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The Two Towers - Extended Edition earns raves, and a few complaints

Middle-earth fans gathered around for their first viewings of the DVD experience The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers—Extended Edition this week, and were quickly comparing their opinions and impressions online the next day.

Matt Oquist responded, "The extended Two Towers is wonderful. Several plot changes and logistics are better explained and more dramatically important, interesting, and consistent." He is especially pleased by a scene that further elaborates on the conclusion of the battle of Helm's Deep. "This was the scene which I most missed in the theatrical release, and while I could imagine something a little more amazing, I'm willing to be content with what the extended version offers. I guess the filmmakers have to do what they can with the time that is given to them."

Alan Willcox responded with dismay at his discovery of a hidden feature—an "Easter egg"—in which the computer-animated Gollum steals an MTV Movie Award from actor Andy Serkis and unleashes a tirade of profanity.

Diane Rose says, "I loved it. I didn't have major problems with the theatrical release, so this one's like icing on the cake (with just a few exceptions—poor Gimli, some of his new lines are groan-inducing). The documentary on Tolkien, including bits about his friendship with Lewis, was quite nice."

At Movieguide, a reviewer makes an unusual complaint about "a New Agey resurrection shot of Gandalf." He is also troubled by "environmentalist notions."

Meanwhile, Jeff Giles (Newsweek) gives us a sneak peek at The Return of the King, the movie and the efforts leading up to it.

Next week: In America, The Missing, Bad Santa, Timeline, additional reviews of 21 Grams, and more.

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November (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47