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The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)

List Price: $39.99
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Awesome! Gollem and Treebeard steal the show!
Review: I loved the movie. I've seen it twice already. The scenery is spectacular bringing me right into Middle Earth! Gollem is the best digital character I've ever seen!! Gollem deserves an Oscar! Treebeard and the forest is awesome. Music is great.
My only two complaints are as follows:

1) Aragorn is more confident in the book. In the movie he seems unsure of himself and more full of self-doubt than he does in the book. Love Viggo, but he's supposed to be almost arrogant, but magnanimous, at times in the books, he's Stryder after all!!

2) Boo hiss to the portrayel of Eowyn! She was brave and courageous in the book and the movie portrays her like some swooning lovesick girl and barely touches on her tremendous bravery and courage! She wanted to FIGHT in the book. The movie makes her seem like she can't decide what dress to wear. She should have been portrayed more like her brother was.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A truly fantastic epic adventure
Review: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the continuation of last year's Fellowship of the Ring. Frodo the ring bearer (Elijah Wood) and his trusted companion Sam Gamgee (Sean Astin) find themselves going in circles while trying to get to Mordor. They realize they're being followed by the ring obsessed creature Gollum, they capture him and Frodo decides to use him as a guide to Mordor. Gollum is exactly the way I imagined him in the book, well except for the fact I pictured him green. Well anyway he's very well done, he steals the show in fact. After the movie he's all people talked about. While watching it I even found myself thinking too bad the actor that plays Gollum "but was replaced by CGI of course" can't be nominated. Gollum by the way is absolutely no Jar Jar Binks, he's what George wishes Jar Jar could be like . I especially wouldn't mind seeing The Hobbit get made and get some more light shed on Gollum's past.

Well besides Frodo and Sam's adventure Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and Gandalf who has returned more powerful have to defend Helm's Deep from Saruman's huge army of Orks. Also Merry and Pippen escape from a gang of Orks and stumble apon a talking tree named Tree Beard. They try to convince him and his group of other talking trees named Ents to fight against Sauruman and his army as the world is at stake.

To sum it all up this movie is just fantastic. The visuals, the locations, the action and the cast are all just incredible. Also I have to say that I don't agree with Roger Ebert's complaints at all in his review. He really needs to read the books he claims he knows so well again. There's something wrong when you give the Harry Potter movies 4 stars and the LOTR movies only 3 stars. If he read Potter books he'd see those movies aren't entirely faithful to the books either.

Yes the other characters such as Aragorn have a bigger part to play than the Hobbits but can't say I found that to be any different in the books. They are taught to be braver by people like Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli and get braver by the 3rd book. So if he'd be patient, will probably be the same with the movies. He acts like Peter Jacksons version will have J.R.R. Tolken rolling around in his grave which I don't think is the case at all. He takes making the adaption from book to screen seriously and you can tell that just by looking at the scenes with Gollum. The part where Gollum is in the sacred pond catching a fish and Frodo has to convince him to leave is exactly the way I pictured it while reading the book. The way Gollum has conversations with his other personality Smeagol is just simply awesome, it's scary, funny and pure genious at the same time. Pure genious is exactly what should be said about this masterpiece of an epic adventure. To add to my review it's nice to that the Two Towers has been nominated for best picture. I can't imagine why Peter Jackson hasn't been nominated for best director again though. Also 2 actors that deserved to be nominated are Miranda Otto as Éowyn
Bernard Hill and Théoden. Miranda Otto is as gifted of an actress as she is beautiful, she really makes you feel her love for Aragorn. Bernard Hill is wonderful as well, I've seen a few names nominated for best supporting actor this year that I don't think deserve it more than him. Of course they should of found some way to nominate Gollum as well as he steals the show almost completely.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: oh man
Review: man oh man, i'm still a little dazed from the movie. after sitting in a movie theater for three hours for this movie, the only thing i wanna do is see it again. everything about it was amazing, right down to Gollum's facial expressions. and i'm sure this is going to be in every review, but the battle at Helm's Deep was the greatest battle scene ever. more intense than the battles in Braveheart and more visually stunning than the arena battle in Star Wars Episode II. my only complaints are as follows: Theoden's degeneration was a little overdone. he looked more like a corpse than a feeble old man. as always, i didn't much care for Liv Tyler, but that's not the movie's fault so much as her father's. and i didn't appreciate the direction they had Faramir going until right near the end. Faramir was supposed to be the more honorable, wiser brother, which i guess he was in the end. aside from that, the movie was done even better than the first, and it's looking like the third will be even better. i'm counting the days already. this movie is more than worth the $8 and sore neck. i'm gonna do it again and again, i think, probably until X-2 in May.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Tolkien Feast
Review: Peter Jackson is going to be a legend in Hollywood. For the first time in my life, I sat down to a sequel that literally felt like it simply picked up where the other film left off. Filming all three films at once undoubtedly contributed to this. The characters, the mood, and the intensity of the first film were unchanged because the actors never had to break character. And even though visual effects abound, the use of actual full scale sets and thousands of extras for battle scenes were an obvious impact on the performance of the actors and actresses. As good as everyone is, the film belongs to Gollum. He is the character you will leave thinking about. His grotesque, sympathetic, and sometimes even humorous persona is animated and performed to absolute perfection. He is truly the most believable CG character on screen to date. If any CG character could ever be nominated for a best actor oscar, it should be Smeagol.

