Staggering Epic

Rating: 10/10 (23 December 2002)

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is for this trilogy what The Empire Strikes Back was for Star Wars. I don't know that The Return of the King will manage to be quite the film that this one is. The forboding and intensity is something that the finale by its very nature simply cannot be. I am a big fan of the middle chapter of any work because that is where the soul of the work lies. True drama lies in the characters and their struggles. Gollum is a wonder to behold. And despite the claims of many critics, The Ents are an awesome screen presence (They are my favorite characters in the novel). Their final attack on Saruman's Tower is one of the film's most incredible sights. The only real issue I have with the film is the meandering middle section. The Gondor/Rohan scenes are a bit of a drag. I personally enjoy films like this when they are showing me new and wonderful sights. The human story is a bit blah at times. Though it does culminate in the awesome battle of Helm's Deep, which is probably the best battle scene I've seen. Gimli the dwarf makes for perfect comic relief, especially as he tells Aragorn "Don't tell the elf you tossed me". The opening is wonderful as we hear the voice of Gandalf echoing through the stunning Middle Earth mountains and delightfully recognize where we are in the story. A fabulous movie that surpasses The Fellowship of the Ring.