The Two Towers: Frodo's Journey Continues

Viewers go into movies with certain expectations. They expect to be entertained, thrilled, and caught up emotionally. They want good acting, adequate cinematography, and an enthralling soundtrack. And fortunately for viewers of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers those expectations are not only met…they are surpassed.

The Two Towers starts off at the same moment that last year’s brilliantly compelling Fellowship of the Rings ended. It’s important to note that these films should be seen in order. Don’t attempt to view the second without having already digested the first. Above all other things, Lord of the Rings is a trilogy in the truest sense of the word.

Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is of course the bearer of the most powerful ring in all of Middle Earth. Faithfully at his side is his servant Samwise “Sam” Gamgee (Sean Astin). The two narrowly escaped the attack of the exceptionally ugly and rather violent Orcs in the first film and separated from the Fellowship in a quest to dispose of the ring in the fiery depths of Mordor.

Accompanying young Frodo on his journey in soul are his two hobbit compatriots Pippin Took (Billy Boyd) and Merry Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan). And while these two are very important in the story they never once encounter their brethren. The same can be said for the four others remaining in the now defunct Fellowship. Viggo Mortenson stars as Aragorn while Orlando Bloom is Legolas and John Rhys-Davis is the dwarf Gimli. Also playing an important part in the story of the ring is Gandalph the White (Ian McKellen) who unexpectedly appears to two of the three groups of characters despite his untimely demise in the first film.

Additional characters are of course introduced to viewers including Eowyn (Miranda Otto), Eomer (Karl Urban) and the King of Rohan Theoden (Bernard Hill). This is an incredibly large cast with each part however minor fitting tidily together to form the overall intended picture. With that said, the certain star of The Two Towers is Gollum, or Smeagol as we come to know him. The character, while totally CGI, is completely lifelike. Another fantastic creature is the Ent…Treebeard. And as already mentioned, each character whether elf, hobbit, wizard, faerie, man, or whatever else is extremely important to J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic trilogy.

The premise of this chapter is that the evil wizard Saruman the White (Christopher Lee) has continued his plot to take over the all of Middle Earth. Aiding him in his quest is the eyebrow-less yet completely freaky Sauron (Sala Baker). Saruman managed to gather and dispatch 10,000 Orc troops to overtake the world of men (because they are weakest of mind) and soon the rest of the land. The Two Towers deals with Frodo’s quest paired with this new war.

The Two Towers is an amazing looking film. It’s just as entertaining as it is beautiful for every second of the nearly three hours it plays. The acting is just as you’d expect especially after having seen the first. Wood is the perfect Frodo while other kudos go to Mortenson’s portrayal of the heir Aragorn and Bloom’s sprightly Legolas. My only major qualm with The Two Tower is the unnecessary use of humor to liven up Gimli. The film would have been better had it remained serious even if the dwarf is inherently funny looking.

While some people might question the use of computer graphics throughout the film, it’s important to note that the fake lands and characters are just as realistic as the real actors and New Zealand landscape. Peter Jackson took great care in the direction (and production) of this film and his attention to detail is apparent throughout. Nothing is amiss. Everything is flawless. Much of his success with this film series is as a result of his shooting style. Each of the three films was shot simultaneously rather than separately. For this reason, the quality remains consistent and the two already released films are equally impressive.

The Two Towers is much more than a simple fantasy. Themes revolving around perseverance, trust, friendship, honesty, and desire pervade every scene. It is fantasy, but also adventure and action. And as compared to Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers is a much more intense and battle-oriented film. Much of the three hours is dedicated to warfare between the men (and elves) and Orcs. But instead of resigning to blood and guts, Jackson managed to somehow concentrate more closely on the action not the actual death.

It’s impossible not to recommend The Two Towers. Jackson’s effort has earned nothing less than five stars. Don’t run out and see this film without seeing the first. It’s a brilliant picture but rests heavily on the character and plot development of last year’s hit so it’s absolutely essential to view the first before the second. Highly recommended.