For Tolkien purists, you'll find more changes from the book in this film than in the Fellowship of the Ring. It is for you to argue among yourselves whether or not the changes were good. Most, in my opinion, were for setup purposes for the final film. However, the middle section of the movie is likely to be the most controversial. It apparently is taken from an appendix Tolkien wrote concerning Aragorn and Arwen. I am unsure of an event in the middle of this film involving Aragorn especially. It might also be a part of the appendix. If not, it is most certainly a large liberty to take with Tolkien's story and I'm sure many who love the books will be scratching their heads here. This added segment is at least twenty to thirty minutes in length. This may seem inconsequential, however, when you realize that the film is ending long before the final chapter of Two Towers arrives, you may be asking why Peter Jackson decided add this segment when it cost him a more breathtaking and pivotal sequence later.

Some other unexpected changes include an early visit to Gondor (which is most likely intended to set the scene for the next film) and the omission of much of the visit with Treebeard. The Ent sequence will likely be another topic of discussion, as some of the effects looked very unrealistic here compared with the cinematic glory of the rest of the film. Several scenes using a blue screen behind Merry and Pippin revert to the incredibly fake blue screen shots of the 50's and 60's. These two talented actors are also given very little to do and their pleasant banter is sorely missed. This however, does not differ too much from the book. What was a greater dissappointment to myself was the absence of the continual banter between Sam and Smeagol that made me laugh out loud while reading the book. We only get a glimmer of the extreme tension between the two in this film. The Director can hardly be criticized for this however, when you realize that to include everything would have created a six hour film, rather than three.

Gimli proves to be the comic relief in this film and his growing friendship and bond with Legolas is evident. Orlando Bloom once again plays Legolas with the unblinking (and I mean the guy never blinks!) intensity we've come to expect. Much focus is place on Aragorn and the films center has shifted a great deal. Aragorn is becoming a more central part of the story, and previous big players are standing more in the background. The most noticible step back is by Gandalf. However, he literally shines in every moment he is given and no one could argue that few characters have been given such a grand entrance in decades. New characters that I'm anxious to see much more of are the King of Rohan and his lovely daughter Eowyn. Eowyn's character is mesmerizing and Miranda Otto plays her with an amazing grace. Wormtongue, is as unlikeable and despicable as he should be.

