Director Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” is the type of successor we all hope for when we go to sequels. Moviegoers have continually been duped into films with titles that include Roman numerals and words like “return,” “revenge” and “bride of” that we almost accept the diminished experience when the trailers begin. A good sequel is rare.
But “The Two Towers” is that rarity. It is a sequel that absorbs the energy of the first film to propel itself into a greatness that goes beyond expectations and becomes equal or superior to the original. With two films down and one to go, “The Lord of the Rings” is becoming one of the greatest film epics of all time, easily rivaling the first three “Star Wars” films and the first two “Godfathers.”
To summarize quickly, our heroes from the last film have disbanded and are fighting separate battles against the evil forces of the two towers of Mordor and Isengard. While Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas help the Rohan, a race of humans, defend themselves against the Uruk-hai army; Frodo and Sam continue their journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring of power.
The astonishing battle sequence at Helm’s Deep, where the Rohan have barricaded themselves, is a great achievement of awesome special effects and bold film direction. What transpires is an incredible spectacle that is seldom seen in today’s cinema, which has become a culture of superstar movies. Grand scale filmmaking is a scarcity, but Jackson pulls it off with amazing skill.
And yes, this has become Peter Jackson’s epic. J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the books, but it is Jackson and his fellow screenwriters who have brought humanity, warmth and depth to Middle Earth. This has been the main reason these films have turned out so well. Beyond the fantastical story lies true emotions.
The films’ goals of reaching those emotions are executed by an extremely capable cast, but the greatest performance comes from the computer-generated Gollum. He is the true heart of this film. Damaged by years of exposure to the corruption of the ring, Gollum has developed a schizophrenic disorder that makes him both love and hate the ring and himself. Jackson’s quick dialogue and editing give the audience an interesting view into this creature’s mental turmoil, but it is the delicate use of the incredible range of emotions that makes this character believable. It is heartbreaking to watch as Gollum struggles with his own thoughts and finally succumbs to his evil side.
This is what has been promised to us since the idea of a digital actor was first introduced. Comparing Gollum to other digital characters, such as Jar Jar Binks in the latest “Star Wars” films, is like comparing Laurence Olivier to that guy in those Ernest movies. This is truly one of the best performances of the year and it is too bad animated actors cannot be nominated for Oscars.
The only irritating thing about the film is that we have to wait until next year to see the end. It’s like knowing you’re getting a really great Christmas present, but you have to wait 365 days before you can open it.