The Two Towers

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2003)

Has it really been a year. With "The Two Towers" it certainly doesn't look so, because I was immediately thrown back into this epic adventure and even quicker reminded of its brilliance. The second installment of the Tolkien novel is shere perfection when it comes to visual and sound style, be it the special effects(which are basically flawless and have come a long way since "The Fellowship Of The Ring") or the beautiful photography or the amazing score and sound effects. But what it doesn't have is the essence of the first one, the atmosphere which was just too strong and great to last forever. Instead the movie relies on its final battle scenes (during which I often found my mouth wide open)and forgets about the fellowship. Aragorn is given new depth as he has much mores screen time and becomes the hero of this movie and Frodo discovers a new friend, Gollum, shere brilliance of computer animation. Despite the lack of "fellowship" from the first one "The Two Towers" provides for an unprecedented visual feast which, after "The Matrix" or "Minority Report" speaks for itself.
It's is probably going to be the weakest of the Ring Trilogy because let;s face it; Peter Jackson has spoiled us rotten, but it's still damn near perfection. 8/10