Upholding

Rating: 9/10 (22 August 2005)

Although the expedition was in parts, the march was not over. Kind Frodo accepted bad Gollum without hearing the opinion of Sam. In fact without Sam, the task could not be finished. From the ending part of the first film, we could see Sam was realizing his promise.
The ring began torturing Frodo. His flesh and soul suffered double strike. But he still persisted in it. That was the hardest moment for Frodo in the journey. Insisting is just the victory. So does it in reality.
Although Saruman and Sauron were defeated, the dark lord Sauron still had the ability to reorganize the dark army and attack the mankind again. The peace for Middle-earth had not come yet.
The hardship in the journey deepened the friendship between Frodo and Sam, Merry and Pippin. They endured the test, though the victory had not come yet. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
As the second film of TLOTR trilogy, it is necessary and satisfying. 9/10