Rating: 
Summary: Incredible -- simply an amazing film of a fantastic book...
Review: My first thought after finishing 'The Fellowship of the Ring' was HOW are they going to translate 'The Two Towers' into a credible movie?? My mind raced at a thousand miles-an-hour knowing that if they screwed up just one major element that it could spell doom for the two remaining movies. I thought first to Treebeard and how they were going to bring the Ents to life on screen and make it look *right*...I then wondered about Gollum and how a full digital character could be brought to life convincingly enough for the public to actually believe he is a real living breathing creature...how could the battle at Helm's Deep be done at ALL?? I am happy to say that Peter Jackson has very much earned the tremendous respect of Tolkien fans the world over by bringing together one of the most talented filming crews to ever work on ANY movie, and literally breathing life into a tremendous story. As good as 'The Two Towers' was on the big screen, the extended version on dvd is in fact even better. So MUCH was left out that could have (some say SHOULD have) been included, and overall gives us fans an even better understanding of how incredibly daunting the task of bringing all of this to the big screen really was. The extra footage was definitely worth the wait. An additional 43 MINUTES of scenes, some just extending existing shots, and some entirely new scenes make this edition well worth watching. I personally enjoyed the extra footage of Faromir with Boromir and their Father at Osgiliath, which helps explain further his actions in 'Return of the King' and Merry & Pippen in the Fangorn Forest drinking and growing taller...a scene I felt was sorely missed from the theatrical edition. What really added to the enjoyment of this special dvd was the extra 2 discs which go into great detail on the making of these tremendous films and gives even the dullest layperson a small glimpse into just how incredibly difficult the job of filming the entire 3 movies must have been. Even though they talk (at length sometimes) of how hard this project was, they talk just as much about how rewarding it was, because in the back of their minds they ALL knew that they were making history. One of the most facinating portions of the extra discs was the creation and making of Gollum. From Andy Serkis who literally BECAME Gollum to how Peter Jackson did an about face after 'The Fellowship' had already been released and MUCH of the principle filming of Gollum had been finished and told his digital production crew that they needed to re-do Gollum to more closely match the facial features of the voice done by Andy. They go into detail about how impossible this task was, but how as they went about fulfilling Peter's mandate, they created a much better character and a much better movie in the process. I'm absolutely shocked that Andy was passed over at the Golden Globe & Oscars for a nomination because of how utterly convincing this character was. The extended dvd far surpassed my expectations and helped to whet my appetite for the crowning achievement that is 'The Return of the King' the absolute best movie of the trilogy and one of the best pieces of filmmaking I have ever seen and should not just be nominated for Best Movie, it really ought to win. I can think of NO other films I have ever seen that has evoked such tremendous emotions in me, and Peter Jackson and everyone associated with making these movies should be revered for all-time for doing true justice to the books which have been beloved by readers the world over for over 50 years. Absolutely fantastic and HIGHLY recommended.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Trilogy Ever Made
Review: I basically look at any movie, once it can show me that it does not have a predictable storyline in contrast to a 'unique' storyline. Being critical and scrutinizing certain movies are ineveitable. Every single mistake that any particular director makes is always sought out by professional movie critics. And then there are the director's and producer's who make an absolutely spectacular film...ones that leave you in awe...ones that you see in the cinema and come out with your jaw wenched open...those are the movies that stay with you till the ends of time...
I'm a huge Lord of the Rings fan...i mean who isn't? The skill of Peter Jackson in bringing this movie to life from J.R.R Tolkein's amazing and spectacular book is unbelieveable and almost non-human. I was not disspointed by any of his movies in the triology...they all did justice to Tolkein's books...
I don't think I have anything else to say about any other movies presently...Lord of the Rings dominates my mind and thoughts right now...anyone with a different perspective please feel free to send me an e-mail.
