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THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS Send This Review to a Friend
My disclaimer is similar to my reaction to the first installment. The J. R. R. Tolkien saga is not one that especially interests me or gets me worked up about the challenges, the battles or the basic story of good and evil. That said, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" is an impressive job of filmmaking likely to please those who are caught up in the adventures taken from Tolkien's work. Under Peter Jackson's direction, the film is a marvel of production values and the story is told with clarity and elan. It's also an eyeful.
The Hobbits Frodo, played by Elija Wood, and Sam, by Sean Astin, have a computer-created companion in their new set of adventures, and the creature, Gollum, is not only a scene-stealer who adds much sparkle. He's a movie stealer. Gollum was once a ringbearer, but now he is a strange, messy little fellow, sometimes disgusting to look at but also amusingly cute. His quirky voice is provided by Andy Serkis, who thus makes a major contribution to the fun of the film. Can Gollum be trusted? He promises to lead Frodo and Sam to the Black gates of Mordor if they free him.
The computer job creating Gollum is superb, as he not only is lifelike and agile, but he has a strong personality that makes him almost as impressive as a living character. Youngsters should get a particular kick out of him. I won't detail more of the plot--the fans know what to expect.
The large cast includes among others Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Liv Tyler, Ian McKellen, Miranda Otto, Cate Blanchette, Brad Dourif and Christopher Lee. Andrew Lesnie does a first-class job with the photography, and plaudits are also due the many who assisted in the complex technical contributions. A New Line Cinema release.
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