Wonderful movie

Rating: 9/10 (30 December 2002)

While some "reviewers" revel in their power-tripping anonymity of the internet, all I have to say that TTT is a more than worthy second part to this so-far amazing trilogy. Having read the trilogy many times over the last 25 years, I appreciate both the written word of Tokien, and the screen interpretation/adaptation of Jackson. As many comments indicated, Jackson preserved the spirit of LOTR, as he necessarily adapted the story for the screen. Gollum/Smeagal is an amazing achievement in CGI, and Serkis's portrayal deserves to be recognized. The "romance" of LOTR is in the epic itself, as the characters are but pawns being pushed and pulled by the circumstances and dynamics of the greater story. LOTR is not a Harry Potter story that is so simple that it can be adapted word for word onto the screen. There needed to be some manipulation to fit the story onto the screen, and in 3 parts that made sense visually, and in its continuity of the story. All told, a wonderful job by Jackson and his team.