DO NOT GO WHEN YOU ARE TIRED, SEE THIS WITH FULL CAPACITY. THIS FILM WILL MAKE YOU USE YOUR MIND DURING THE VIEWING.
All I can say is wow! To the TOlkien Purist, the changes will stick out, but it does not distract from the overall story.
However, the film left me aprehensive about the last installment, The Return of the King. Before I saw FOTR, I didn't know what to expect, keeping my expectations low so as not to be disappointed...and I was blown away. With TTT, the anticipation level was high and it was well worth the wait. Now...my expectation for the third installment is bound to go through the roof, that I'm nervous ROTK will let me down...
GO see this movie....!!!
Just kidding...gotta go see it and wait for installment three.
Dang it - I just erased two spoiler paragraphs. I did take exception to two unnecessary (IMHO) liberties taken with the plot, those being the upshot of Entmoot, and Aragorn's little diversion after the Warg attack. It doesn't strike me that either added anything to the story. I won't go beyond that for now in deferral to those who haven't seen the movie yet - come ON, people, it's been out for 24 hours now!
Let me tell the half-dozen or so of you who haven't seen it yet just how seductive it is - I will confess to being sorely tempted to see the movie again last evening. That would have been twice in around 12 hours. It's that good.
There is no doubt. This is the greatest movie of all time.
That's a benign interpretation.
That said, an EXCELLENT film! It should get many Oscars -- except that it is very un-PC in several places, specificly as they prepare for battle, Eowyn is practicing her sword moves - Aragorn is surprised by how good she is, she replies something to the effect that women can die from swords, whether or not they hold one themselves. Also, the scenes of adolescents being handed armor, shields and swords, on the viewpoint that if the Orcs are going to slaughter the kids, they might as well take one or two with them
This is true. But because of this, the Frodo/Sam/Gollum portion of the story is the most heart-wrenching, and inspiring. I read THE TWO TOWERS last week as a prep for seeing the movies (and, since it's been some time since I've actually read the LOTRs, TTT was the one book of the three that I remembered the details of the least), and I have to say that the book is better than the movie for the simple reason that what makes the book so grand and moving are things that do not translate well into the medium of movies. In both sagas -- the first being the tale of the remaining fellowship of Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, the return of Gandalf, and the experiences of Pippin and Merry, and the parts they all played in the defense of Gondor and the defeat of Saruman; and the second being the separate quest of Frodo and Sam, and their new fellow-traveller, Gollum -- there are projected the values of courage in the face of fear, devotion to one's comrades, the summoning of strength in the face of one's own weaknesses, hope in the face of despair, the willingness to pay the ultimate sacrifice in defense of something higher than oneself. Tolkein's text, in the dialogue found in the book, sets these values soaring. Peter Jackson projects these values as well, but in the midst of an action film. Most of Tolkein's inspiring passages come in simple speech or conversation between the principle characters. The book is, I believe, more powerful than the movie, but the movie is the most powerful movie I've ever seen. (That's an indication of how truly great the books are.)
There is so much to absorb about this film (and I concur that if one is not a Tolkein buff or LOTRs fan, or has not followed the story up to this point, the content and power of the film will be lost on such a one)....
I don't know if Peter Jackson meant it this way, but this film seems most timely for our place in history. The understanding that there is evil in the world that threatens to overwhelm what is good...(Jackson even portrays the allied army of Sauron's in hooded wraps that make them look Arab...This isn't an intentional knock on Arabs or Islamists, because I think Tolkein presents the "axis" troops in this way. Certainly C.S. Lewis did the same in the "Narnia" series.) The recognition that good will not overcome evil simply by being good. The forces of good need to be marshalled for an all-out fight if victory is to be assured...The idea that the culture of freedom is superior to the culture of death and oppression -- there is no "moral equivalency" in this movie. While there is "diversity" in the sense that there are many different peoples and cultures (elves, dwarfs, men, hobbits), their strength is in what unites them, what they have in common -- a love of freedom, and a willingness to fight for it...The notion that devotion to values and principles higher than oneself can motivate people to lay everything on the line. This is simply affirmation that there are some things worth fighting for, and their is honor and glory in the fight, even if the outcome of the fight isn't sure, and defeat is most likely. (In reflecting on this, I think this is one of the problems with my generation -- the Baby Boomer generation. We are a generation so self-absorbed, so realtivistic in our worldview and values, that we do not believe there is anything truly worth fighting for; nothing worth sacrificing our miserable existences for. Maybe this is changing, at last. But this is one of the basic themes of LOTRs)....
The most poignant scene, to me, was the desparate declaration by Frodo after they have been taken to Osgiliath by Faramir, when he says to Sam, "I cannot do this!" The feeling of desparation and resignation was palpable. This feeling of despair, inability, and defeat is a common human experience -- which one of us hasn't faced, at some point in their lives, a battle or a situation where they felt completely outmatched and overwhelmed? Sam's response, that the fight and effort is worth it because they fight for what is good, was as inspiring a statement ever presented on film.
