagol. Smeagol's addiction to the ring allows Frodo to sympathize with him in a way that only an addict can understand. Sam's pure and clear-headed love for Frodo offers a sane and reliable anchor. Other members of the Fellowship help each other in similar ways as Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas prepare for battle and Gandalf works hard to repair the damaged bonds between Rohan and Gondor.
The darkest and most uncomfortable of the three movies, The Two Towers is also, in some ways, the most powerful. The themes are morality, sacrifice, friendship and, as always, the nature and just use of power. Many have commented on Tolkien's religious beliefs and their permeation throughout the LOTR, but it is worth noting that the great scholar uses components of many different cultures and belief systems to create the world he portrays, and  from a strict Roman Catholic perspective (Tolkien's religion of choice) - there are many more blasphemies in LOTR than there are catholic metaphors and symbols. In the Two Towers, the internal power struggle between good and evil gains momentum within the fellowship's principal protagonists. As with the fellowship, the art direction, score and soundscaping subtly add great depth to the entire experience.
The story and its themes are in no way subordinated to the technical merit of the film, but its methods are still very noteworthy. Golem is not an animated insertion who intrudes in every scene, but rather, a fully developed central character around whom Frodo and Sam's story arc revolves. The sets and landscapes, just like the Fellowship before it, are immersive and in every way as sensually real as if they had been built thousands of years ago and weathered by exposure to the elements of Middle Earth. The battle scenes are exciting, dramatic and believable. And the special features on the Special Edition box set explain how all of this was accomplished with lucidity.