<< Back 12/25/02 Adventure continues Jackson’s second installment is sure to please even the most scrupulous Tolkien fan By Hunter Pope Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Director: Peter Jackson Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Christopher Lee Rating: PG-13—for epic battle sequences and scary images The nerd had returned. A couple of weeks ago, I felt the geek-osmosis taking place. “The Two Towers” the second installment of Tolkien’s classic trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings,” was quickly approaching its opening date on Dec. 18; and I felt like a kid whose bladder dam was deteriorating. It had been almost a year since I felt the urge to talk in elven tongue to confused strangers, or recite kingdoms that belonged in the fictional world of Middle Earth. But, with the second movie looming, I swore I could see hobbit hair sprouting on my feet. I purchased tickets two weeks in advance, and I even asked the irritated ticket lady if it was close to selling out. “No, hon, you’re the first,” she said, looking at me like I was an orc rampaging the fortress of Helm’s Deep. I told everyone — family, friends, fellow employees, customers, people on the street — that I couldn’t wait for director Peter Jackson’s second interpretation. My mind raced like a greyhound-Would Treebeard be in the movie? Would Gollum look like Tolkien’s Gollum? Could Jackson make Wormtongue look as despicable as Tolkien depicts him? Do people think I’m weird? I missed opening night (some stupid moral about work and responsibility), but I made it the second night, and I found like-minded nerds. Everyone walked through the parking lot like the ground was on fire. No one spoke, each person had a horse-blinded direction to the specific theater. As soon as the movie started, it felt like a year’s load had been lifted from each of our yoked backs. We were in Tolkein’s world again. Master Frodo and Brave Aragorn had welcomed each of us in. Middle Earth was our hamlet for the next three hours. “The Two Towers” starts promptly where the last one left off. At the end of “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the group split and went three separate ways. The first group is hobbits, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Sam Gamshee (Sean Astin). Frodo is the bearer of the evil ring that the original owner, Sauron, wants back. If the dark lord Sauron obtains the ring, then all of Middle Earth will plummet into darkness. Frodo and Sam have the daunting task of returning the ring to Mordor, residence of Sauron. Only in the flames of Mordor can the ring be vanquished. The second party is human Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson), the nimble elf, Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and the embittered dwarf, Gimli (John Rhys-Davies). The trio is in search of hobbits, Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), who have been taken by a horde of orcs and goblins. The first 30 minutes of the movie is done in hurricane fashion. Names are thrown around like a wordy blender, and the characters are thrust into action with little explanation (unlike the first movie that went to great lengths to set up the storyline). I had no trouble myself (remember, I’m a Middle Earth expatriate), but I could see how folks would be bewildered if they aren’t familiar with the books. Nonetheless, the Jackson decpiher of Tolkien’s work dazzles the eye even if the story is still catching up. The first new character in “The Two Towers” is the loathsome Gollum. In the real world, Gollum is a computer-animated marvel. The voice belongs to Andy Sarkis, whose movements were also copied to bring Gollum to life. In Middle Earth, Gollum is an old keeper of the ring. He was once a hobbit whose soul was shredded by the ring. He has saucer-like eyes and a green complexion most associated with bile. He has followed Frodo and Sam in hopes of stealing the precious artifact. But the hobbits are too clever for the creature, and Gollum soon pledges allegiance, even going so far as to lead them to Mordor. The second character is Treebeard (voiced by Rhys-Davies), a giant walking tree. Treebeard is one of oldest entities in Middle Earth, his species categorized as Ents. The tree is wise and spends a looooong time postulating action and words. He becomes a companion to Merry and Pippin, who have gotten lost in the thick forest of Fangorn. Treebeard is another computer marvel, his imagery exactly the way I pictured it from the book. The third new character is the vile Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif), counselor to king Theoden (Bernard Hill) of Rohan. Wormtongue is a secret agent for Saruman (Christopher Lee), a powerful mage who has been corrupted by Sauron’s evil. Saruman has built a huge army at his fortress, Isengard, to go alongside Sauron’s. Saruman and Grima have collectively rotted Theoden’s brain, making it easier for Saruman’s army to take over Rohan. Luckily, the wizard, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), has arisen from his doomed fall in “Fellowship” to become the White Wizard. With the help of Aragorn and company, Gandalf, exorcises the hold on Theoden, and Wormtongue is sent, tail-tucked, to Saruman. But, the battle has just begun. Saruman has released his 10,000 plus army of Uruk-Hai (an blasphemous mix of orc and goblin) on the humans of Rohan. The human’s last fortress is Helm’s Deep, where they gather to begin the first battle for Middle Earth. And the battle is spectacular. Jackson spares no expense on detailing every granule of the fight scenes. Every corner of the movie screen is filled with meticulous care. Thousands of arrows rain the sky like an abrasive cloudburst, and orcs fall of the bridge like thousands of black cascading marbles. Despite the computer infiltration, I could still feel the peril of the humans fighting against a darkness that wants to cloak goodness. “The Two Towers” is a majestic piece of filmmaking, it’s technical virtuosity unmatched. There is also a penchant for darkness, which director Jackson seems to wield with ease. He has recreated the ultimate fairy tale, but he knows that too much light and fairies will generate a saccharin world. Every reality needs an equal measure of dark and light, and Middle Earth is no different. As Frodo draws near Mordor, the ring torments his soul. His facial tics and mannerisms become almost fiendish as Mordor draws near. Although we want to laugh at Gollum, a pity surfaces because he is tormented by a dual personality. One wants the precious ring, while the other wants to remain loyal to Master Frodo. There is even tufts of comic relief, especially with good dwarf Gimli, whose childish height is the butt of many jokes. Treebeard’s infinite patience alongside his new and impatient Hobbit friends also pilfers a few chuckles. If there are any complaints, it’s that we don’t see the Hobbits or Gandalf enough. The hobbits’ adventures are minusculed by Aragorn and company’s defense of Helm’s Deep. The fight scene there barely took up a chapter in the book, yet its setup and delivery consumes the latter portion of the movie. Furthermore, Gandalf is the linchpin; the comfort food for viewers or readers who believe Middle Earth is about to go under. The good wizard is barely visible in the second installment, although he crops up a lot more in the book. And I realize that Tolkien’s world of thwarting evil rarely included women. But it seems that Jackson would have more feminine scenes than the token ones by Arwen (Liv Tyler), Galadriel (Cate Blanchette) and Eowyn (Miranda Otto). The rest of the time, women are seen huddled up with the children as their men defend the castle. I know it’s been called a boys’ adventure, but “The Lord of the Rings” is too rich a tale to be called an exclusionist club. Sadly, the nerd effects are growing. My addiction has gone unslaked; the desire to see the “Two Towers” for the second time grows like an unreachable itch, and I have forsaken my other reads for Tolkien’s pen. Which says a lot about Peter Jackson’s take on Middle Earth. Despite the teensy flaws, his world is one I find comfort and fascination. He takes the viewer away from the world’s distractions for three hours, and most of us come out of the theatre like we’ve conquered the dragon, Smaug. It’s a fantasy world, yes, but it’s a world that makes many realize that magic still exists ...even in the shallow halls of Hollywood. The need for that world is greater than ever, especially since it will be a long year before the king returns to grant the final entrance to Middle Earth. (Hunter Pope can be reached at w.h.pope@worldnet.att.net)