Finally, the character Gollum/Smeagol, I thought, was tremendous. I've never seen a character in film who could elicit both disgust and overwhelming pity at the same time. Gollum's debate with himself about whether to serve "the Master" or to "kills it" -- the battle within himself -- and the victory (momentary as it would turn out to be) when "Smeagol" wills "Gollum" to "go away and never come back," was heart-wrenching. Smeagol, in his own way, is heroic. He is the perfect characterization of ruined humanity -- ruined by sin, selfishness, and uncontrolled desire. There is still a spark of goodness in Gollum, but it's all the more sad and tragic because (if you've read the books), you know that that spark never overcomes the darkness. I'm pulling for Andy Serkus, who provided the action under the CGI Gollum, as well as the voice, to win the Oscar for best supporting actor.
Perhaps it's just me, but I saw this film, perhaps more than the first, as a story of spiritual warfare. Particularly, it was a presentation of the truth of how strength, honor, courage, hope, sacrifice, goodness, heroism, and ultimately victory can overcome our own frailties if we are committed to a goodness that transcends us (and from a Christian perspective, we draw upon the higher power that transcends us). It was a powerful movie, and I intend to see it again on Friday to absorb more of what is in it.
First I should explain my reaction to the first movie. I left the Fellowship of the Ring feeling as if it could have been better and wishing it has been closer to the book. However, after reading the book again and seeing the extended DVD release, I came to like the Fellowship movie a great deal. I accepted the alterations to the plot as a necessary thing for a theatrical release in which many or most of the audience would be unfamiliar with the story.
I left the Two Towers feeling the same way. "Why did this not happen as in the book" I asked my friends. All four of us are, shall we say, a bit on the nerd side of life and have read the whole story many times over between us. We all wondered why the director felt necessary to make some thins to blatant and obvious, until we realized that we weren't the intended audience of the movie.
Once you come to this realization, it makes the film much more enjoyable. I think some of the feelings of incompleteness come because the Two Towers is the middle book in the story. It is the middle of the story, the characters are still being developed, and viewers who aren't familar with the story are being led gently through the story by following milestones that you can't miss.
For someone who like me read the Lord of the Rings when I was in grade school and ever few years or so since then these markers in the story come across as somewhat blatant and obvious. However, enjoying any film requires that you suspend a bit of belief and go along with what is being shown on the screen. Had I not known the story, then I think those milestones would have been necessary for me to not get lost in the story.
Here is an example, that I hope does not come across as a spoiler. It is the point in the story when they have passed Minas Morgul's black gate, and are moving along to the south. They come across a captain of Gondor who turns out to be Boromir's brother, Faramir.
In the book, they talk about the quest as well as Isludur's Bane and Faramir recognizes what fate his brother might have met. Faramir knows his brother is both passionate and obstinate, and would have wanted to deliver the great weapon of the Enemy to their father Denethor. Knowing his brother's heart helps Faramir resist temptation, and they let Frodo and Sam go free.
In the movie, Faramir and his men take Frodo, Sam, and Gollum to the ruins of the city of Osgiliath (sp?) which is under assault of first wave of the army of Sauron. In the book, however, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum pass Osgiliath a bit earlier in the story before the attack. Faramir does go there and makes a very narrow escape from Sauron's army, but this is after our heroes pass by. However, the movie differs in that Faramir takes Frodo and Company (and importantly, the ring) along with them for the fight. In the movie, the Ring Wraiths behold Frodo and nearly capture the ring, but luckily Sam is there to save his friend's life. Faramir, seeing his folly then lets Frodo and Company leave.
At first, I wondered why Peter Jackson had altered the plot, and made Faramir take Frodo with them. However, in retrospect, having a thoughtful Faramir just letting the Hobbits escape may have been too subtle. Seeing the Nazgul again and nearly witnessing the ring being captured by the forces of the Enemy perhaps makes a stronger point to Faramir. I think it is better for a movie audience to see that Faramir is the brother of Boromir by making him a strong and stubborn man. Faramir is still tempted by the ring, Faramir still overcomes the temtation, and the movie going audience gets to see the reason why Faramir lets them go. Had it not been done this way, his motivations may not have been clear.
I hope this doesn't spoil the movie for anyone. It is a relatively short scene near the end, but it illustrates why I liked the movie, and why as a rather picky fan I might be pursuaded that these films are worth the seeing. There were many such examples in the movie like this, when some detail were change to make the movie accessable to an ordinary audience. I don't think that this makes the movie un-watchable. I don't think it hurts the story. I think that it will grow on you, if you let it. Thank you.
And, btw, count me in the "actionfigures/geeksunite" club *please see the 'keywords' added to your initial post. LOL