As did I! 
Posted on 12/19/2002 8:14:17 AM PST by Anitius Severinus Boethius
How does one begin to discuss a film that is at it's essence not a film in the way most people understand. There can be no mistaking, those who do not have an understanding of who these characters are, either from viewing the first movie or by reading the books, cannot begin to catch up with this movie. In that understanding, this movie cannot and does not stand on it's own. Unlike other "middle installments" (The Empire Strikes Back, The Temple of Doom, The Godfather Part II) this film is not a complete story, and for some non-book fans that will be a serious problem.
The second problem with the film is the unrelenting pace by which things happen. I say that it is a problem, but not in a bad way. It's like having a girlfriend or wife that is so attractive that other men are constantly staring. Or having your stock portfolio increase so much that the SEC investigates. You know, it's a problem, but not one you want to be rid of. The film is fast. Let me make that clear, it is F A S T.
Imagine the Die Hard movies all in 90 minutes. Bruce takes care of Alan Rickman and frees the skyscraper in 30 minutes before taking on rogue Special Forces at JFK and blowing up their plane at the 60 minute mark and then jumping in a cab with Sam Jackson to foil another group of terrorists in the city in another half hour. But don't cut any scenes.
The third problem, and again this is from someone who is very familiar with the books, is the uneveness of the story. This actually is a real problem, and why the film seems a bit choppy at time. Unfortunately, this is the good Professors doing and he left himself an out that Jackson couldn't take. The Frodo storyline is a much more contemplative storyline than the other two and feels much more mellow and sinister. Tolkien worked around this by keeping it seperate in his storytelling; Jackson had no such luxury. A fault with the film, but oddly enough the fault lies in not the director nor the material but rather in the medium itself.
Wow, sounds like I had a lot of problems with the film, doesn't it. Well, no. In fact quite the opposite. The problem with reviewing this film is there is such a cornucopia of real magnificant things that it is easier to recognize that which didn't work instead of that which did. Imagine talking about Ben-Hur without mentioning the chariot race. What a magnificant piece of film making! The Two Towers has so many "chariot race" type scenes that it would be impossible to describe them all and diminish them if you just took a sampling.
Absolutely the best film of the year, and that includes fan favorites such as Spiderman and critics favorites such as The Hours or Far From Heaven. Sadly, the problems with the film will stick out in the minds of many due to the consistantly excellent qualities that permeate this work of art. For that reason, I think that the academy might overlook many of the great accomplishments of this film. That is very dissapointing, because Andy Serkis, Howard Shore (whose score works much better in this film for me than in the first film), and especially Peter Jackson deserve to be holding little gold statues in March.
I didn't find it that way at all. Most of the movie was SO intense and fast-moving that I found it to be refreshing....a chance to relax a little before jumping back into the action. Not only that, but I thought it very efficiently resolved the conflicts generated by the love between Arwen and Aragorn.
Indeed he is! *Sigh*
As did I!
That was a great line.
Simple really. As long as the ring existed Middle Earth would not be free. The Ring had a will of its own and that will sought ever to reunite it with its creator. Only by the complete destruction of the Ring in the fires from which it came could the evil power of Sauron be defeated for once and for all.
That seemed like a sop to Terry Pratchett, who has a female dwarf character running through some of his Diskworld books. She scandalizes some of the other dwarves by wearing lipstick under her beard. Comments are made about not being able to tell a male from a female in his books as well.
My husband, the dentist, felt obliged to point out her class II malocclusion to me in the middle of the film, which he doesn't find particularly unattractive, however.
My only complaint is what they did with Faramir's character. augh.
Well, I have to run--have a lot of post-storm yard work to do!
Though I'm a tremendous fan of the movies, and utterly marvel at what Jackson has done... well, I think we'd all agree that sometimes he is stunningly true to the book, to the letter — and sometimes he takes liberties, as we should expect.
I just really hope this is one of the former, not the latter. For this scene, and the climactic one at Mt. Doom. Hard to imagine improving on the book at those points.
Dan
He objected because he didn't like how they handled the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
I agree basically. My wife loathed, particularly, the change in Faramir. We didn't care much for the change in the Entmoot, either. But I figure, it was the damage done to the trees that really moved the Ents in the book as well. So rather than having them aware of and moved by it at the Moot, Jackson et al. have Treebeard see it himself and call the war together. Washes out basically the same, but faster and more visually and emotionally.
Glad you enjoyed!
Dan
I disagree. At the end of ROTK, Frodo meets Wormtongue again, and shows pity on him -- even extending kindness. Wormtongue is touched by this and wants to accept Frodo's offer, but decides not to and makes a fateful decision. (I'd reveal more but don't want to spoil anything for the un-read).
Wormtongue is a despicable character, but as is typical with Tolkien, not utterly without humanity. I saw that tear as a tear of regret and guilt for what he has done. He wanted to rule, he wanted Eowyn, and in his shock at seeing Saruman's army, realizes that his dreams of power and "happiness" are gone forever. Even if the dark forces win, he'll never be more than a puppet. Saroman, he realizes, has the real power, and will never share it.
And, just a little nit-pick. How the hell could Wormtongue have been surprised by the army Saruman compiled. For crying out loud, there's 20,000 screaming orcs outside the window and he didn't notice?
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