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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition)

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Description

The Award-winning $1 billion dollar franchise is revisited with three new 2-disc limited editions. Each DVD features the theatrical and extended versions of the film and a new documentary. Filmmaker Costa Botes, who was personally selected by Peter Jackson, created three ground-breaking documentaries using rare behind-the-scenes footage. DVD Features: Documentaries:Never-before-seen behind-the-scenes documentary by Costa Botes, the filmmaker director Peter Jackson personally hired (106 minutes) Other:Part I - 107 minutes (Extended); 80 minutes (Theatrical) Part II - 129 minutes (Extended); 99 minutes (Theatrical) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films gave "double-dipping"--releasing a DVD then releasing an improved version shortly afterward--a good name by offering both a better film and stupendous extras in the Extended Editions. This "triple-dip" 2006 Limited Edition falls far short of that standard but is still of interest to devoted and casual fans. What do you get? Both the theatrical and extended versions of The Two Towers are on one double-sided disc. The versions use seamless branching, meaning that the scenes that are common to both versions are stored on the disc only once. If you choose to watch the extended version, the disc "branches" out to the added or extended scenes. What does this mean to the viewer? Not much. The viewing experience is the same because the branching is imperceptible. But because both versions of the film don't have to be stored on the disc in their entirety (which would be almost seven hours total), both versions together fit on two sides of one disc. The downside is that whichever version you watch, you have to flip over the disc halfway through; the film breaks at the same spot it did on the Extended Edition, right after Faramir finds Frodo and Sam. Also lost are the meager features included on the theatrical edition, plus the four commentary tracks, two discs of bonus features, and DTS 6.1 ES sound from the four-disc Extended Edition. What's new? Costa Botes' 105-minute documentary reminds us just how rich The Two Towers is. It covers the mechanics of Treebeard, Gollum, Rohan, and other elements, and all that is before we get to the half-hour segment on Helm's Deep. What's interesting is how Peter Jackson and others appear in the documentary, but even more time is spent interviewing the extra actors and the lesser-known technicians who get into the nuts and bolts of how the film was made. Most of the cast members aren't interviewed at all, though Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd's clowning serves as a framing device. Some of the shots are quite funny, including the anachronistic glimpse of someone vacuuming the Great Hall of Rohan. It's entertaining, but because there's no structure (there are chapters, but no menu or chapter listing), it's not as convenient to watch, and go back to, as a documentary broken up into bite-size pieces. Oddly, the documentary is in widescreen, but not anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs. Note: New Line Home Entertainment couldn't release this material on its own a la the King Kong Production Diaries due to contractual restrictions.Bottom line: Do I need this edition? This Limited Edition combination of theatrical and extended versions plus new documentary seems likely to appeal to two camps. One is the devoted fan, who already owns both editions but has to have everything LOTR. The other is the casual fan who liked the movie in theaters, heard good things about the Extended Edition, and doesn't need a ton of bonus material. This edition is attractively priced for that buyer, and the packaging is quite handsome. In between is the devoted fan who already owns both editions but doesn't feel the need to watch more bonus material. When watching the whole movie, that fan will always choose the Extended Edition, but keeps the theatrical edition for (1) watching with guests, (2) Sean Astin's short film, or (3) the convenience of skimming through favorite scenes without having to change discs. That fan can safely skip this edition, as can home-theater fans who love DTS. --David Horiuchi

Genre: Documentary


Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Limited Edition, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen


Contributor: Billy Boyd, Bruce Allpress, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Fran Walsh, Ian McKellen, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jed Brophy, John Bach, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Sala Baker, Sam Comery, Sean Astin, Stephen Sinclair, Viggo Mortensen See more


Language: English, French


Runtime: 2 hours and 59 minutes


Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.351


MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)


Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.75 x 5.75 x 0.5 inches; 5.6 ounces


Director ‏ : ‎ Peter Jackson


Media Format ‏ : ‎ Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Limited Edition, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen


Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 59 minutes


Actors ‏ : ‎ Bruce Allpress, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen


Subtitles: ‏ ‎ English, Spanish


Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX)


