The second film in Peter Jackson's vision of bringing Tolkien's epic story to the screen is the real test for the viewer. After a light beginning and an easy storyline, the saga fractures into three separate interwoven tales, is slower going and the dark shadows of a world shattering war begin ... Read review
The Fellowship has broken, but the quest to destroy the One Ring continues. Frodo and Sam ... more
must entrust their lives to Gollum if they are to find their way to Mordor. As Saruman's army approaches, the surviving members of The Fellowship along with peopl...
The Two Towers continues to follow the fortunes of the members of the now divided ... more
fellowship with Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John-Rhys Davies) helping to restore some order to the land of King Theodon (Bernard Hill) ...
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Foundations Of Stone The Taming Of Smeagol The Riders Of Rohan The Passage Of The Marshes ... more
The Uruk-Hai The King Of The Golden Hall The Black Gate Is Closed Evenstar [featuring Isabel Bayradkarian] The White Rider Treebeard The Leave Taking Helm's Deep The Forbidden Pool Breath of Life [featuring Sheila Chandra] The Hornburg Forth Eorlingas [featuring Ben Del Maestro] Isengard Unleashed [featuring Elizabeth Fraser & Ben Del Maestro] Samwise The Brave Gollum's Song [performed by Emiliana Torrini]
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Action/Adventure - Director: Peter Jackson - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Andy Serkis
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Advantages: more epic adventure from Jackson Disadvantages: a slower and dark film than the first
The second film in Peter Jackson's vision of bringing Tolkien's epic story to the screen is the real test for the viewer. After a light beginning and an easy storyline, the saga fractures into three separate interwoven tales, is slower going and the dark shadows of a world shattering war begin to hang over the land. It is the heaviest part of the tale in many ways but is only a reflection of the book. Any good story requires a beginning, middle and ... ...at the three films. Fellowship of the Ring sets up the overall themes and introduces the characters. The Return of The King is the epic finale, heroes are made, dramatic victories are achieved and like all good tales everyone gets their just desserts. The Two Towers is the vehicle between the two. That may be doing it a disservice as it is, in its own right, a masterpiece of grand storytelling and majestic film techniques and contains nothing that ... more
The second film in Peter Jackson's vision of bringing Tolkien's epic story to the screen is the real test for the viewer. After a light beginning and an easy storyline, the saga fractures into three separate interwoven tales, is slower going and the dark shadows of a world shattering war begin to hang over the land. It is the heaviest part of the tale in many ways but is only a reflection of the book. Any good story requires a beginning, middle and an end, and that is the simplest way to look at the three films. Fellowship of the Ring sets up the overall themes and introduces the characters. The Return of The King is the epic finale, heroes are made, dramatic victories are achieved and like all good tales everyone gets their just desserts. The Two Towers is the vehicle between the two. That may be doing it a disservice as it is, in its own right, a masterpiece of grand storytelling and majestic film techniques and contains nothing that is a filler, as well as introducing a number of brilliant new characters, the infamous Gollum amongst them. But it is the hardest part of the film to get through and has proven the stumbling block for many, both in film and book form. But the rewards of staying with the tale are many.
Before I relate the plot to you, I must point out that it is not within the scope of this review to relate what has gone before. If you are not familiar with the first film then it is best that you read my previous review to be found at
Like the books and the film, these reviews are not designed to stand-alone and this review assumes and understanding of the previous part of the tale and the characters we have met so far.
After the dissolution of the fellowship the story gets more complex. Frodo, bearer of the ring and his trusted companion, Sam, head off into the wilderness for Mordor and the destruction of the ring that they have committed themselves too. Meanwhile Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas head off on the trail of Merry and Pippin who have been captured by Saruman's evil hordes which leads them towards the land of Rohan. Rohan is the setting for a lot of this film and it is with Rohan that we get a glimpse of Tolkien's area of expertise, the Dark Ages. As I said before a good fantasy film will contain elements that are familiar as well as the things it needs to make it seem a world away. Rohan is both, looking very much like a Viking or Saxon Dark Age civilization, it contains threads that are both distantly familiar and alien to our modern world. It is the world of the mythology of Beowulf and King Arthur and the realities of the Sutton Hoo findings and the inspiration and sources for it litter our own history books. Rohan is also land on the edge of war, the Dark Lords ally, Saruman the turncoat wizard is set to unleash his unnatural armies to engulf the land of the noble horse lords. Merry and Pippin escape their captors and flee to the ancient forest of Fangorn, where they are taken under the wing of a race of living trees who are reluctant to get involved in the war about to break on their peaceful forest shores.
