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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers True movie trilogies are a rare thing, although the title is thrown around fairly easily in Hollywood. The Godfather films, Star Wars, and even Indiana Jones, Back To The Future and Scream are all described as trilogies now, thanks to a bit of revisionist history on the part of their directors, but at the time, they started as single films that were strong enough to carry additional movies which built upon the original premise. Some such film trilogies faired well through their expanded scope and others simply became excuses to revisit ideas that seemed fresh and original once, but lost their luster with each new part in the story.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is unique in that each part was filmed consecutively, and so unlike some Hollywood trilogies, it actually is a single story told in three parts. In many ways, this presents the J.R.R. Tolkien story with some profound strengths, but unfortunately, weaknesses also arise.
When we last left our intrepid heroes, young hobbits Frodo and Samwise were on a trek to destroy an all powerful ring with the terrible ability to corrupt and twist the hearts of men. Separated from their friends, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, and leaving behind a few fallen companions, Boromir and Gandalf, things look to be their bleakest for the tiny adventurers as the forces of evil rally and plot and close in.
And, already, The Two Towers begins to creak under the weight of its epic story as the filmmakers are overwhelmed by the legend they are trying to bring to the screen. Trying to make the film more accessible to the people who may have missed the first installment, the first half-hour of the film doesn't necessarily resort to a plot summary, but it does seem to take great pains to explain the current situation and reintroduce the characters.
It's a painful thing to watch. Admirers or the first film are likely to feel uneasy, as if they are watching a kind of dumbing down of the story, but then, just as you begin to lose hope, the film finds its rhythm and continues forward with the kind of sure-footedness that made the first one so engaging.
I could describe the story, but the strength of a film like this lies in discovering its mysteries. The heroes find new allies and foes as they struggle to battle against the growing evil from Mordor. Friendships are deepened and fantastic creatures make their presence known. In the end, a kind of Braveheart with pointed ears begins, and the audience is treated to what must be an hour of continuous carnage and violence. If you are a fan of sword and seige battles, the last third of The Two Towers will probably seem like a dream come true, but I found that it did seem to drag a bit, even though it was surprisingly exciting.
Like in The Empire Strikes Back, The Two Towers begins with a group of characters who have developed strong friendships and trust, seemingly between the end of the first film and the beginning of the next. It's a strange shift, since logically we know that only a few days have past, but ultimately it's a powerful tool.
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli show a real concern for one another, have developed their own in-jokes, and have become an effective team. Their interactions, borne from this developed friendship, make them seem more real, even in the face of the fantasy they stand beside throughout much of the film. And, although the story of the trilogy really does seem to center on the ring and the hobbits that carry it, The Two Towers is the time for this small band to really shine. Although neither Legolas or Gimli are fleshed out to the same extent as Aragorn, the audience is given a chance to see characters grow from their origins in the first film into more true characters, with motivations and perceptions of their own.
The CG creation Gollum was also a pleasant surprise, somehow being more "present" than many of the computer generated characters we've seen in the past. His scenes are very believable, at least in an emotional sense, to the point that he very nearly steals the show from the human actors around him. His internal struggle is made external through some old cinema tricks, but is done in such a way that his turmoil becomes very palpable and sad.
And, yes, the battle scenes at the end of the film are amazing. As I said, it did seem to drag a little bit, but taken as a whole, the scenes are some of the best shown on the big screen in a long time. The ability of the movie to follow a large battle, while still concentrating on smaller characters and events, is a wonder of editing.
Unlike Attack of the Clones, which seemed satisfied with simply showing a number of explosions and seemingly unconnected events, The Two Towers digs deeper into the action and makes it more close and more dangerous. Every swing of a sword becomes important and so the battles become even more engaging as small defeats begin to amount to an even larger crisis.
Still, something about the film feels a little off. Aside from a sneering Christopher Lee and a blazing eye of CG, the film lacks any real villains. The continual threat of the ring's corruptive power becomes less real, as the whispering and whooshing noises of the first film are gone now, leaving us only with a gradually unhinging hobbit in Frodo. We're not even given a particular orc to love to hate, like we had in the first movie, and instead are given thousands of slobbering goblins who growl at the screen and then are never seen again.
There is a great deal to love about The Two Towers, but still, leaving the film, something was lacking. The tone didn't quite match the first film, so although it was the second part in the trilogy, it didn't feel much like the first film. It's almost like hearing a favorite song done in a different key. All the parts are there, but something has changed.
I suspect that much of the film's problems stem from the source material. In a story as seemingly rich and detailed as the one written by J.R.R. Tolkien, there seemed to be a lot that was cut and even more that was simplified to get it all to fit. This caused a lot of movement around Middle Earth by the heroes and villain, and eventually, any sense of distance and place was lost, as characters seemed to move freely and effortlessly from one battle to the next as the plot required it.
Fans of Gandolf will be disappointed in his smaller role. And those expecting big things from the addition of Eowyn and Faramir will find themselves equally disappointed. Merry and Pippin, who were little more than devices for jokes, have a bit more to do this time around, but only barely.
I'm giving The Two Towers a 7 out of 10, only because I didn't feel that it was as strong as the first film in the series (I gave "Fellowship of the Ring" a rating of 8 out of 10). As a singular film experience, the first film was more sure and complete, but given that The Two Towers is only the second part in a greater story, it is almost meaningless to try to rate it as a stand-alone piece. If you enjoyed the first film, seeing this one is almost mandatory. It is epic, glorious, and rousing. Even in its more tedious stretches, The Two Towers is a terrific movie-going experience.
The Fellowship of the Ring improved with a second viewing. I suspect The Two Towers will also gain strength with repeated viewings. I hope to test that theory as soon as this weekend. I suppose that it more telling than anything else I have to say.
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