Studio ‏ : ‎ New Line Home Video


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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Completely satisfying interpretation of Tolkien
I am sure that there are those who are bothered, angry even, that Peter Jackson didn't take a more literal approach to his "Lord of the Rings" films. To those people I would say that a literal word for word translation from text to screen (assuming such a thing were possible, which it's not) would be nothing but mimicry and in no way a tribute to Tolkien's genius. Rather, I would argue that Jackson's superb interpretation of "The Two Towers" beautifully captures the spirit of Tolkien without being slavish in its devotion. Moreover, Jackson successfully grounds his film in a recognizable reality, which serves to further engage the viewer. There are three ways (generally speaking) in which Jackson puts his fingerprint on Tolkien. The first is his interpretation of the text; areas in which without changing Tolkien he is nonetheless able to put his own spin on the text. There are two salient and superb examples of this that come immediately to mind. The first is that Jackson presents Gollum/Smeagol as a split personality. Gollum is a malevolent deceitful being who lusts after the ring, and Smeagol is an almost childlike creature, fierce in his devotion, but easily hurt. I found this approach to be utterly compelling, and a superb way to present Gollum, but at the same time, it is totally loyal to Tolkien's writing. The second example is the presentation of Gandalf freeing Theoden from Saruman as a sort of exorcism. Not only was this a visually intriguing way to present the scene, but it also shows great appreciation for Tolkien as a man. As a devout Catholic, I suspect he would have appreciated the overtones that swirl about the exchange. The second way in which Jackson captures Tolkien is in his portrayal of the characters. Given the constraints of the film format, the director is forced to both condense and flesh out various characters and exchanges. As such, it is critical that he portrays the characters appropriately, but within the context of the movie. There are any number of excellent examples to Jackson's characterizations, but there are a few that come immediately to mind. The first is using Gimli as much needed comic relief, but doing so in such a way that doesn't degrade the character. In fact, it has quite the opposite effect as it lends a certain emotional depth to the stalwart dwarf. Another example is the conflicted Theoden who is almost Shakespearean in his portrayal. Particularly moving was when at Theodred's grave he flatly states, "No parent should have to bury their child" and then breaks down. Finally, Eowyn's unrequited love for Aragorn is nicely captured, and largely without any dialogue, using glances and expressions to convey the story. Finally, there is Jackson's modification of Tolkien in order to both make the story work as a film and ground it in our present day reality. Most surprising among these is the appearance of the Elves at Helm's Deep, as they come to honor the old alliances. While completely absent from Tolkien's writing, I found this to be an excellent and effective modification. By introducing the Elves, Jackson is able to paint a portrait of Allies fighting against a common enemy in the World War II sense. Moreover, the elite Elves and Rohirrim fighting side by side against overwhelming odds echoes Thermopylae, where the grossly outnumbered Spartans saved Greece, and ultimately, Western Civilization, from the Persians. The second approach is more subtle, but completely pervasive as Jackson takes a fantasy war and couches it in familiar terms. For example there is a suicide bombing at one point during the Battle of Helm's Deep. While entirely within the context of Tolkien, Jackson's presentation rather brutally echoes our own dangerous world. Another fine example is Theoden's question, "What can men do against such reckless hate?" which rather succinctly captures the dilemma of fighting terrorism. My only two complaints are relatively small. The first is an entirely unnecessary dream sequence between Arwen and Aragorn which badly distracts from the mounting tension between him and Eowyn. The second is that while Faramir is ultimately true to the book, it takes far too long for him to realize the danger of the ring. Part of the beauty of his character is how he stands in contrast to his brother Boromir, and this is somewhat eroded by Jackson's interpretation. As for the discs themselves, they are everything one would expect based upon the first set, as the sound, picture and score are all superb. Furthermore, I found the additional scenes to be generally excellent. Theodred's funeral, which features a lament by Eowyn, was particularly moving. Also, through the addition of a few key scenes, I found the ending to be far more satisfying. The conclusions to the Battles of Helms Deep an Isengard are less abrupt, and Faramir is better rounded out. The extras are likewise superb and every bit as fascinating as the features from the first set. I'm not one who is easily drawn in by commetary on costumes and make-up, but these discs are so comprehensive it is impossible not to be drawn in by them. Finally, the audio commentaries are likewise comprehensive and interesting. If you are looking for a slavish recreation of Tolkien's work, you would do well to pass on these discs. However, if you appreciate the spirit of Tolkien's work, and fine filmmaking, you would do well to watch this film. Furthermore, you will never find a better value, as the extra's included in this four disc set once again set the standard to which all other releases must strive. Enjoy! Jake Mohlman ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2003 by Jake Mohlman