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, a one man league of nations (Human, Dwarf and Elf, a rare combination) are reunited with a friend they thought dead, but in terms of spoiling the film I won't dwell on that, and after being assured that the two hobbits that they are searching for are now safe head off to give the news of impending invasion to king Theoden of Rohan. At the capital, Edoras, they find Theoden a man possessed. His advisor, the Dickensian named, Grima Wormtongue has him under his control and it turns out that Grima is not all that he seems. After a magical battle Theoden is returned to health and informed of the storm about to break over his land. The people under his protection are evacuated to the ancient stronghold of Helms Deep and from here the film begins its apocalyptic march through mass battles and heroic deeds, clash of armies and the near end of the world. A fantastic siege by Sarumans army of orcs on Theodens entrapped troops and the destruction of Saruman's stronghold form the dramatic conclusion to this film. Dispersed within these themes are Frodo and Sam's onward march towards their goal and their meeting with Gollum. Gollum is a former owner of the ring, sent mad by its burden and having evolved into a troglodyte by hiding in underground caves, he acts as their guide through the wild places but his motives are held in suspicion by the two hobbits, it's a needs must situation.
Frodo: I am Frodo Baggins, and this is Samwise Gamgee. Faramir: Your bodyguard? Sam: His gardener.
The filming of Gollum was an interesting process, by all accounts. Played by Andy Serkis, who is about twice the build of the character we see on screen, he was dressed in a suit, which relayed his movements to a computer, which then created the character on screen, sort of modern age puppetry. The actors got to interact with a live actor but his contribution to the film is not seen on screen in any recognisable form. Peter Jackson and producer Barrie M. Osbourne actively campaigned for Andy Serkis to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Gollum. Academy regulations however forbid an actor to be nominated when he is not physically to be seen on screen, despite Serkis' active input into the role.
Again many human aspects are explored, Aragorn's love for the Elf princess Arwen is tested. To stay with him she would have to forgive the immortal life of her people to live a mortal one with him. Although she is prepared to do so, how could anyone ask so much of a lover? To complicate the issue, Eowyn of the royal house of Rohan is clearly a better suitor and makes her emotions clear to him. Frodo and Sam are forced to accept the help of Gollum whom they cannot achieve their goal without but whom they know will betray them when the time is right. We also see the races uniting in the face of the enemy threat, and Theoden must face the biggest challenge of his life in defending the outer fringes of the civilized world. More so than the previous film this chapter of the story is beautiful, dark and saddening in equal measures. The feeling of overbearing despair hangs heavy in many of the scenes, but as if to counter this there is a measure of humour normally in the form of Merry and Pippins interactions and Gimli's wry observations on their situation.
Again the film looks fantastic, great use is made of the landscapes of New Zealand where the films were made and the CGI and computer work that created the battle scenes and Gollum's screen appearance are fantastic. It is in this part of the story that Aragorn really comes into his own, but we still aren't acquainted with his dark secret, we just know that he is a troubled man with his own burdens that you somehow know will have a hand in the stories conclusion. Gandalf also undergoes the same turn of character that defines the two films. The Gandalf of the first film is a wise, fatherly figure that sets off fire works and smokes a pipe. When he returns to the story after monumental trials, he is a changed man, if indeed he is still a man at all. More like some embodied spirit he is a serious character who knows the challenge ahead of them is near impossible. Frodo is also undergoing change. The power of the ring is bending him to its will. Like Gollum who guides the two hobbits towards the dark land of Mordor, the ring has its own agenda and is causing Frodo to become merely a tool to its own ends.
