The middle installment of an epic trilogy is always the hardest one to make - on the one hand you can't depend on the rather simple but effective narrative structure in which you can introduce your characters; that's been done in the first installment. On the other hand, you don't have the all-resolving climax to function as the middle point of the whirlpool of the story, the eye of the narrative storm; that will be taken care of in the final installment, yet to come. Just look at Star Wars; its middle installment, The Empire Strikes Back, has always been regarded as the least of the three (I'm disregarding the new prequels here).

Peter Jackson had his work cut out for him.

After the thundering succes of The Fellowship, expectations were through the roof for this film, the second of three. One of the things Peter Jackson understood from the outset, is that a director must listen to his audience, and he was in a great position to do so. The Two Towers had almost entirely been shot before The Fellowship was even released worldwide, but by watching the audience's reactions to The Fellowship, Peter went back to the drawingboard, and reshot several scenes in a way that he knew would satisfy the audience, which he had gotten to know a lot better this way.

In some ways, The Two Towers is even more enjoyable than The Fellowship of the Ring, especially for viewers who prefer action over adventure. Epic battle sequences, loaded with special effects, are the middle point of the film. The story centers on Saruman's invasion of the human settlements of Rohan with an army of unfathomable force, driving the people to seek refuge in the fortress of Helms Deep. The mood remains pure Tolkien and that, more than anything, is the triumph of the movie. From the Beowulf-like set for Meduseld to the majestic sweep of New Zealand, the film more than once reminded me of my own mental images of Tolkien's world. And, once again, I found myself interested in the story. How could I not?

One of the greater difficulties in the second book was the introduction proper of Gollum, a creature so vile in appearence that he could be played by no actor. The creation of a CGI Gollum is another spectacular achievement - this is the most life-like CGI character ever to have been seen in a film. Through a brilliant combination of acting, animation, and effects, Gollum's interaction with Frodo and others is completely convincing. The character is so richly developed that he is at times frightening, disgusting, pitiful, and even funny. Gollum's role is central to the story and suggests that battles within ourselves may be just as formidable as any other.



A final mention goes out to the conclusion of the film; an utterly brilliant 60 minutes. From when Théoden grandly proclaims 'So it begins', to the final credits, it's some of the best cinema I've seen to date. Awe-inspiring visuals, wonderful character moments and not to mention Howard Shore's fantastic music; the music during the battle for Rohan is easily my favourite of the series. The Battle of Helm's Deep is extremely well staged - the CG is seamlessly integrated and looks simply stunning. Gandalf and Éomer's descend on the orcs is fabulous and when viewed on a big enough screen, it makes you feel like your riding with them. That's cinema magic.

Jackson and his crew have crafted a living universe here. Every costume, every weapon, every plant and every creature looks as if it belongs. This is Middle-earth. The cinematography is darker in this film (due to the obvious shift in tone) and the direction and camera work is just as gorgeous as in the first film. There are no weak links in the chain of actors that have been asked to bring the characters of Middle-earth alive. Each and everyone lives and breathes their characters. This is epic filmmaking at its height.

A 91 out of 100.

Cheers