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(CNN) -- The epic legend of "The Lord of the Rings" continues -- and the second installment, "The Two Towers," is an utter triumph.
As most people know, all three of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" books were adapted to film at the same time, so this cinematic transition to episode two appears seamless.
Taking up where "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" left off, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" reunites us with hobbits Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin), who have been separated from The Fellowship and are lost in the hills of Emyn Muil. They are still mourning the loss of kindly wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), who was killed at the end of Part One. But fear not: Gandalf may be down, but he's not out.
The hobbits are followed by the mysterious Gollum, an amazing creature which is totally computer generated and voiced by Andy Serkis. Gollum used to be the keeper of the ring until Frodo's uncle, Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm), stole it from him and brought it back to the Shire in the first film. (Whaaat?!)
The overprotective Sam harbors an immediate dislike towards Gollum, but the ever-trusting Frodo, perhaps feeling a kinship for someone who has also had to bear the pressures and consequences of holding the ring, takes pity on the strange, hairless little being. Gollum joins Sam and Frodo, leading them to the fortress of the evil wizard Saruman, played by Christopher Lee, whose hairdo looks a lot like Cher's in her latest music video. (Again, Whaaaaat?!) But I digress. Saruman intends to regain the ring, which will give him the power to throw Middle Earth into everlasting darkness and despair.
In two other parallel journeys, hobbits Merry (Dominic Monagahan), and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are being held captive by the Uruk-hai, and human warrior Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), elf archer Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli the dwarf (John Rhys-Davies) are besieged by evil forces in the Rohan kingdom, whose King Theoden (Bernard Hill) has fallen under Saruman's deadly spell.
Once again filmed against the magnificent scenery of New Zealand (with a little tweaking from the folks in the special effects department), the story flashes back and forth between the three adventures, as members of The Fellowship face unimaginable obstacles and dangers, including a lethal army of 10,000 soldiers under the leadership of Saruman.
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The weakest of the three stories is the one involving Merry and Pippin. After they escape from the Uruk-hai during a ferocious battle, they are taken in by Treebeard, a living, walking tree-shepherd who is the oldest living being in Middle Earth. Until the very end of the film, Merry and Pippin just ride around in Treebeard's branches while lamenting the tree's lack of interest in helping The Fellowship fight against Saruman. (Yeah, I guess the whole Sacking of Isengard is pretty weak, huh?)
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli face much more action, intrigue and deception in the Kingdom of Rohan, while Sam and Frodo -- who have penetrated the fortress at Barad-dur deep within the dark forests of Mordor -- barely survive numerous attempts to kill them and steal the ring.
It's not the valiant members of The Fellowship, however, but the woefully pathetic Gollum who steals the show. His constant inner battles to either help or kill the hobbits -- and thereby regain the coveted ring -- are beautifully portrayed through the exquisitely crafted special effects. (break) "The Two Towers" does not disappoint. This film is a fitting companion to the astounding "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." It just keeps getting better and better. If part three, the conclusion to this grand adventure, maintains the same caliber -- and there seems no reason to think it won't -- this trilogy will go down in cinematic history as a true masterpiece.