Theoden: I will not risk open war. Aragorn: Open war is upon you whether you would risk it or not.
There seems to be a lot of contemporary relevance to these heroes of the west defending against the evil from the east. Tolkien may have had the two world wars as his reference point and Jackson cites the film Zulu as his inspiration behind Theodens heroic defence of his realm, but there is a more up to date parallel to be examined here. When Sam tells Frodo that there are "some things worth fighting for", when Merry tells Pippin that there "won't be a Shire" unless they do something about it, when King Theoden laments that "the sun has gone down in the West" this film could be entitled not the "Two Towers" but "the Twin Towers"
Gandalf: The battle of Helm's Deep is over; the battle for Middle Earth is about to begin.
Like all good films, it can be dissected and examined until the hobbits come home, but this brooding masterpiece drives the story on to the Armageddon like conclusions that are dealt with in the final film. It is a fantastic piece of storytelling, and Jackson has brought it to the screen in a way that I'm sure Tolkien would have approved of. It may be hard work at times, especially if you are not acquainted with the books to begin with, but it is a rewarding film and leaves the story poised for an epic ending that is to be found in the next film, The Return of The King.
Advantages: Action, Story, Effects, Acting. Disadvantages: The wait for the third part, the skateboard !
...After waiting a year for the second part of JRR Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings trilogy it was clear this film would have to be something special to compare or even come close to the absolutely awesome first film which whetted many a non-fans appetite (including mine). Let me tell you now it not only compares to the first film but surpasses it and heightened my enthusiasm for the third film to an even higher level.
If you want excitement, exhilaration, ... ...has to be seen on the big-screen to be fully appreciated. If you've read any other review on the film you will find no-doubt many more folk waxing lyrical and could assume wrongly that I am just jumping on the bandwagon - I only read the first book after watching the first film so I went into this film with no pre-concieved ideas and being a non JRR tolkien fan! The only way to find out is to watch it for yourself but I would advise you to watch ...
WormThatTurned 21.01.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers (DVD)
Advantages: Many good ones. Disadvantages: Couldn't find many.
LORD OF THE RINGS; THE TWO TOWERS.
On the 18th. of December I made a thirty mile or so journey to see the Two Towers. The second part of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. The venue was the cinema at the Wyeside Arts Centre in Builth Wells. It was a three hour epic and carried a 12A certificate which means children under 12 have to be accompanied by an adult. I paid in advance for the tickets, all seats were sold out at about £5 each. There were quite ... ...attention throughout, as with all the audience who seemed impressed by the film.
This film was directed by Peter Jackson, a New Zealander, I am told there was considerable directing input by two others, Fran and Philippa someone or other, though the massive publicity involved handled mainly by Peter Jackson.
I've read the book by Tolkien more than once before. My companion had read it again recently and remarked that this section of the story had ...
parker-munn 31.12.2002 (01.02.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers (DVD)
Advantages: More Awe-inspiring than the first Disadvantages: Misses out some of the book
...was a certain movie called The Fellowship of the Ring that I’m sure most of you will all remember that it was actually pretty damned good when it came down to it. But as much as your favourite brooding writer loved the movie, back then I honestly didn’t think I had the talent to do the movie any justice. Now over a year later and a lot more wiser The Two Towers has been released - part 2 in what will eventually be a Lord of the Rings Trilogy, based ... ...wish, a big-screen version of the whole Lord of the Rings saga that does the true scale of the books justice - and after seeing plenty people fall before him like an Uruk-Hai impaled on one Legolas’ arrows, I think, by jove someone’s finally got it.
So a quick idea of what kind of story you can expect for your £4.20 (if you’re in Grimsby - probably more if you’re elsewhere), well with it being a sequel its always best to have an idea of what the ...
