Riddled With Flaws

Rating: 6/10 (14 January 2003)

I understand that many people don't think it is a valid criticism to say that this movie doesn't follow the book. So let's set aside the book and look at this movie as a movie. While it is beautifully shot and the acting is roughly equivalent to the first film, The Two Towers fails at crucial moments. For example (SPOILERS):
1. First, and most important, the end of this film is not believable. The battle of Helm's Deep is a complete rout. There are literally 10,000 orcs out on the plains in front of the fortress, and Aragorn decides to ride out with 10 men on horseback?!? Then we see Gandalf up on a hill about 1/2 mile away, on the other side of the orc army, charging forward with what appears to be a couple hundred men. The way this battle is staged, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli must die. I didn't think Gandalf would make it past the first row of spears set in the ground. And are we supposed to believe that 10,000 orcs, including numerous archers who are standing within 100 yards of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, all turn around and completely ignore our heroes when Gandalf charges? Isn't it a tad more likely that our heroes are immediately pelted with thousands of arrows? This battle is insulting to the audience's intelligence. Mr. Jackson fades the battle out, as he must, because there is no way that the forces of good are going to win. This is not a minor problem. Mr. Jackson has chosen to make the battle at Helm's Deep the climax of this film. The fact that this climax is not credible is a serious flaw in this film, and one that I just couldn't overlook.
2. Mr. Jackson's decision to use the battle of Helm's Deep as the climax of his film meant that he had to spend an inordinate amount of time showing people shuffling toward the fortress, shuffling into the fortress, sitting in alley ways, getting weapons, missing Aragorn, rejoicing when Aragorn comes back . . . . There is no real action or character development going on during this hour of screen time. This build up could have been replaced with something more essential to the storyline.
3. Treebeard and the other Ents take half a day to pronounce someone's name. They have stood in the forest for thousands of years and seen countless trees fall and be destroyed. Yet, for some reason, they rashly decide to wreak havoc on Saruman because he has destroyed what looks to be about 50 feet of treeline. Not very consistent with their character, so why do they do it? The only reason I could discern is that Mr. Jackson wants us to think that Merry has done something clever for once. This thin reed of justification cannot support such an obvious break from character.
4. Aragorn being dragged over the cliff by a worg served two obvious purposes. First, we get to see that Eowyn loves him. But we knew that already. Second, he spots the army of orcs. We knew that as well. Further, the fall over the cliff feels crassly manipulative. We don't seriously believe that Aragorn is dead, but we are forced to watch the characters display their grief. Ugh. I wish this screen time had been used for any other purpose.
5. Faramir's decision to bring Frodo into Gondor seemed like a pointless detour, and, sadly, one that inadvertantly led to some mighty contrived acting by Elijah Wood. Ian Holm and the computer-generated Gollum are fine when showing the pull of the ring's power, but the ring seems to make Mr. Wood stare into space. Also, what exactly is it that changes Faramir's mind? Seeing Frodo try to give the ring to a ringwraith convinces Faramir that he should let Frodo continue to carry the ring into Mordor? Huh?
What do all these flaws have in common? None of them are in the books. Tolkien spent literally decades crafting his trilogy. I understand that some things must be cut from the books for the sake of time. Mr. Jackson showed admirable discretion in the first film, which was a compelling adaptation of the novel. This film falls far short. It is still beautifully rendered, but that is not enough to save a film riddled with flaws.
I was sorely disappointed by this picture.