You will find that despite the heart thumping battle scenes that take your breath away, the Two Towers also is also surprisingly touching - a combination that few fantasy films have perfected or even attempted. Expect your emotions to run the gammet here. Peter Jackson, master cinematic chef that he is, has cooked up a masterpiece and in spite of a few minor changes in the recipe, The Two Towers will leave you with nothing but a delicious taste of Tolkien.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Does the 'Two Towers' live up to 'Fellowship of the Ring'?
Review: I was one of the first people to see the second instalment in the Epic tale that is Lord of the Rings. To begin, Two Towers which is the second part in the ongoing Tolkien tale of Middle Earth starts off where it finished in the Fellowship of the Ring.

The tale of Sam Gangee and Frodo Baggins is but a sub-plot in this film as the film follows the story of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli and the battle of Helm's Deep. I should mention that this film does not pursue the Adventure Genre that its predecessor had done. Two Towers will remind you more of a war genre, such as Patton, than the mystical journey of the ring. And this is not for the worse, the depiction of Good Vs Evil runs rampant throughout the 3 hours of the film in awe-inspiring visuals. The cinematography in the film is much darker when we get glimpses of what Sauron's forces are doing in Mordor while we get much brighter cinematography when seeing the Elvish and Human lands near Helm's Deep.

The CGI (Computer Generated Images) is used to perfection when portraying the image of 10,000 Orcs strong waiting to go into battle. The Costumes and Make-up displayed throughout the evil army captures the gritty, ugly and Medieval style that Peter Jackson (Director) brings to the audience. The location manager of the film must be commended also for finding the sites of the main locations thoroughly described in Tolkien's tale. One of the first things you will notice in the film is the beautiful landscapes. New Zealand as the choice of Middle Earth was one of the smartest decisions the Film team could of made and this can be seen when multiple locations that exhibit completely different styles can all be filmed in the one country. Amazing.

The acting is once again stellar. All characters are played to perfection as their character development is evident throughout the film. Aragorn becomes more and more of a leader, Legolas and Gimli start to form a friendship, Merry and Pippen gain more bravery and courage plus Sam and Frodo portray the understanding of their destiny's to a T. Another aspect of the film and characters that should be mentioned is that there is more comedy in this story. Gimli comes into his own when his height becomes exploited and he complies to being 'tossed'. This is the best time to add the comedy as it is the middle part of the Legendary tale and would not have been a wise choice to include in the first part (Establishing the Danger) or the third part (The pivotal dramatic ending).

The Score is once again magical. The Orchestration gives you that energetic feel as though you want to be there fighting to save Middle-earth. There is not one aspect to change about the music as it surpasses its original purpose and gives you a more dramatic and unforgettable edge to the film.

The construction of the film may be a deterrent to some people as it is the very middle section of Lord of the Rings. While in Fellowship there was a beginning to the film, The Two Towers immediately goes into the thick of the story giving us a brief summary of each of the characters and where they're located. You may also find yourself thinking why you're watching a 3 hour epic of a film with no real ending. Simple. Its brilliant. If you have not read the books, you want to know what obstacles the characters will encounter and most probably see some action plus can proudly claim that you have seen this classic of a film. And for those who have read the book, you would want to know how alike and dislike the book is to the film and how each moment will be portrayed compared to your imagination and/or Tolkien's novel description. I have to stress that this is a Must-See!

For all those Bloodthirsty fans out there who want to see the warriors 'Hunt some Orc' shall not be disappointed as the battle of Helm's Deep will surpass your expectations in the 45 minute long battle-fest. An interesting note, the actors and extras that did this battle found it to be the most gruelling scene out of all them. As it was filmed at night in the rain and they had to wait hours on end to get a shot set-up while some battled with hyperthermia. Now that just shows the raw passion and commitment to make this film grow beyond people's wildest expectations.

We are also joined by all the favourite and significant characters in the first film. **Spoilers** Gandalf makes his return as Gandalf the White and makes a memorable quote to set up the final chapter of Middle-earth. "The battle of Helm's Deep has ended. Now the battle for Middle-earth had Begun". We are also joined again by the schizophrenic hybrid of Gollum, who we see in full for the first time and is the best CG character to ever grace the cinema screen. We are also joined by a few new characters of Treebeard, who helps the comedy duo of Merry and Pippen through their escape of Mordor. Each are classics in their own right.