  • An Improvement and a Foreboding....
Although it is not really necessary to stick to the knitting of the script of Tolkein's book, what the extended version displays in dramatic form is how far from the environmental and anti-violence message Jackson's theatrical edition has strayed. Given the advance complaints from Christopher Lee about the hatcheting of the third film, it might just be best to wait until the extended DVD comes out next Christmas. We'll find out soon enough. A question for Jackson: why would you edit the third film anyway? There is no fourth. Do it right, for a change. As to this film, as with the first, much of the extra footage fills in details or gives more substance that in the theatre release seemed to be passing nods to cognoscenti who may have brushed up on the book just before curtain. However, there are some critical passages that SHOULD have been in: most notably, "Sons of the Steward" segment, the initial capture of Frodo & Sam by Faramir, and most importantly, "Flotsam and Jetsam." In the case of the first, the essential dialectic between two sons of a father already unkowingly corrupted by the lure of the ring addresses everything from the literal implications to the endless psychological and family issues involved in the passing of one generation to another, be it business or early onset Alzheimers. But critically to the third film, this scene lays out what is a very key part of the conclusion of the story and why Middle Earth will be forever changed when it passes to men. As to Frodo's initial capture by Faramir, they come across a fallen opponent and Faramir delivers an oratory that is right at the heart of the tragedy of war, and this is a story borne of a tragedy in Europe in which young men answered calls and found their death. On top of the contextual part, the actuial acting in these two scenes is among the best in the series thus far. Pity. Do we really need more of the "Guns of Navaronne" type of film-making? Essentially all war movies are the same: stress in anticpation, catharsis in battle, sacrifice in the aftermath. What changes is the quality of the toys used to display it. That is NOT what the story is about. The Sons scene deleted also gives depth to Framir's confrontation with Frodo and Sam in the cave and establishes the ethical and the metaphysical reason why he, and not Boromir, should survive and have an important future in Middle Earth. Many of the other characters are given much more detail as well: Eowyn's part makes sense in this film now. She isn't just Renaissance eye-candy. The Ents are less Disney-like cartoons and actually manage to reel off both Tolkien's interest in lyrical poetry and the Heideggerian question concerning technology and the environment in more than broad pastiche. And that brings us to Flotsam: much has been made of Jackson's omission of the spider, which, honestly, is a mere dramatic device to advance the story (a more nefarious Tom Bombadill, if you will) that can be quickly addressed in #3. But at the fall of Isengaard, there is an essential confrontation between Gandalf and Saruman that defines the entire conflict that knowledge and power can produce among the knowing and the innocent. In the course of this confrontation, an orb is picked up that has enormous ontological consequences as the story unfolds. It ties in with the entire issue of knowledge, power, corruption and innocence. This is precisely how the movie should have ended, and more's the pity that Jackson took the Jerry Bruckheimer route. That said, and as the rumours begin to fly about the editing of RETURN OF THE KING, the third film is in danger of going Hollywood. I wept at the end of the books, and I suspect I'll just be full of popcorn with Jackson's resolution of the human factors, the exitential confrontations, the mythological interpretation of death and loss. This edition is truly what the second film should have been. If you love the story, pick this up. As to the superfluous material scattered over the other 2 discs, it's mostly for the Mac graphically inclined, but the discussion about Tolkien, featuring notably Christopher Lee, and the New Zealand as Middle Earth segments are terrific. Regarding Tolkien, the various talking heads give you an historical context, but unless you're literate enough to understand the dynamics between Tolkien and C.C. Lewis and even Charles Williams for that matter, this might be lost on the casual viewer. Still, I'm glad it's here. Tends to validate Lee's criticism's of Jackson's editing as well. It would be well to keep in mind that when published, it was ridiculed at Oxford as "Bored of the Rings" and actually never really achieved its legendary status until the hippies re-discovered it in the sixties. What began as an academic way of comforting his son in the midst of WW2 inspired so many of us later to be concerned about the very life-stuff of this planet, human and otherwise. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2003 by o dubhthaigh