"I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive." - Albert Einstein
Rating:
Summary: Much, Much Better Than the Theatrical Release
Review: I hated the theatrical version of TTT for a number of reasons, the most important of which was that although the film sort of followed the general outlines of Tolkien's work, the writers had disgarded everything that made the book worthwhile in order to impose a ridiculous amount of screenwriterly conflict. For example, having the Ents reject war with Saruman is bad enough, but to have Eomer exiled wrecks the development of his relationship with Aragorn, and finally, to turn Faramir into a callow jerk in order to put some threat at the end of the film was to me a crime beyond forgiveness. This extended version, however, is a whole new film, and one that I found myself admiring. There are new scenes and extended scenes that give us more of the actual story and allow the characters to breathe in this massive space. My dislike of Faramir's character was lessened by inclusion of much of his backstory, particularly his love for his brother Boromir and his inability to please his father. Additional scenes at the end of sequence with Sam and Frodo bring this character, despite the changes in the screenplay, closer to the original character. Deadlines had a lot to do with why New Line didn't release these versions instead of the chopped up versions that made it into most theaters - most films are designed to sell popcorn, and I guess a film this long would limit sales of Milk Duds and Diet Coke - and TTT also had to be in theaters for Xmas release. The last thing I ever thought I'd be doing was giving The Two Towers a five-star rating, but since I've seen the extended version, I must do just that.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazingly impressive set - don't bother with the smaller DVD
Review: These special edition DVD sets for the two Lord of the Rings films are impressive achievements. On the 4 DVDs of the Two Towers there is no wasted space. Due to the length of the film, the feature itself covers two discs and looks/sounds fantastic on my system (albeit an older/smaller system). The next two DVDs contain documentaries on all aspects of the filmaking from the preproduction storyboards to the postproduction generation of special effects. For my money, the documentaries are better (more interesting, flow better) than the equivalent documentaries on Film #1. At 6 hours on each of the two films, there is bound to be some overlap between the docs on Film #1 and #2, but it's surprisingly small, to the credit of the DVD producers. I'll admit that I haven't watched all the extras (i.e. I haven't listened to all 4 audio commentaries), but so far I've been impressed by the lack of overlap and overall level of interest the extras generate. At nearly 4 hours, the extended version of the film is 45 minutes longer than the theatrical release. Most of the additions are well worthwhile, adding depth and comedy to the action. However, I have the same objection to this film as to the first - it's not what Peter Jackson has left out that's the problem, it's that he's tried to include too much, which makes some parts confused and/or overcrowded. There are three basic stories that need to be told in this film: 1. Frodo and Sam trying to reach Mordor, with Gollum as guide; 2. The siege of Helm's Deep and the recruitment of Rohan to the cause; and 3. Merry, Pippen, and the Ents attack on Isengard. Everything else is subsidiary and should have been done away with. For example, Jackson cuts the Fords of Isen battle way back, but there's no reason to introduce it at all! Likewise: while it's important to introduce Faramir, there is no reason to depict Frodo and Sam's imprisonment by him.
This is why the film blows up beyond all rational time limitations, and why the dense Tolkien books are so difficult to translate to the screen. Jackson does do an admirable job at an impossible task, but anyone who has not read the books will be unable to keep track of all the characters, let alone follow all the intracacies of the plot. The films then reduce to a series of massive battles. However, fans of the books are likely to find much to like about the film. In fact, I would rate this one higher than the first film - Jackson seems to cover more material in the same amount of time, and I think most of the Two Towers is on the screen, although the film ends considerably before the book. (e.g., Gandalf does not get to Isengard, and Sam and Frodo do not reach Shelob's lair) Therefore, fans of the film should not bother with any DVD version other than this one. The Two Towers is a spectacle not to be missed. The added scenes are well worthwhile (more so than many that survived into the theatrical cut, in fact). The film itself is superior to the first film overall, although my favourite sequence remains the Weathertop battle from the first film.
Rating: 
Summary: Not all that good.
Review: I'll be fairly straight here... This movie is the worst or the 3. Only see it to get the basic picture of what happens between the 1st and 3rd movies. It is dreary, unimaginative and badly filmed. All the actors have gone weird and tried to make the movie their own, while all failing. It has no scenes that give you a real feeling of the trilogy and the scenes themselves do nothing but explain, or repeat, what's happening. Do not bother buying it unless you're one of those nuts who has to have the whole series, no matter what. The other two are great, however.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVED this Film
Review: The two Towers (In theaters) was great. But this extended edition is Awesome...It explained so much more, its almost like seeing another movie. Everything is better.
