The Two Towers; One Freepers Review

12/19/02 | Anitius Severinus Boethius

[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.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yes, I liked Gollum! How can you not?

I have to admit I felt a little invaded by him on the first view.... He was so close to the camera! Because I picture him as a lurking, shy shadowy character that would probably cringe at close contact, I would have put him farther back, as afraid to be near us (the audience) as he would be to be close to Frodo and Sam. Does that make sense?

Now... I got over it, and I can certainly tell why they brought him up so close... They were proud of their creation, and rightfully so!

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Why shouldn't holders of the original three elven rings (three rings for the elven kings...) not be able to have a special mental relationship.

They do. Ring-bearers can see the minds of other ring-bearers. Such is shown when the Fellowship arrives in Lothlorien and Galadriel comments, "Gandalf the Grey has passed into the shadow. I can no longer read his thoughts" (or something to that effect).

Hence also why Frodo could see Galadriels ring, Nenya, but Sam could not.

Read "The Mirror of Galadriel" from Fellowship of the Ring.

[epluribus_2]

What he/she said.

(Actually, I just saw a reference to a journal that JRRT commented in that explicitly declares that all ME sentients were originally telepathic but lost the abilities in degrees - elves the least but telepathy was quite the norm in the elder days.

[Elenya]

Plus, he looked like he could be Sean Bean's brother...I expect a good performance from "Faramir" in ROTK.

Yes he does look like Boromir, which is why that critic was saying he only got the part because of it. As I said, I disagree and I think he played Jackson's Faramir very well.

[HairOfTheDog]

What do you mean by "Aragorn forgot he was supposed to be a leader"?

You really pick at a lot of strange details... the lighting? The lighting is what they wanted it to be... I didn't even notice lighting, so I guess it must have been good.

And you didn't see them carrying ladders? - When did we get a clear shot of all 10,000 orcs, and what they were carrying? We didn't see the army approaching but from a distance.

And I like the character of Faramir OK... He was also sharp in the book, and Frodo was intensely fearful that he would be like Boromir. How are you going to portray that fear within Frodo, without giving Faramir that edge to show the audience what Frodo feared? We can't read Frodo's thoughts like we can in a book.

And we can't view this as the complete Faramir, only the first chapter of him. Much of his character is yet to come.

[evad]

..putting on a dark cloak and a scuba helmet and leading the clone army

Can't we just once leave Hillary out of a thread ;)

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Yes, Gandalf wears one, as does Galadriel, and so does Elrond. I don't remember exactly what each one does, but Galdalf's has something to do with fire.

Elrond's ring is called Vilya, the Ring of Air. Originally crafted by Celebrimor, and passed to Gil-Galad, who fell at the Last Alliance battle. Elrond possessed the ring after that.

Gandalf's is the Red Ring of Fire, Narya. It was originally worn by Círdan the Shipwright, but he passed it on to Gandalf.

Galadriel's ring is Nenya, the Ring of Water (or also known as the Ring of Adamant).

Those three rings were made outside the will of Sauron, hence the reason he has no control over them. They allow the bearers to gain insight to the other bearer's thoughts and mind.

[HairOfTheDog]

The high elves, and Gandalf, certainly had much ability to communicate from long distances... see things that happen and perhaps send messages. They are mysterious that way. Galadriel sensed that Gandalf was not really dead somehow, certainly, and sent for him at Caradhras.

How many times in the story were messages sent on ahead by the elves, in mysterious ways we didn't really understand? The elves the the hobbits met in the Shire sent messages that reached Rivendell, and Galadriel knew the Fellowship had left Rivendell, even though no messengers could have beat the Fellowship there when they arrived... It is one of the mysteries PJ was interested in enough to show in the film.

[BornOnTheFourth]

I KNOW!!!!! I can't wait! I'm dying with anticipation...must wait until Friday night, but ahhhh...I can't wait!!!!!

[FormerRep]

The forging of the rings:

It was the Elves of Eregion who made all the rings, except for the One which Sauron forged by himself in Mount Doom.

After the defeat of Morgoth in the First Age, some of the remaining Noldorin Elves settled in Eregion and built a city called Ost-in-Edhil around the year 750 in the Second Age close to the west gate of the dwarven kingdom of Moria. About the year 1200, Sauron came among the Elves in a fair form using the name Annatar (Lord of Gifts), but with a dark plan to ensnare them. Sauron greatly desired to "persuade the Elves to his service, for he knew that the Firstborn had the greater power [Silm]." He taught them secret lore, and with this knowledge their craftsmen (a guild called the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, the People of the Jewel-smiths) created the Rings of Power which included the Seven and the Nine. But Sauron had a part in the creation of these rings and he guided the Elves in their making. However, the Three Elven Rings were conceived and made by the Elven-smith, Celebrimbor, alone, and Sauron never touched the Three.

[BornOnTheFourth]

LOL! Dan, I knew you would. What theater did you go to? I want one with BIG screens and awesome sound.

[Liberal Classic]

Thank you. I would have had to look that up. :)

[ItsOurTimeNow]

And Gandalf, being a Maiar, did not posess that ability to the degree that the High Elves would have.

[Question_Assumptions]

If you want to have something really horrific going through your mind instead of Elrond saying "Mr. Anderson", try watching this short movie first. You've been warned. If you watch it, don't come crying to me that you can't get it out of you mind.

[philosofy123]

Did anyone watch the PBS propaganda show on how nice Mohammad was? It is a shame that our tax dollars support this worthless organization.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Hair, I think Gandalf had an increased "6th sense", given his power as the mightiest Wizard, but did not necessarily posess the communication abilities that the Elder elves did. His posession of the Ring of Fire certainly augmented this, however.

Remember, he suspected that Bilbo's ring was The One, but was not certain until he researched Isildur's records in Minas Tirith.

Methinks Galadriel or Elrond (backed up as he is...lol) would have known right away.

My $.02 anyway.

[My2Cents]

Well, unfortunately (or maybe "fortunately") I don't have Quicktime on my computer. No can see.

[HumanaeVitae]

It's not often that a normal theatergoer notices the editing in a movie, but this movie was masterfully edited. The pacing was brilliant.

[sweetliberty]

Thought y'all might want to check out this thread before show time.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

MAKE IT STOP!!! LOL