  • Extended Version Is Worth It
Absolutely loved watching The Two Towers again. It is such a great movie with an incredible story, and it still holds up beautifully. A must have for any Lord of the Rings fan.
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2026 by Vanessa Ostermann

  • BUYERS BEWARE! Buy the "Special Extended Version"!
I don't know how else to contact Amazon to correct a huge problem in regard to the LOTR films, but they BADLY need to separate the reviews on the various editions of these films (e.g., the widescreen, the full-screen, and the Special Extended Edition version). The Special Extended Editions are BY FAR the superior choices for anyone wishing to watch these great films and they're well-worth the money, but a LOT of folks don't know about them. With the additional footage, the movies make infinitely more sense, especially to anyone who has never previously read the Trilogy. All three LOTRs films are available in this format, plus, each film is on two discs, due to the added footage. In addition to that, each one is presented in a nice cardboard case, has an informational booklet included, and offers two ADDITIONAL discs which are "special features" sort of information. This is essentially a "collectors' edition" but, as I have mentioned, the movie itself (for more casual viewers as well as for fans) greatly benefits from the additional film footage. So, since once you've reviewed ANY version of LOTRs, one cannot review any other version (Amazon software sees this as a second review of the same product by the same person!), I am placing this information here to the prospective benefit of other Amazon customers (and victims!) *.* Now, on to the story: This is the second entry in the film-trilogy of The Lord of Rings. I'm rating each one separately to yield a more honest opinion of the entire series. I'm rating 'The Fellowship of the Ring' 4-stars, this one 5-stars, and, 'The Return of the King' 4-stars. The film is a fantasy, fairy-tale sort of movie, to inform the uninitiated. The first of the three films tells of Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit of the Shire, and his quest, (along with a 'fellowship' of comrades), to save Middle Earth by destroying the ancient Ring of Power, which is in his possession. He can only do this by traveling to the Land of Mordor (a VERY nasty place) and tossing the ring into the fires of Mount Doom, whence the ring was originally forged by an evil wizard, Sauron, (who is still evil and still around, and who is seeking to locate his lost magical Ring of Power big-time). In this entry, we find that Sauron (of Mordor) and another now-evil wizard, Saruman, (of Isengard) have teamed up to fight the remaining non-evil entities in an all-out power-grab for Middle Earth. Mordor and Isengard each boast a huge heavy-metal-type 'tower', hence the movie title. Of course, Frodo's difficult quest continues throughout the movie. The fellowship, having gotten split at the end of 'The Fellowship of the Ring' now run into all manner of obstacles. Agendas also become mixed and there is much in-fighting amongst the various regional rulers which complicates defeating their common enemies, Sauron and Saruman. As a consequence of all this action, there is a LOT of jumping around in the film from place to place -- BUT, the director pulled off a coup: this story remains coherent, and pretty much stands on its own as a film. I would have thought this impossible and I wondered how they would ever do it successfully. But they did and I'm quite happy about it. Now, the CINEMATOGRAPHY in all three of these films will knock you out -- superbly contrived, second to none. The COLOR SATURATION will bowl you over as well. The script and STORYLINE are not at all hokey and come off as quite coherent, which would have been a very difficult task as readers of the book(s) are well-aware. I much appreciated the fact that the story remains close to the book(s), with few cuts and/or ommissions. Of course, this has made for a lengthy film, but one which will not bore you at all. My final critique of the film is that the same primary theme composition is used for all three films -- man, I got REALLY tired of that filmscore, even though other facets of it are brilliant. It's the up-front french horn one that I'm speaking of. In the end, this is a very fine film, not necessarily for smaller kids, but A-O-K for teens. A last comment, don't waste time or money watching the FULL-SCREEN edition -- I've watched it that way (all three films) and you lose 2-stars when you do! This one MUST be viewed in widescreen only! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2007 by Patrick W. Crabtree

