Spectacular, Surpasses "Fellowship"

Rating: Null/10 (14 December 2002)

My wife and I saw this film at a Carleton College benefit in Minneapolis December 13 (one of the executive producers, Barrie Osborne, graduated from Carleton in 1966). We saw "Fellowship" at a similar fundraising event last year. Like "Fellowship" the attention to detail on this film was exquisite and the whole affair was masterfully produced and directed. I was never a big fan of the books, but I would say that "The Two Towers" was in every way a better film than "The Fellowship of the Ring". When the battle of Helm's Deep began, I was certain that the film would end there; and that we would end up with a "cliff-hanger" ending, and a film that was only a come-on for the next installment. But "The Two Towers" was, on its own, complete and satisfying. The Battle of Helm's Deep was an astonishing cinematic achievement all by itself; and that is only 1/3 of the movie. If you liked the first one, you'll love this one. If you loved the first one, get some friends to go with you so they can carry you out of the theater. You'll have the time of your life. This is grand, epic filmmaking. This is why they invented movies.