Angelus 20.01.2003 (21.01.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers (DVD)
Advantages: More great LOTR with epic fantasy battles :) Disadvantages: Not true to the book, the score, perhaps not as good as Fellowship
...who read my opinion on the first instalment of the LOTR trilogy will know I'd been eagerly awaiting these films since first reading the books around 10 years ago. The Fellowship of the Ring movie last year had only further whetted my appetite for the sequels (why, oh why do we have to wait a year?) All bar one of my friends from home had thoroughly enjoyed the first movie, so with release of the second set for December 18th and a new Odeon cinema ... ...I hadn't managed to download the trailer from the official site (see end of opinion). Having read the books and seen the first film, I had a good idea what to expect though. Perhaps that doesn't apply to everyone - I heard (and I hope it's just an urban myth) that some people in America protested against this cash in on 9/11! Obviously unaware the book was published in 1954-5 and the film mostly finished before the terrorist attacks on the twin towers ...
a-true-ben 08.01.2003 (03.09.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers (DVD)
Advantages: looks stunning Disadvantages: odd tinkering with the book
...a description I heard of the film on a radio 4 comedy program, and they ahd a point. It is often the case that people reading the Lord of the rings stumble to a halt somewhere in 'the two towers'and find it painfully slow going, because largely what happens is, people travel about, and they fight. As film material goes, it isn't ideal, and I was wondering how on earth Peter Jackson was going to make it interesting.
The film is not self contained, ... ...alone. If you haven't seen the first film and/or read the books, don't watch this is will confuse you silly. If you have, well worth a go.
We pick up the story with Frodo and Sam making their way towards Mordor, and finding Gollum on their trail. Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin are carried off by orcs only to meet up with Ents. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas run for days and don't manage to find them. The main story then kicks in - King Theoden is under ...
Bryn_Pearson 15.01.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers (DVD)
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Advantages: Great stuff all round Disadvantages: Very long. Elijah Wood very slightly over the top
The Lord of the Rings: The TwoTowers is the second in the Middle-Earth trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. There will be a spoiler in this review for any who have not already seen the film or read the book.
The Plot
The plot of the film follows immediately on from the first film. With the Fellowship split up, the story takes on three parts. Frodo and Sam continue their quest to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mordor, aided by the untrustworthy Gollum on who they must rely to guide them on the right path. Merry and Pippin, the other two hobbits from the Fellowship, take a different path by way of capture: as prisoners of the creatures created by the Dark Lord Sauron and his minions. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli set off to rescue the kidnapped hobbits but find themselves embroiled in a battle for mankind, joining forces with other ...
Advantages: Some excellent special effects and unbeatable storyline Disadvantages: very abrupt cut between discs
of the trilogy at Helm's Deep, the fortress of Rohan. The action in these scenes is excellent and has been very well thoughtout.
The Lord of the rings is an amazing one of a kind film and for that reason the huge amount of extra features is more than justified. Peter Jackson has made a great job of documenting every little thing that happened during the filming and it appears he has included all of it on these extended discs.
One massive criticism of these extended editions is the rather rude cut at the end of disc one. In the fellowship this is handled quite delicately with a fade out. In the twotowers however the cut is nowhere near as subtle.
The commentaries are a big plus point and are well worth a listen. They are not quite as intrusive as other dvd commentaries.
This edition comes with 2 discs full of special features. I won ...
Advantages: Great continuation, brilliant battle scene, amazing special effects Disadvantages: none
Otto
DISCS 3-4: The Appendices:
Two discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at The Lord of the Rings: The TwoTowers
DISC 3:
Adapting the book into a screenplay & planning the film
Designing and inspiration for locations in Middle-earth
Storyboards to pre-visualization
Weta Workshop visit: See sculptors in action as they create weapons, armor, creatures, and miniatures from the film
Atlas of Middle-earth tracing the journey of the Fellowship
An interactive map of New Zealand highlighting the location scouting process
Galleries of art and slideshows with commentaries by the artists
DISC 4:
Sending the actors into battle: sword fighting
Principal photography: Stories from the set
Digital effects ...
