Fantastic follow-up

'Two Towers' carries on Tolkien trilogy with brilliant, breathtaking vision

Robert Denerstein, Rocky Mountain News

Published December 18, 2002 at midnight

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Watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, I realized certain things would never come totally into focus. I was never going to grasp every nuance in this fantastical tale and, at times, I'd find myself bobbing on a sea of jargon, almost as if I were watching a foreign movie without subtitles. And at three hours in length, Rings can't escape the occasional lull.

But as Lord of the Rings unfolds - with its canvas full of amazing sights - even Rings curmudgeons like me must concede that director Peter Jackson has made one of the great, towering cinematic fantasies, a brilliantly conceived adventure that has the capacity to take your breath away.

It's the vision thing.

The movie's final battle sequence is as exciting as anything I've seen this year, a massive, gut-wrenching extravaganza that pits a small band of stalwarts against a menacing army of 10,000. That army, relentless as it is large, crashes against castle walls with crushing force. You will feel fear.

For my tastes, The Two Towers surpasses the first installment because it puts more story on the table without diminishing the grandeur of its vision or the sorrow of its emotions, a mournful quality that accompanies the unfolding of J.R.R. Tolkien's massive, intricate and highly ornamented tale of good vs. evil.

The story focuses on Frodo's journey to destroy the ring that holds the power of evil. The armies of the wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) are gathering. If victorious, they'll dominate Middle-earth, putting an end to all the good in the world. But the real power of the movie involves the ways in which Jackson and a cast of actors - most of whom are exceptionally well versed in the fine art of declamation - create a wondrous world of sights and sound.

A creature called Gollum constitutes the major addition to this segment. Gollum, who's scrawny and twisted as a twig, has a dual nature that slams him between the poles of good and evil. He's part victim, part monster.

For much of the story, Frodo (well-played by Elijah Wood) surrenders center stage. The story follows Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli the Dwarf (John Rhys-Davies) as they try to save the kingdom of Rohan. Its king, the kindly Theoden (Bernard Hill), has fallen into a terrible, corrosive stupor.

At the same time, Meriadoc (Dominic Monaghan) and Peregrin (Billy Boyd) wander through Fangorn Forest where they meet a creature called Treebeard, a giant talking tree. Sounds ridiculous, but it works.

Of course, Frodo and his pal Sam (Sean Astin) are busy with their own adventures and substantial supporting contributions are made by Brad Dourif, as one of Saruman's stooges, and Ian McKellen, back as the engaging Gandalf.

You'll get the gist, which is pretty much all you need to carry you toward the great battle at Helm's Deep, which gives the film its riveting finale.

Look, I'm still no convert to Ringmania, but there's plenty to admire about this picture as it bursts from Jackson's rich and varied imagination. Rings may not be perfect, but we've never seen anything quite like it.

Robert Denerstein is the film critic. Denersteinb@com or (303) 892-5424

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