The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Review: The Darkest, Boldest Chapter
9/10 — The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Pros
- Groundbreaking Gollum
- Helm's Deep is spectacular
- Confident, darker tone
Cons
- No standalone structure
- Some slow stretches
With the Fellowship broken, Frodo and Sam head towards Mordor with Gollum as their uneasy guide, while Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli join Rohan’s defence against Saruman’s army. It’s the middle of the story, but it never feels like filler.
What works
Gollum, brought to life by Andy Serkis’s motion-capture performance, was a breakthrough in digital character work and still looks brilliant. Helm’s Deep is a stunning, rain-soaked siege, and the film balances its three storylines more skilfully than most middle chapters manage.
Where it falters
It has no real beginning or ending of its own, and the Ents and the Faramir detour slow the momentum.
Verdict
A thrilling and dark middle act that lives up to its predecessor.
