Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

January 16, 2003

Starring: Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Ian Holm, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, Christopher Lee, Cate Blanchett, Sean Bean, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Brad Dourif, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, Marton Csokas, Karl Urban, John Noble, David Wenham

Director: Peter Jackson

Official Website: http://www.lordoftherings.net/index.html

It had been a month since it`s release and I still refused to see it. The fellowship of the Ring was a masterful visual phenomenon with great creativy and cast...Only to have no ending after three hours of this. And I was livid at the idea. I told myself I would see the one where they destroy the darn ring, but no other ones. Finally, Bun convinced me, and told myself "Maybe knowing that this movie doesn`t have an ending in advance will enable me to enjoy it for what it is".

I don`t need to tell you how stunning the computer graphics and camera tricks are, because you have all seen it already! I don`t feel every bit in the movie is great. I thought the talking trees scenes looked a little cheezy and the dialogue is sort of an acquired taste if you`re not a Star Wars or Star Trek fan. But are the visual effects just incredible or what??? This Peter Jackson guy is a genius. Yeah I get irritated at the idea it takes so darn long just to destroy a stupid ring, but thats the novel`s fault, not his. It is also the novel`s fault that there are so many characters it`s impossible to keep track of all of them and not all seem to have an impact in the story. But again, Peter Jackson is a genius. He definitely makes other "dark fantasies" like Planet of the Apes and Sleepy Hollow look like low budget amateurs

Fellowship of the Ring won six grammies and I wouldn`t be surprised if this one won almost as many. Truly a one of a kind film, it`s not perfect, lord knows the story without the imagery can be darn boring, but everyone wants to see the ones that will matter 25, 50 years down the road, so you better see this one, because this film is one of them.

In short:
Comedy: The elf has a few funny comments, else none
Violence/Language: Very violent, but its man vs. other goblins trying to steal the "precious", so it`s justified
Nudity/sex : None
High Points: Visual effects unmatched by any movie ever, revolutionary one of a kind film
Low Points: Length, darn ring still not destroyed

Rating: B+