Tops the previous instalment

Rating: Null/10 (25 July 2016)

The Fellowship has gone their separate ways. Some shed of their mortal coil, others to recover captured friends, while two Hobbits venture towards Mordor to destroy the ring.
The skillful Kiwi director Peter Jackson along with co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens top the previous instalment not just in scale, notably the battle scenes and attack on Helm's Deep, but in character development. The Two Towers is a near on perfect a fantasy epic with more digestible dialogue, which builds tension and momentum that complements the action with its chases and lengthy and difficult conflicts.
Again Howard Shore's score is outstanding and heightens the emotional scenes and battles. The groundbreaking practical and digital visual effects, sets, costumes, props and locations are commendable. We have more weird and wonderful inhabitants of Middle- Earth as well as the introduction of new characters King Théoden (Bernard Hill), Miranda Otto is delightful as Eowyn and Gollum (CGI performed and voiced tremendously by Andy Serkis), is revealed fully. David Wenham is Faramir (brother of Boromir), worming calculating Wormtongue played by Brad Dourif and warrior Eomer is played by Karl Urban.
Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas becomes closer. With a telling flashback of his Balrog fight Gandalf the Grey returns as more serious Gandalf the White. There's sagacious interplay between Sam, Frodo and Gollum as their journey to destroy the ring is met with obstacles. Aragorn's love for Arwen is tested. With the drama of Théoden being under a draining mind control spell there's also plenty of action, Rohan's soldiers slicing and dicing Orcs and Uruk-hai, and a showdown with Warg riders where Aragorn seemingly dies. There's also two great battles, an army of Tree Ents taking on Saruman, while Rohan's army along with warrior Elves go head to head with a countless Orc and Uruk-hai armies at Helms Deep.
The extended version of The Two Towers like its predecessor improves on Jackson's theatrical cut, Sam uses his Elvish rope (which ties in with an extended scene in The Fellowship of the Ring), Merry, Pippin and Treebeard have more screen time and we find out how old Aragon actually is. Flashbacks reveal more of Faramir's family dynamics as well as more backstory to the sadly missed Boromir.
As a fantasy sequel and midway part you couldn't ask for much more, excellent entertainment.