Film Snail

8.4

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

PG-13·2002·179m

Adventure

Fantasy

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Action

Summary

Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor. Frodo and Sam are trekking to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power while Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn search for the orc-captured Merry and Pippin. All along, nefarious wizard Saruman awaits the Fellowship members at the Orthanc Tower in Isengard.

Cast

Elijah Wood

Frodo

Ian McKellen

Gandalf

Viggo Mortensen

Aragorn

Sean Astin

Sam

Andy Serkis

Gollum

John Rhys-Davies

Gimli / Treebeard (voice)

Orlando Bloom

Legolas

Bernard Hill

Théoden

Miranda Otto

Éowyn

Dominic Monaghan

Merry

Billy Boyd

Pippin

Christopher Lee

Saruman

Cate Blanchett

Galadriel

Liv Tyler

Arwen

Hugo Weaving

Elrond

David Wenham

Faramir

Brad Dourif

Wormtongue

Karl Urban

Éomer

Craig Parker

Haldir

Bruce Allpress

Aldor

John Bach

Madril

Sala Baker

Man Flesh Uruk

Jed Brophy

Sharku / Snaga

Sam Comery

Eothain

Calum Gittins

Haleth

Phil Grieve

Hero Orc

Bruce Hopkins

Gamling

Paris Howe Strewe

Théodred

Nathaniel Lees

Ugluk

John Leigh

Háma

Robbie Magasiva

Mauhúr

Robyn Malcolm

Morwen

Bruce Phillips

Rohan Soldier

Robert Pollock

Mordor Orc

Olivia Tennet

Freda

Raymond Trickitt

Bereg

Stephen Ure

Grishnakh

Billy Jackson

Cute Rohan Refugee Child

Katie Jackson

Cute Rohan Refugee Child

Victoria Beynon-Cole

Hero Orc (uncredited)

Lee Hartley

Hero Orc (uncredited)

Frazer Anderson

Orc / Ranger (uncredited)

Ben Barrington

Gondorian Soldier / Ranger / Orc (uncredited)

Jarl Benzon

Elf Warrior / Rohan Stable Boy (uncredited)

Jørn Benzon

Orolonn (uncredited)

Owen Black

Rivendell Elf (uncredited)

Dorothy Anne Bonner

Rohan Woman (uncredited)

Ben Britton

Fereveldir (uncredited)

Riley Brophy

Rohan Refugee Child (uncredited)

Alistair Browning

Damrod (uncredited)

Alix Bushnell

Rohan Refugee (uncredited)

Sean Button

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Ryan Carey

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Rodney Cook

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Augie Davis

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Mana Hira Davis

Gondorian Soldier / Harad Warrior / Orc / Rohan Soldier / Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Shane Dawson

Harad Warrior / Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Karlos Drinkwater

Easterling Warrior (uncredited)

Aron Eastwood

Rohan Soldier (uncredited)

Frank Edwards

Rohan Man (uncredited)

Clint Elvy

Harad Warrior (uncredited)

Alexia Fairbrother

Elf Warrior (uncredited)

Daniel Falconer

Elf Warrior / Rivendell Elf (uncredited)

Siaosi Fonua

Orc / Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Kester Fordham

Anglor (uncredited)

Michael Fowler

Elf (uncredited)

Ben Fransham

Anendel / Thandronen (uncredited)

Frank Goldingham

Rohan Refugee (uncredited)

Winham Hammond

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Jonathan Harding

Elf Warrior (uncredited)

Lucas Hayward

Rohan Boy (uncredited)

Dan Hennah

Rohan Recruit (uncredited)

Jason Hood

Théoden's Royal Guard (uncredited)

Lani Jackson

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Peter Jackson

Spear-Throwing Rohan Soldier (uncredited)

Gareth Jensen

Elf Warrior (uncredited)

Sam Kelly

Elf Warrior / Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Richard Knowles

Rohan Soldier (uncredited)

Sandro Kopp

Elven Warrior (uncredited)

Sam La Hood

Orc Pitmaster (uncredited)

Don Langridge

Rohan Guard (uncredited)

Michael Lawrence

Wildman (uncredited)

Alan Lee

Rohan Recruit (uncredited)

Jono Manks

Twilight Ringwraith (archive footage) (uncredited)

Brent McIntyre

Witch-king (archive footage) (uncredited)