To finish off, this movie is a must-see. It may not have that first magical experience you encountered during the first movie but it delivers what it set out to do and create a stunner of a film. The acting, CGI, story, costumes, make-up, locations, characters, cinematography and score is absolutely extraordinary. I really couldn't make up my mind if this movie surpassed the first film (Probably have to watch it again) but I can tell you it is a 5 star movie. Each person will have their own preference to which movie they favour but believe me, it will be hard to decide.

And Always Remember...

...'One ring to rule them all'!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: not bad
Review: although this film is very well done and the actors do a very good job. the movie doesn't hold true to the book. however it is still worth seeing on the big screen.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Movie that Towers over all
Review: I went to see the Fellowship of the Ring a year ago on the day it was released. I have been a Tolkien fan for as long as I can remember and thought that the movie could not be as good as the book. I was wrong. Peter Jackson has done an excellent job adapting the book. The Two Towers deviated from the book more than the Fellowship of the Ring, but Tolkien fans will still enjoy it, as I did. The Battle of Helm's Deep is spectatcular and the effects are astounding. They take you into a whole different world. I am also pleased by the story, actors, and costumes, which are magnificent. The only two complaints I might make are:

1. Arwen has become a whole main character where she was barely mentioned in the book.
2. Haledir died.

Gimili was hilarious, and even Gollum was realistically done. I must repeat how much I enjoyed this movie and cannot wait for it to come out on video.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best one so far
Review: This one in a way reminded me of Star Wars Episode II. That means it had a much more exciting plot, more character developement, better special effects, better acting, and a more complex plot line. This was better than Episode II because it had better acting. The special effects were incredible, and the pace of the movie made it seem like 1 hour instead of 3 hours and 15 minutes. See this now, it is the best movie of 2002!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: CAN WAIT FOR VIDEO
Review: Im not thrilled at all about the towers as i can wait for video to see a bunch of (...) running around trying to destroy some stupid ring!

and its three hours long?screw that-only geeks and stuff would go to this movie-probably because they have nothing better to do!

im so over this lord of the rings (...) anyways-im into better stuff now-like dean martin and jerry lewis-at least they hold your imagination!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An objective opinion about the movie
Review: Before you vote my review unhelpful for the 3 stars, please read what I'm saying here. I never read the Lord of the Rings books. Despite always having meant to, its something I never got round to doing. Therefore, on the release of the films, I have jumped at each chance to see them. When the Fellowship of the Ring came out, I saw it on its opening day in the UK and enjoyed it very much. Yesterday I saw Two Towers on its opening day in the UK, and I have to say I was disappointed.

I am reviewing from an objective viewpoint, having never read the books. But the first half of the movie grated on me, boring me with dull cliches. The film picked up a lot in the second half, especially around the major battle, which was visually stunning and genuinely exciting. Whenever the scene changed, however, I felt my heart sink, lest I have to endure another disappointing performance from Elijah Wood (far worse than his good performance on the first film), let alone the inconceivably annoying Smeegal character.

I feel that one of my problems with LOTR is that the good and evil characters are so clearly set out. There is good and there is evil, plain for everyone to see, and no interesting character studies in between - even Star Wars has some of this. Every evil character was so obviously evil that it would be impossible to imagine anyone falling for them.

Furthermore, the attempt to introduce comedy into proceedings was totally unnecessary. Both the jokes about the dwarf and Smeegal (though whether the latter was intentionally funny or not is debatable) were boring and detracted from the film. Even worse was Sam's cheesiness at the end ('We just have to fight for the good that's in the world!) which was cringeworthy crowd-pleasing pap.

Aragon and Legolas are both played to perfection, and the cinematography is stunning, making the battle scene a real delight - perfect cinema. But overall this film was far too mixed to really entertain me over the whole course.


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