Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The Lord Of The Rings The Two Towers Film Reviewed

By Shelia Beard

If you are looking at the book The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers and are feeling a little overwhelmed by how thick it is, you are not alone. Many people who have read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of The Rings have found that some portions are hard to get through. However, as it links together the first and third books, it is important for you to read since it answers many questions and provides information you need to make the third book, The Return of the King, make sense.

You will find that the book tends to be a study in contrasts. There are some portions that are filled with action, suspense and intrigue. There are also sections which focus more on the environment that the characters are traveling through and which tend to be a bit slower paced.

It is for this reason that the movie version, released in 2002 and directed by Peter Jackson, was excellent. Although there have been some criticisms about some of the plot choices that were made in the movie, on the whole it is an excellent film. Like the first movie, Jackson uses a combination of sets, special effects and make-up in order to recreate key locations such as King Theoden's hall in Rohan.

Many people miss the reference to the two towers. The first belongs to Saruman. He is a wizard who appears first in the Fellowship of the Ring. Although we are aware that he has sided with the enemy, the extent of his treachery becomes obvious as we see him creating fierce creatures known as Uruk-Hai in the caves below his tower. The second tower is that occupied by Sauron himself.

Finally, the story works well as a movie because it is easier to follow the travels of the different parts of the Fellowship. In the book, the companions split up at the end of the first movie. Boromir betrays the Fellowship by attempting to take the ring from Frodo by force. You understand why he does so after you meet the people of Gondor, including Boromir's brother Faramir and the corrupt and deranged Steward who has cracked under the pressure of living next to Mordor.

In the book, it is difficult to jump back and forth between the different parts of the Fellowship. The movie does this well and also allows us to get to know other important characters as well. It makes it more interesting for the audience to see the bravery of Eowyn of Rohan, the cowardice of Golum and other pivotal characters.

If you are someone who loves action, this book is filled with some of the most incredible scenes of any in fantasy literature. The main battle is that of Helm's Deep, where humans hole up and are besieged by Orcs, Goblins and Uruk-hai.

If you are someone who tried to read the book and were unable to get through it, you need to see this movie. The special effects, scenery and pacing are excellent and make it definitely worth watching.

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