  • A Must Watch (At Least Ten Times)
Best film series of all
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2026 by NS

  • Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!
Why is the extended edition of The Two Towers such a great movie? There are several distinct elements of high quality here which combine to create something rather marvelous. They Include: THE RAW MATERIAL: J.R.R. Tolkien’s original books constitute an entertaining, whimsical fantasy tale when taken at face value, but they were also consciously written with the intention that they be firmly rooted in pre-Christian northern European mythology, history, and culture. In other words, although this is a fictional story, it resonates deeply of something which is ancient, and real. THE MUSIC: Even before the opening credits have finished rolling, you will come to understand that the musical soundtrack will do an excellent job throughout, anticipating, interpreting, and intuiting the events and emotional context of each scene. It was no accident that composer and conductor Howard Shore won the Grammy Award for the ‘Best Score Soundtrack Album’ for The Two Towers. THE CINEMATOGRAPHY: The South Island of New Zealand presents a target rich environment for an outdoor camera crew. The first images on the screen - a close-up aerial flyover of the spinal crest of a row of glaciated mountain peaks - demonstrates that the director understands this, and that he is going to take maximum photographic advantage of the high ridges, the boulder-strewn plains, and the wide, wild vistas upon which this story unfolds. GREAT SCENES: Gandolph’s summoning of Shadowfax. Aowyn’s singing of the Old English funeral ceremony for Theodred. Aragorn in the stables soothing the frightened horse. Aragorn washing up on the riverbank, dreaming of Arwen as he is rescued by his horse. Sam seeing the Oliphant. The moment when Treebeard changes his mind and decides to go to war after all. When the boys discover the provisions and the pipe weed after the battle, and decide to light up. THE ACTING: The casting for each of the main characters was quite strong. Ian McKellen was a perfect fit for Gandolph. Likewise Brad Dourif was absolutely made for the role of Wormtongue. In addition, there were three distinct groupings where the chemistry between the characters seemed just right - Frodo and Sam, Merry and Pippin, and the warrior band of brothers Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. THE DIALOGUE: Succinct dialogue where each character gets to express themselves in their sharply unique voices abound. A sampling of my favorites: ‘You shall not pass!’ ‘They’re thieves, they’re thieves, they’re filthy little thieves!’ ‘They’re taking the Hobbits to Isengard!’ ‘The forest of Fangorn lies on our doorstep. Burn it!’ ‘Why do you lay these troubles on an already troubled mind?’ ‘Looks like meat’s back on the menu, boys!’ ‘What business does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? ‘Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine.’ ‘Side? I am on nobody’s side, because nobody is on my side.’ ‘Gandolph? Oh yes...that was what they used to call me.’ ‘Your witchcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!’ ‘There is nothing for you here. Only death.’ ‘Captain Boromir, you have shown your character.’ ...and best of all: ‘You’ve some skill with the blade.’ ‘The women of this country learned long ago that those without swords can still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain.’ ‘What do you fear, my Lady?’ ‘A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accepts them, and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.’ ‘You are a daughter of kings. A shield maiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate.’ If you haven’t seen this yet, do so now. If you have seen it, go watch it again! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2016 by Erik Peterson

