Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic Additions
Review: I loved the theatrical version of this movie, but the additions in the Special Extended Edition take this film to a whole new level. While the plot flows fine without them, they add new depth to the characters. I thought the additions for Merry and Pippin especially were hilarious, adding, among other material, a fight over the Entwater and over which one is taller, as well as a brief allusion to the missing Old Man Willow. Gollum, meanwhile, has expanded scenes showing his insane lust for the Ring, which make him seem both more treacherous and more pitiable. While most of the additions are fairly minor scenes, an entire segment has been added at the end, which makes the connection from the end of this movie to the start of the Return of the King flow much better.Furthermore, while I am not typically a fan of Widescreen format, I have to say that it is nearly essential here. The cinematography of this film is absolutely beautiful, and the modified format really loses a great deal of the epic grandeur. With an extra 43 minutes it is getting slightly long for viewing in one sitting (although the two tape VHS division does make a convenient breakpoint), but I would still definitely recommend the Special Extended Version.
Rating:
Summary: Great for Everyone
Review: Even though this movie is a fiction/fantasy everyone can enjoy it! Its really amazing how much work these people put into it and how great the actors are. It shows great friendship, lots of courage, and wonderful scenes between good and evil. And every good movie has at least one scene of humor. This movie takes imagination and does the impossible.
Rating:
Summary: Further Cements "Rings" as a Cinematic Giant
Review: I would compare my experience with "Lord of the Rings" in many ways with my experience with "Citizen Kane." Both films are quite revered and acclaimed, but both left me conflicted upon fist viewing. Yet even though my reactions were mixed, after watching each I knew I had seen something really special. Each film kept tempting me back, and I rewatched them a few times. I finally realized after a while that they were really teriffic movies, and I now believe "Citizen Kane" is the greatest thing ever committed to celluloid, and "Rings" is certainly up there with the other great ones. Things were made much clearer for me by seeing Peter Jackson's second installment of the epic trilogy, "The Two Towers." After watching "Fellowship" more than once I still couldn't decide if I really liked this universe, and if I could ever fully engage myself in it. With "Two Towers" I didn't have to decide. Immediately after we return to the "Fellowship" scene within the dwarfm mines, as Gandalf falls from the bridge of Khazad Dum to clash with the Belrog demon, I found myself totally immersed into this world; the marvel of Gollum as a digital creation, the sweep of the world of the Rohan horse lords, and of course the Battle at Helm's Deep, one of the most spectacular battle sequences ever put on film. After viewing "Two Towers" I knew it was another "Empire Strikes Back." Where usually one thinks of the second installment of a movie trilogy to be the most difficult to pull-off, "Empire Strikes Back" had the original beat, and so does "Two Towers." As well as equalling "Fellowship" in its granduer and intmamcy of its story, it heightens everything with greater tension and suspense. It benefits from not having the burden of major plot and character exposition (despite introducing seven new characters) so immediately it plunges you into the action, and never lets up until the credits roll. Peter Jackson I think outdoes himself once again in terms of direction, along with the writers for making a film that has virtually no real beginning or ending so satifying. But the most praise should go to the technical wizards at Weta for creating such an amazingly lifelike character in Gollum. Equal praise goes to Andy Serkis and his performance. The subtlety and expressiveness of Gollum's performance eliminates the fact that he's a digital creation in your mind, so he becomes another character. It really puts other digital creatures from more recent films to shame (Jar-Jar Binks of George Lucas's "Star Wars" prequels immediately jumps to mind). "Two Towers" continues the epic "Rings" trilogy with little to carp about. It's such a heightening of everything that was great about "Fellowship" that complaints seem almost redundant. After seeing "Two Towers" it was cemented for me that "Rings" is indeed a maverick in cinema history, and an infinitely praise-worthy giant. One hopes that seeing "Return of the King," the final "Rings" installment, can only cement that further.
Rating:
Summary: Why can't more DVDs be like this one?
Review: Too many studios are taking short cuts and not giving the fans what they really want-- extra features. This disc is packed with hours of commentary and making-of featurettes. Any fan of the series owes it to himself/herself to check it out!
Rating: 
Summary: Almost, but not quite
Review: Once again, as with the EE of Fellowship, including the extra scenes makes the "Huh?" and "How'd they get there?" from the theatrical version go away. With luck the theatrical versions will go away and the extended editions will become the reference point. There's still some quibbles. The Palantir of Orthanc scene could have been included at the expense of the Osgiliath scene and the somewhat hokey Wargs and Aragorn-over-the-cliff stuff could easily have been sacrificed to allow Shelob in the TT. Imagine the climax of the TT if the movie ended with Frodo thinking he'd lost the Ring to the Orcs. Not to mention that this compression would have left the Scouring of the Shire in the ROTK. But it's still a hell of a good movie. Just it could have been a bit better.
Rating:
Summary: Commerical masterpiece
Review: Sometimes, a truly great work suffers at the feet of the critics simply because its successful. ..and so for those who criticize this magical epic, I say shame on you!!! Never has such a diffcult and complex story, filled with humor, whimsey and a great story been so aptly translated to film. Adored by adults and children alike, this is the finest creative craftmanship of this genre since The Wizard of Oz , and destined to be treasured for many if not 100's of years into the furture.
Rating:
Summary: Superb movie, great extras
Review: The theatrical release of "The Two Towers" was superb, and the extended edition here has mixed extra baggage. Some of the scenes seem crucial (the Aragorn/Brego scene springs to mind, as does the Boromir/Faramir stuff), but many show that the editing was right to begin with. In any event, the extras on the two other DVDs are very well worth it for the fan. They take you behind the scenes in a thorough and interesting manner, and reveal some of the magic without diminishing the effect. Overall, a great set for the fan of this spectacular trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: It keeps getting better
Review: This extended version is better than the one for the first movie. Some of the additions to this one help explain why other things happen later. They also help develop some of the characters more. Excellent movie and DVD set!!
Rating:
Summary: For fans
Review: Its the kind of dvd that is really worth to buying specially for all the extra scenes! Check out the audio comments they are really funny and give you loads of detail, a dvd made for real Lord of the Rings fans.
Rating:
Summary: Best DVD ever...........
Review: Like it's predecessor, this DVD is jam-packed. I am pretty sure if you are reading this review, you have heard of or have seen this movie. I don't have to explain it. I will say if you loved the movie you owe it to yourself to get this DVD. It adds 40 min. of footage, there are TONS of special features, and it looks and sounds great. This is my favorite DVD of the year, by far. Highly recommended.
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