Fantasy greatness with one of the best sieges put on film

Rating: 10/10 (19 August 2016)

Well, I'll be darned if this isn't one of the best epic movies I've ever seen in my life. And am ever likely TO see in my life. Following in the footsteps of THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, Peter Jackson's second instalment of the trilogy ups the ante tenfold, offering one amazing movie packed with heart, action, romance, dazzling effects, and brilliant characters. Thankfully free of the time-consuming introduction needed to begin the first part of Tolkien's trilogy, Jackson now has time to focus on developing characters, perilous quests, and, of course, out-and-out action. I'm an action lover at heart so I was in seventh heaven watching this movie. Everything you could want from the second book is here, up on screen and even more amazing than Tolkien could render. Plus, Jackson has done his magic and inserted a few memorable scenes of his own so there are plenty of surprises even for those who know whats coming.
Where to begin with such a film? The characters, I guess. Jackson takes the option of cross-cutting repeatedly between the three different sets of principal characters and his method pays off nicely, offering a well-rounded film that never lets up with the drama (I was astonished that three hours had passed by the time this was over – it felt more like just one hour). Merry and Pippin's encounter with the Ents is awe-inspiring stuff. Of course, a walking tree is a hard thing to portray, but with the aid of some outstanding special effects Jackson does it and does it so superbly. Then we have Frodo and Sam crossing the dead marshes (complete with creepy corpse ghosts – the horror imagery is strong in this movie folks, and Jackson doesn't skimp on the splatter either) and meeting up with totally CGI-created Gollum. Gollum is fantastic, a breath of life straight from the book; Andy Serkis does wonders with his voice and movements and helps to craft the flawed, schizophrenic psychology of the ugly but hugely sympathetic creature.
The main action, of course, comes from the whole Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli storyline, mixing in plenty of incident and nasty creatures along the way. The bear-like Whargs are violent and unpleasant; the Oliphants are amusing and breathtaking in equal measure; the Nazgul and their winged demons are fantastic to behold. Visually, the film is always spectacular, splendid and sweeping; it makes even better use of the varied New Zealand countryside than the last film which is no mean feat. Howard Shore's sweeping score is better than before and highlights the evocative nature of the movie, often threatening to overwhelm us with the sheer wonder of it all. This IS Tolkien.
Of course, the movie finishes off with the battle of Helm's Deep, a forty-minute non-stop barrage of carnage and destruction, explosions, mayhem and might. It's easily one of the best battles ever put on film and the special effects are entirely convincing (as they are throughout). I'll confess that I was close to tears at a couple of points – the white light streaming onto the battlefield, the breaking of the dam at Isengard – these flawless moments just choked me up and made me glad to be able to appreciate the true wonder of cinema. The cast is flawless – exemplary performances from the recurring cast members, kudos to newcomers Brad Dourif, Miranda Otto, and Karl Urban, and especial mention to Bernard Hill. Nothing more can be said. A modern classic I'm only too privileged to have seen on its opening night.