Very good with one weakness...

Rating: 6/10 (20 December 2002)

Great special-effects, great acting, most of the time suspense-packed, but unfortunately I could not find much of the often cited "darkness" in this movie...
The "bad guys", Orks and Uruk-hais, surely look great but anyway they don't have a threatening effect on me...
At the final battle at Helm's Deep they can be easily killed in dozens like in a computer game but on the other side one can see hardly no men or elbs dying or even have a brutal fight. Gimli's too many jokes and some unnecessary slapstick-like scenes as Legolas surfing on a shield take out the dramatic of the battle scenes, too. Unfortunately the question "More Saruman hasn't to offer?!?" that somebody expresses during the fight is justified.
At the end the battle is suddenly over and I didn't have the impression that there was an intensive fight before. Although it was brilliantly animated I was a little bit disappointed of the battle of Helm's Deep!
All in all the movie still is great! Let's say 9/10...