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST OF THE THREE
Review: In Brief The second in the trilogy begins in the hills of Emyn Muil, where Frodo (Wood) and Sam (Astin) discover they are being tracked by the mysterious Gollum (Serkis). Elsewhere in Middle-Earth Aragorn (Mortensen), Legolas (Bloom), and Gimli (Rhys-Davis), encounter the besieged Rohan kingdom and its King who is under the spell of Saruman (Lee) & the manipulations of his spy Wormtongue (Brad Dourif). Gandalf (McKellen) has been reborn as Gandalf the White (that's not a spoiler - look he's on the poster) following his cataclysmic fight with the Balrog. While hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) escape from the Uruk-hai and flee into the mysterious Fangorn Forest. All this and the battle for Middle-Earth begins as the ring continues on its journey to Mordor. Review Well its hard to believe but the second part is better than the first. This is a truly beautiful film, the result of a group of people's love for a book that has taken so many to Middle-Earth from their bedrooms, commutes, or lives in general. The second part takes us further into the story of the journey of the ring, the trials of the now broken fellowship, and the quest that lays ahead. As the stories have split, there is more to get your teeth into than the first film as we crosscut from each of the groups and their latest encounters. Where there were brief lags in The Fellowship of the Ring this narrative device allows Jackson to control the pacing at a far better level. While the aerial shots are numerous at times, they provide a simple way around the scale difference of the character's sizes as well giving us some beautiful imagery of the Middle-Earth landscape. It is a place that its creators have made a believable realm - a place that IS there without question - where reality and fantasy collide into a unifying form that is real unto itself. While some may question the following comparison, to me LOTR has the scope, majesty, spirit, action, and fantasy of any Kurosawa film, indeed if he were alive today I'd be hard pressed to say that it hadn't been made by the great man himself. The film works so well on various levels; the shear scope gave me many a chill, and the acting is beautifully woven into the tapestry that is this film. There are some marvellously subtle moments; indeed the connection through the blue watery eyes of Gollum, Frodo and Wormtongue strikes interesting comparisons in the back of ones mind. Here is a creature who has literally been torn in two by his addiction to the ring, there is Frodo who is finding the 'weight' of his task is starting to affect his very being, while finally there is a man who has never touched the ring yet is affected by its power and is as twisted as the creature that has become Gollum. Gollum, who possessed the ring prior to Bilbo, is one of the outstanding cast members of the film. He is a CGI character whose voice and movements were captured from the performance of Andy Serkis, yet his work and the work of the artists who created the image we see upon the screen completely destroyed any prejudice I had against CGI characters as Gollum delivers a strong performance of internal conflict, deception, and is the full embodiment of Tolkien's slimy hissy being. Finally, special mention must be given to Rhys-Davis' Gimil, a dwarf who is as fierce and as bold as he is comic and who acts as reminder that throughout the turmoil and destruction we witness there is always room for laughter. The Verdict
A testament to the abilities of everyone involved that the unfilmable book has reached our screens, succeeding in every department that one may have had doubts in. It is a beautifully complex film that neither patronises nor confuses it audience and though will not contain all the moments from the book every fan desires to see, it certainly has every essence of the spirit that is Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
Rating:
Summary: best movie ever
Review: The special extended edition is a real thriller. It gives you about 43 min of extra scenes. The movie it self is really good. You can tell they worked on it really hard. The movie is about 3 and a half, so might as well lay down and relax!!
Rating:
Summary: oh my god...
Review: Wow. This DVD is amazing. Not only do you get the Two Towers movie, which is great in its own right (not to mention it's got added scenes) but there's also hours and hours of bonus footage about how they made the movies. For DVD's its a fabulous achievement. Good job, LOTR!
Rating:
Summary: For the true fan...
Review: This is a must have for all those who love The Lord of the Rings.
This set goes in to so much more depth then the original version.
Excellent special features and interviews as well. One should take care not to compare the books and movies...they are each very good in their own right. :)
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