Dra McKay

Rohan Woman (uncredited)

Joseph Mika-Hunt

Uruk-hai / Gondorian Soldier (uncredited)

Dean Morganty

Haradrim Warrior / Ranger / Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Henry Mortensen

Rohan Boy Recruit (uncredited)

Francis Mountjoy

Elf / Gondorian Soldier / Orc / Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Paul Norell

Easterling (uncredited)

Barrie M. Osborne

Rock-throwing Rohan Soldier (uncredited)

Allan Poppleton

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Gareth Reeves

Fighting Elf (uncredited)

Miranda Rivers

Rohan Refugee (uncredited)

Campbell Rousselle

Tree-cutting Orc (uncredited)

Matthew J. Saville

Gondorian Soldier (uncredited)

Samuel E. Shore

Rohan Refugee / Elf (uncredited)

Allan Smith

Dead Marshes Elf (uncredited)

Greg Tozer

Conscripting Rohan Soldier (uncredited)

Piripi Waretini

Uruk-hai Warrior (uncredited)

Tim Wong

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

John Wraight

Stable Hand (uncredited)

Kelley Kerr Young

Rohan Refugee (uncredited)

Robert Young

Uruk-hai (uncredited)

Sean Bean

Boromir

John Noble

Denethor

Caleb Ross

Rohan Helms Deep Warrior (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Peter Jackson

Novel

J. R. R. Tolkien

Screenplay

Fran Walsh

Screenplay

Philippa Boyens

Screenplay

Stephen Sinclair

Reviews

NeoBrowser

July 20, 2013

Peter Jackson has always maintained that The Two Towers is "the second act" of his epic undertaking, and perhaps the true greatness of the middle chapter will only be clear when viewed in context. As a stand-alone film, however, The Two Towers is not quite as good as Fellowship. (Nor, indeed, does it extend the universe or deepen the relationships in the manner of The Empire Strikes Back.) That it still merits the full five stars is merely an indication of how high the benchmark has been set.

Picking up pretty much where Fellowship left off, this is a considerably darker film, with Frodo (Wood) falling further under the influence of the Ring (giving rise to some seriously spooky hallucinations), while Saruman (Christopher Lee) wreaks even more havoc. There's also the first appearance of Saruman's spy, the sinister Wormtongue (Brad Dourif), and the complex Gollum, a brilliant combination of computer trickery and raspy vocals from Andy Serkis (the campaign for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar starts here).

Other newcomers include Faramir (David Wenham), the understandably miffed brother of the recently deceased Boromir, and Éowyn (Miranda Otto), who spends much of her time casting winsome glances in the general direction of Aragorn (Mortensen). Eventually the plot complexities become more coherent, setting the action up for the forthcoming finale, The Return Of The King.

As we've come to expect, this is spectacular stuff - from an opening which sees Frodo troubled by dreams about the demise of Gandalf, through to the climactic Battle Of Helm's Deep, which is nothing short of breathtaking. But Jackson cleverly tempers the louder, brasher sequences with some heartstring-tugging moments - peasants despondent as they are forced to abandon their villages, Aragorn and Arwen's troubled relationship, and, of course, the return of Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen, superb as ever), one of the film's most powerful, memorable images that may well leave Ring devotees a little misty-eyed.

However, those who still believe that the trilogy is beyond criticism may find their views challenged by The Two Towers. It's just as long as the first film, but gets the heroes no closer to a final victory. And, where the first movie developed its emotional tone from the brightness of The Shire to a darker climax, the sequel is more of a one-note affair, shadowy in both look and content.

This is particularly true of the Ringbearer's quest, which adds the not-insignifcant Gollum to the party, but suffers more than the other story strands from the cross-cutting and finishes with a nearly identical pep talk from Sam to the tearful speech that climaxed Fellowship. Of course, given the nature of the material, and Jackson's desire to be faithful, this is all understandable. And by the time we all end up under siege at Helm's Deep, it's unlikely anyone will give a toss about narrative arcs: like Gollum, this is simply gob-smacking, mind-blowing, never-seen-before stuff.

Verdict - It may lack the first-view-thrill and natural dramatic shape of Fellowship, but this is both funnier and darker than the first film, and certainly more action-packed. An essential component of what is now destined to be among the best film franchises of all time.

5/5

- Caroline Westbrook, Empire Magazine