 Won 2 Oscars. Another 70 wins & 76 nominations The Fellowship has broken, but the quest to destroy the One Ring continues. Frodo and Sam 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 people and creatures from Middle-earth, prepare for battle. The War of the Ring has begun. Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture. Storyline: Sauron's forces increase. His allies grow. The Ringwraiths return in an even more frightening form. Saruman's army of Uruk Hai is ready to launch an assault against Aragorn and the people of Rohan. Yet, the Fellowship is broken and Boromir is dead. For the little hope that is left, Frodo and Sam march on into Mordor, unprotected. A number of new allies join with Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin and Merry. And they must defend Rohan and attack Isengard. Yet, while all this is going on, Sauron's troops mass toward the City of Gondor, for the War of the Ring is about to begin. Written by Yuandi Li Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown on June 17, 2011 -- There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for. After rejecting Morton Grady Zimmerman's screenplay for producer Al Brodax's proposed 1957 adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings," J.R.R. Tolkien eviscerated their first and only script, particularly as it pertained to "The Two Towers." Tolkien took issue with Brodax and Zimmerman's decision to intercut the splintered fellowship's storylines (rather than tell them one at a time, as the author did in his books), criticized their "preference for fights" and rallied against their use of "blue lights" and "irrelevant magic." He felt the battle of Helm's Deep would be better served on the cutting room floor, balked at stylistic changes made to the dialogue he had so carefully penned, and disagreed with their disregard for the true hearts of his characters. Suffice it to say, Tolkien was irritated and dismayed by Brodax and Zimmerman's treatment. Of course, the full "Lord of the Rings" saga wouldn't make its way onto the silver screen for another forty-four years -- three decades after Tolkien's passing -- when a crafty, daring Kiwi by the name of Peter Jackson was handed the keys to the kingdom. So how would Tolkien have responded to Jackson's decidedly sinewy adaptation of The Two Towers? After all, Jackson, like Zimmerman before him, made the deliberate choice to move freely between Aragorn and Frodo's separate journeys. Then there's his battle scenes, chief among them Helm's Deep, which certainly show a penchant (albeit not a preference) for fights. And Weta's visual effects wizardry, which would have most likely given Tolkien some measure of pause. I would humbly suggest, though, that the question of Tolkien's posthumous satisfaction or dissatisfaction be replaced with more relevant questions: How true does Jackson remain to the spirit of Tolkien's characters and tale? Is he eager to alter Tolkien's text or is he merely making tough decisions for the betterment of a film? Does his adaptation retain the heart, muscle and blood of the next leg of Frodo's journey? Does his Two Towers wash over you? Raise the hair on your arms? Draw you in? Move you to tears? In my case, the answer to each question is simple. Jackson, even in departing from Tolkien's text, proves himself a devoted, dutiful steward, and his affection for the original tale is purer and his grip on its nuances is surer than ever. The extended version of The Two Towers expands and enriches Jackson's theatrical cut with poetic ease; so much so that it's difficult to imagine Jackson, Walsh and Boyens struggling with the decisions they eventually made as much as they did. Sam uses his Elvish rope (in a sequence that ties in nicely with an extended scene in The Fellowship of the Ring), Théodred's funeral is held in Rohan, Merry, Pippin and Treebeard earn more screentime, Old Man Willow (or an incarnation of the character) makes an appearance in Fangorn Forest, Gandalf and Aragorn share a quiet conversation about Frodo, Faramir discovers the boat that carried Boromir's body, flashbacks reveal more of Faramir's backstory and his relationships with Boromir and Denethor, and an extended speech in Osgiliath fleshes out another important milestone in Sam's arc as a character. Other scenes appear throughout -- some significant, some fleeting -- but each one is in keeping with Jackson's vision his extended versions as enhancements, rather than replacements, of his theatrical cuts. And, in many ways, the extended version of The Two Towers is arguably the most rewarding of the trilogy. Its additions and extensions are more essential and revealing than those that grace The Fellowship of the Ring, and more balanced and refined than those that appear in The Return of the King. (Although little can top King's inclusion of Saruman's fate and the Mouth of Sauron's arrival.) No matter which version you prefer, though -- extended and theatrical -- Jackson and co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens deliver an exceedingly judicious, altogether faithful adaptation of "The Two Towers" that's both a seamless continuation of The Fellowship of the Ring and a substantial evolution in the trilogy. In spite of relentlessly dissecting every passage of the book, viciously exorcising entire subplots and characters, rearranging key sequences and events, and making several broad changes to Tolkien's mythos, the sharp-penned threesome evoke much of what the author so poetically spilled on the page, even when making departures from his text. As writers, Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens are so in tune with the substance of Tolkien's "Two Towers" that they're able to adapt it as readily and effortlessly as they adapted "The Fellowship of the Ring" (which was, by all accounts, an easier story to bring to the screen). Paramount to their success was an instinctive understanding of the limitations of a sprawling literary text and the needs of a cohesive and absorbing film. They identified what would work and what wouldn't translate to the screen -- no matter how much it pained them to do so -- and fashioned it into a digestible epic; one that sings a sweet song to those familiar with the original book and one that weaves an engrossing tale for newcomers. Their dialogue is as beautiful and lyrical as Tolkien's, yet never sounds stuffy; their pacing is patient and weighty, yet builds legitimate tension and momentum; and their climactic battles are viscerally conceived and thrillingly envisioned, yet never lessen the impact of anything that comes before or after. The Two Towers, be it the extended version or theatrical cut, is as perfect a fantasy epic as this feeble mind can imagine, and as perfect a cinematic adaptation of Tolkien's work ("cinematic," not "staunchly faithful," mind you) as The Fellowship of the Ring. Jackson's films will always have their critics; even The Two Towers, arguably the most beloved and critically acclaimed of the three. But I remain amazed. Not just by the film itself, but by its ability to continue speaking to me after so many viewings, to continue drawing viewers to its fold after so many years, to still stand so high above every fantasy film and franchise that's arrived in its wake. The Extended Edition release of The Two Towers brushes nearer to perfection. The film itself is arguably the best of the trilogy (a trilogy that already towers over most every fantasy film since), its supplemental package is vast and rewarding, and its DTS-HD Master Audio track is outstanding. Yes, a few kinks remain in the otherwise striking video presentation, but they're all easy to overlook, particularly when the rest of Warner's transfer, spread comfortably across two BD-50 discs, is so impressive. It even offers a small upgrade when compared to the theatrical cut's Blu-ray presentation. I couldn't ask for much more from the transfer or the entirety of the 5-disc set. Cast Notes: Bruce Allpress (Aldor), Sean Astin (Samwise 'Sam' Gamgee), John Bach (Madril), Sala Baker (Man Flesh Uruk), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Orlando Bloom (Legolas Greenleaf), Billy Boyd (Peregrin 'Pippin' Took), Jed Brophy (Sharku / Snaga), Sam Comery (Éothain), Brad Dourif (Grima Wormtongue), Calum Gittins (Haleth), Bernard Hill (Theoden), Bruce Hopkins (Gamling), Paris Howe Strewe (Théodred - Prince of Rohan), Christopher Lee (Saruman the White). IMDb Rating (07/25/14): 8.8/10 from 799,103 users Top 250: #16 IMDb Rating (02/12/12): 8.7/10 from 446,765 users Top 250: #29
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