Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

You cannot hide from the hype of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The commercials, toys, posters and more are all a part of the Christmas rush. Bookstores are seizing the opportunity to convert moviegoers into Tolkien-bookworms.

Meanwhile, critics are predicting that that the sequel will grab a Best Picture Oscar nomination like its predecessor. Regardless, many moviegoers have been nervous: Can director Peter Jackson deliver a second helping as spicy and fulfilling as the first?

The answer is, for the most part, yes. Two Towers is packed end-to-end with helter-skelter action, jaw-dropping New Zealand scenery, standard-setting animation, and a stirring score. But the film unfortunately falls short of Fellowship's emotional impact. Super-sized portions of violent conflict cost us precious periods of intimacy with the characters. Further, Jackson goes beyond the skilled abbreviation of the novels evident in Fellowship and begins revising plotlines to mixed results. Action fans won't mind much. Purists, however, will be disgruntled.

Nevertheless, Towers will have moviemakers striving to match its brilliance for years to come. They will only succeed if they recognize that the saga's greatest strength is the profound spiritual foundation on which this mythology is constructed.

My review for Christianity Today can be read in its entirety here, and a lengthier treatment of the film is posted at Looking Closer.

Steven Greydanus (Decent Films) writes, "Along with Fellowship, this film delivers much of what is great about the book, and remains an order of magnitude above all previous cinematic efforts at "fantasy" or epic fairy-tale mythopoeia … [but] this film is also destined to be more controversial than its predecessor."

Other religious media critics are celebrating without reservations. J. Robert Parks (Phantom Tollbooth) calls it "one of the most thrilling movies of the last year. It's difficult to write a review of a movie you positively love and not sound somewhat foolish. I promise the movie … won't disappoint. It's hard to miss the obvious Christian symbolism on display here."

Sr. Rose Pacatte, FSP, (The Tidings) focuses on the themes: "Can good and evil exist within the same person or society at the same time? At what cost? How do we discern what is right and just? What are we to do?" She points to surprising parallels between Towers and another popular sequel — Terminator 2: Judgment Day. "Note themes like the destruction of the environment; the incursion of the machines and technology permitted by people who do not consider consequences; the process of dehumanization brought about by war and the worship of technology; the physical, moral and ethical conflict/dilemma between the violence of oppressors and violence of those who seek to preserve the good. [These films] are not so very different at all." In a follow-up article, she discusses Tolkien's avoidance of clear Christian allegory, and explores Christian values that shine through the tale anyway.

David DiCerto (Catholic News) says, "Two Towers is a veritable passion play, with Frodo serving as a Christ figure. The story's overall message of hope in strife, and the ultimate victory of light and goodness over darkness, are as reassuring to our troubled times as they were when Tolkien wrote it during the horrors of the Second World War."

Ken James (Christian Spotlight) highlights its emphasis on "the bonds of friendship, the continual battle against evil, redemption of those who seem perhaps beyond hope, the choices one can make to choose the right, concern for the environment, and one word: HOPE."

Critics at Movieguide are disappointed by 'New Age' elements they saw in The Two Towers. They admit the film is "a four star movie," but claim the film does not do a good job of highlighting redemptive aspects. "For example, there's a New Agey resurrection shot of Gandalf, whose hair and raiment have turned almost completely white from his experience of death and resurrection. The movie version also heightens the nascent environmentalist notions that appear in Tolkien's masterpiece."

Cliff Vaughn (Ethics Daily) quotes cast members and director Peter Jackson. Jackson says of Tolkien's novels, "I think they're very timeless. It's depressing that 50 years after he wrote this book … the world really hasn't moved on. And I suspect 50 years from now it won't be much different." Vaughn also posts a discussion with Andy Serkis, the actor who portrays Gollum. Serkis muses about the conflict in Gollum's heart and the echoes there of Cain and Abel's story.

Mainstream critics sing the film's praises, just as they did for Fellowship last year. To find a compilation of raves, visit Rotten Tomatoes.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers continues to inspire religious press critics as it continues to dominate the box office. Bob Smithouser (Focus on the Family) says, "Towers is just as powerful … and even more eye-popping than its predecessor. It's an epic achievement. What stuck were poignant lines and unique situations that challenged me to think more deeply about human nature, morality, world events, and biblical truth. With the proper parental input, mature teens may have a similar experience."

Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin post a review at Cinema in Focus, saying, "The symbolism of this quest is clear. Writing from a Christian worldview, Tolkien presents the nature of the spiritual struggle. Evil is a destroyer of life. It not only creates inhuman creatures from deep within the fires of the soul, but it also corrupts pastors and priests (wizards) and darkens the minds of kings and leaders. To be free from such a force, good people must stand together and fight the evil that resides both within each of our souls as well as in the towering powers around us."

Peter T. Chattaway (Vancouver Courier) raves, "Jackson is as good a director in … intimate character moments as he is in the film's more spectacular scenes, and despite its length, The Two Towers is over in no time at all. It will leave you itching for more." He is, however, bothered by one aspect of the film: "There is something about the simple moral dimensions of this battle—humans good, orcs bad—that perhaps should give us pause in these war-on-terror times. Apart from the multicultural friction between humans, dwarves, and elves, the heroes in this story are pure and noble to a fault, and if they have any dark tendencies, these can usually be blamed on someone else: the Ring, Saruman, Wormtongue, whoever."

Want a very different opinion from a Christian press reviewer? Cameron Strang (Relevant) is unimpressed. The reviewer writes, "From a spiritual standpoint, Lord of the Rings is supposedly full of rich allegory and subtext. I guess some people think 'good vs. evil, and good is better' makes for a compelling storyline. Personally, I don't see how it's any different from Adam Sandler's Little Nicky. I was intently looking … and it's impossible for the layman to clearly see any biblical parallels, no matter how visible the hardcore fans say they are."

By the time you read this, you may already have seen The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Extended Edition, the new four-disc DVD set, released this week, that expands the second episode of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy into a 208-minute event. This new edition fills in many gaps in the story told by last December's 175-minute version.

It's a chance for newcomers to see a more cohesive, complete film, and for fans of the film to see more Treebeard, Gollum, Faramir, and even more of The Fellowship of the Ring's tragic hero Boromir. Those who are picky about Jackson's faithfulness to the original novels will be delighted to see some favorite episodes and memorable moments that were cut from the theatrical version of the film, including (click here to go past some spoilers):

• Merry and Pippin's visit to Treebeard's home, where he blesses them with a deep drink of the nourishing (and growth-inducing) Ent draught;
  
  
• Frodo and Sam making use of the remarkable rope given to Sam when the fellowship parted company with Galadriel in Lothlorien;
  
  
• Discoveries of Shire-property in the cellars of Isengard after the overthrow; and,
  
  
• perhaps most exciting of all, an explanation of just what became of those orcs who fled the battle of Helm's Deep.
  
  

Next week in this space, I'll post the responses of readers and Christian film critics to this enhanced edition. Has Jackson improved the movie? What does The Two Towers have to say to us? Send your thoughts and brief reviews.

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.

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Related Elsewhere:

A ready-to-download Movie Discussion Guide related to this movie is available at ChristianityTodayMoviesStore.com. Use this guide after the movie to help you and your small group better connect your faith to pop culture.