The tale continues with the Fellowship broken and three groups heading their different ways. Frodo and Sam carry on for Mordor and acquire along the way a travelling companion by the name of Gollum who promises to help them reach the Mountain of Doom. Elsewhere Merry and Pippin's attempt to escape the Uruk Hai leads them to enter Fangorn Forest where they encounter Treebeard, a walking, talking tree shepherd. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli reach Rohan to discover that King Theoden has been taken over by Saruman, All the residents of Rohan are ordered to go to Helm's Deep where a massive battle against the Uruk Hai ensues...
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date
07/11/2005
No of Discs
2
Catalogue No
EDV 9179
Barcode
5017239191794
Screenwriter
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Barrie M. Osborne
Composer
Howard Shore
Subject
J.R.R. Tolkien
Featured
Peter Jackson, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Shaye
Executive Producer
Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein, Michael Lynne, Mark Ordesky, Robert Shaye
Animated Menus, Preview Of The Return Of The King, Secrets Behind The Production, A Look At The People And Places Of Middle Earth, Sean Astin Short Film The Long And The Short Of It, The Making Of The Long And The Short Of It, Gollums Song, Preview Of Video Game The Return Of The King, Preview Of Extended DVD Due In November 2003, Original Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots
Aspect Ratio
2.35 Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Surround
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Surround English
Award information
OSCAR
Best Visual Effects 2002 (Production Team)
Professional reviews
Review
"...The visuals are a real treat; everyone and everything -- particularly the landscape -- looks and feels just right..." (Box Office, p.60, 01/03/2003)
"...THE TWO TOWERS conjures an illusion of the gravity that you want from an emotionally charged storybook epic..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.55-6, 13/12/2002)
"...Peter Jackson has pulled out all the stops....Jackson and his team of homegrown artisans have created an exciting form of digital epic filmmaking..." (Film Comment, p.74, 01/01/2003)
"...The director's great strength is the confidence with which he translates Tolkien's vision into visual imagery..." (Los Angeles Times, p.C1, 18/12/2002)
"...A rare perfect mating of filmmaker and material....[A] beautifully considered epic....The grandeur is astonishing..." (New York Times, p.E1, 18/12/2002)
"...Jackson keeps the action percolating. The effects astonish..." (Rolling Stone, p.76, 23/01/2003)
"...THE LORD OF THE RINGS so far stands among the best adaptations of a major work of fantasy ever managed by the cinema..." (Sight and Sound, p.50-1, 01/02/2003)
"...Visually dazzling....The RINGS movies are among the most breathtaking achievements in recent cinematic history..." (USA Today, p.1D, 17/12/2002)
"...In some respects a more impressive film than its well-received predecessor. Marked by nonstop conflict that Akira Kurosawa would have envied..." (Variety, p.42, 02/12/2002)
DVD Description
Picking up where the first film left off, Peter Jackson's THE TWO TOWERS throws the remaining members of the Fellowship into the scattered chaos of Middle-earth, now fully under siege by the forces of Sauron. While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) journey to the dreaded Mordor, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are held captive by orcs, and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) search for their abducted companions. Soon Frodo and Sam are joined by the sulking and duplicitous Gollum (portrayed by the voice and motion-captured acting of Andy Serkis), who becomes their guide through the barren lands leading to Mount Doom. Meanwhile Merry and Pippin encounter the looming Treebeard (voiced by Rhys-Davies) and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli find themselves in the land of Rohan, accompanied by an old friend. As the tale continues, each scenario becomes more perilous, and fierce battles erupt at both Isengard, home of the treacherous Saruman (Christopher Lee), and the massive Helm's Deep. After masterfully setting up the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien in THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, Jackson continues the trilogy with the increasingly dark and battle-filled TWO TOWERS without skipping a beat. Although the director takes a few more liberties in adapting the second installment, he skillfully cuts from one scenario to the next, creating a tightly woven tapestry with the various storylines. Joining the impressive cast this time around are Miranda Otto as Eowyn; Bernard Hill as her father, King Theoden; Brad Dourif as the aptly named Grima Wormtongue; Karl Urban as Eomer; David Wenham as Faramir; and Serkis under the remarkable CGI facade of Gollum. An intense epic that features one jaw-dropping sequence after another, THE TWO TOWERS more than carries its weight as the crucial centerpiece of THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
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