The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Directed by: Peter
Jackson
Starring: Ian
McKellan as Gandalf, Elijiah Wood as Frodo, Viggo Mortensen
as Aragorn, Bernard Hill as King Theoden, Christopher Lee as
Saruman, Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee, Orlando Bloom as Legolas,
Miranda Otto as Eowyn, Liv Tyler as Arwen, John Rhys-Davies
as Gimli and the voice of Treebeard, Dominic Monaghan as Merry,
Billy Boyd as Pippin, Karl Urban as Eomer, Brad Dourif as Grima
Wormtongue, David Wenham as Faramir, Andy Serkis as Gollum,
Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, and Hugo Weaving as Elrond
Review by : Matt McConnel
(lucky bastard)
| Rating: |
 to
rule them all,
to bind them
to
bring them all, and in the darkness bind them! |
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There is something called a 'review proof movie'. Examples
include Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star
Wars (it has been always will be Star Wars, screw this
New Hope bull), and The Two Towers. In the case of
Harry and Frodo, these are second installments in ongoing
franchises that have already netted their audience. The bar
remains high, but so does the production budget; it is hard
to imagine people not streaming to see these movies good or
bad reviews. That having been said…
YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!
Oh yeah, baby. Two Towers is everything Fellowship was and
more. While some aspects irked yours truly, the overall effect
is the same magic, the same class, the same je ne sais quoi
that Fellowship took and made into a hit. Less is obviously
cut in the second installment, and *SPOILER* before
you tell me 'where's the gigantic spider', she will be there
in Return of the King. So hush up now. (In fact, there
are probably other spoilers. But if you've read the book,
you know the story, so quit your bitching. Love, The Editor-in-Chief)
Peter
Jackson's real vision is finally taking form. There is no
extended scrolling intro, no voice over, nothing to place
Towers as anything but the next third of a nine-hour movie.
The only sort of tie-in is a return to the mines of Moria
and the addition of what happenes after Gandalf falls with
the Balrog. The addition serves as a bridge, and is just as
effective as any other, but strikes one as just a smidgen
classier than if Jackson ad opted for a 'when we last left
our heroes' approach. As with Fellowship, Jackson grabs you
from the get go, and does not let go. The viewer is immediately
thrown back into the middle of the quest, and this is probably
for the best, as it saves screen time for two of the crowning
jewels of the film, Gollum and the battle at Helm's Deep.
Gollum
is as much CGI as the infamous Jar Jar, and just as talented
an actor contributed to his creation. Yes, say what you will,
I think Ahmed Best got a bad rap; he did exactly what Lucas
told him to do: create a childlike lovable comic relief type.
Gollum, however, is hardly comic. He is one of the real tragic
figures in the series, and despite the images being amusing
at times, Gollum is nevertheless creepily funny. His internal
conversations are well-handled, and the CGI is beautifully
mingled with the real life action. It is not seamless, but
it only really breaks the belief once, and the next scene
with him atones for it in spades.
Helm's
Deep is just amazing. The opening to Fellowship was only a
taste of what Jackson and his crew are capable of. The battle
rages back and forth, over and through the walls, and around
the courtyard; there are better battle scenes, but none in
a fantasy movie. Even the cuts to Merry and Pippen with the
Ents, and to Frodo and Sam are well-placed to give you a breather.
Despite this, please do remember to breathe during the showing,
as it may very well be you will forget.
There
are two problems that I had. Only two you say? I brazenly
denied Fellowship five bananas, only two problems? Well, yes.
Gimli is the damn comic relief. Granted the revisitation of
dwarf tossing is amusing, and the need to break the tension
is very apparent, but one cannot help but think that maybe
Merry and Pip might have done it just as well. Still, Jackson
cannot be begrudged for using Davies; it's such an underappreciated
role from the book. The addition of the running body count
between Gimli and Legolas was just too delicious to resist.
Miranda Otto as Eowyn: Stunning, looks to fit the role, delivery
as icy as her completion. I know that Tolkien was a misogynist
(Note from our lawyers: that's opinion), but if they
beefed up Arwen, you would think Eowyn would get the same
treatment, especially as she is vying for Aragorn's affections.
Special edition, you cannot come soon enough.
Coming
out of the theater, someone commented that this was the best
second movie since Empire Strikes Back. Mmmm, I think
that is an unfair comparison. Two Towers is less of
the cliffhanger, and more of the initial resolution. If Empire
hand ended with the destruction of the first Death Star, then
yes, it would be a fair comparison. Regardless, the comparison
will be made, and no doubt Peter Jackson will smile in that
good-natured way of his, and go back to his editing room to
forge the special edition of Two Towers, and then to
cut the final slice of the trilogy, The Return of the King.
How
much does Matt rock for getting the advance peak? Email him
here, jealous
masses.
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