  • Adds most of the missing parts Tolkien nerds screamed about!
I'm probably the billionth person to review this, but I absolutely HATED this movie in the theater! The theatrical release absolutely BUTCHERED the novel, added scenes and events that never occurred, and had me griping for 20 minutes after the credits ended about everything that was left out of and wrong with the film. Fortunately the extended version of the film makes up for most of the problems I had with it, and almost everything I pointed out that was missing either appears in the extended version, or was deferred until "The Return of the King." This is still the weakest of the three movies by quite a bit, but it was the weakest of the books as well. The fact that Peter Jackson took artistic license and made the Ents refuse to go to war on their own, and instead had them manipulated into it by Pippin and Merry still ticks me off, as does the fact that the two Hobbits growing quite a bit after drinking the Entwater isn't emphasized enough. One of them became the tallest hobbit in history, and the other wasn't far behind, and that isn't shown when they get together with Sam and Frodo again. Throw in the battle with the warg riders that does NOT happen anywhere in the series, and Aragorn falling off a cliff so everyone thinks he's dead, which never happened either, and I was pretty steamed with the liberties Jackson's team took with the book, just because they thought it would make for good action and gripping drama. (Ok, Legolas standing on a rise and killing a warg with every shot one after the other was really cool, as was him swinging up in the saddle behind a rider when the bad guys were closing in on him.) But that's NOT in the book! Neither is a bunch of elves showing up to fight at Helm's Deep, and making them like robots instead of hundreds of brilliant fighters like Legolas did them a great disservice. (Of course we were subjected to the same ridiculous portrayal in the last of the Hobbit movies as well.) I could grouse about the differences between the book and the film forever, but I also have to concede that what Peter Jackson managed in his sweeping saga of "The Lord of the Rings" was everything I ever hoped for after I fell in love with the books at age eleven. The director's commentary version of this film explains why he and the really excellent artistic and writing teams he assembled did things the way they did. Once I understood that, I realized the quandaries they faced on what to include and when. Tolkien wrote the novels in distinct sections, but the order they were published in serial form and the order they were assembled into the novels didn't always match. So although the book ends with a cliffhanger, the film doesn't, That's a bit due to Peter Jackson's style - most of the movies end on a hopeful note, even though the first two show that there are great challenges ahead. This movie ended halfway through the last chapter of the book, unlike the other two films. The ending seems cheerful, but we know Gollum is back, and bad things are ahead for the unsuspecting duo of Frodo and Sam. I'm still stunned that so much of what was missing from the theatrical release appears here in the extended version, or in the extended version of "The Return of the King," which was absolutely brilliant and the ending was utterly faithful to the book. The song "Into the West" during the credits was great too. Unfortunately, the song during the credits of "The Two Towers" is forgettable, but it's also in competition with Enya's "Let it be" from "The Fellowship of the Ring," which was the best song of the three. This movie is best appreciated by plopping down on the sofa for a 9 hour marathon of the extended versions of the entire series, and in the capacity, it earns 5 stars. Alone by itself it would only get four, since the other two movies in the series blew me away, while this one had several aspects that annoyed me. The writers could have stayed faithful to the original script and still had a thrilling movie, although only us Tolkien nerds would know the difference... ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2015 by Para86

  • "In the gathering dark, the will of the Ring grows strong."
In 2002, one year following the release of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring", Peter Jackson directed the next film in the series based upon J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy: "The Lord of the Ring: The Two Towers". As with the first, the cinematography and special effects used in the second are fantastic and even surpass the first as demonstrated by the computer-generated characters of Gollum (a.k.a., Sméagol, with the voice done by Andy Serkis) and Treebeard (voice done by John Rhys-Davies, who also plays Gimli son of Gloin in the film). Peter Jackson's direction of the film was equally brilliant in the second film and the performances by the many actors were realistic and engaging. As was the case when I first saw the extended DVD version of the first film, seeing the extended DVD version of the second film made the second film come to life far more than I had previously seen in its shorter theatrical release. The continuation of the story in the second film is darker than the story's beginning in the first film. Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and his companion Samwise 'Sam' Gamgee (Sean Astin) continue their journey to the land of Mordor. Climbing over seemingly endless rocks and cliffs, they realize that they have become lost, but also that they are not alone. Following them is the creature known as Gollum, who had once been named Sméagol. Frodo and Sam capture Gollum, who agrees to show them the way to the Black Gate of Mordor. The other two hobbits who left the Shire, Peregrin 'Pippin' Took (Billy Boyd) and Meriadoc 'Merry' Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), are the captives of a brutal band of orcs lead by one named Uglúk (Nathaniel Lees). He was previously given strict orders from Saruman (Christopher Lee) to bring back the Hobbits unharmed. Having let Frodo and Sam leave on their own, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas Greenleaf (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli son of Gloin (John Rhys-Davies) have vowed to rescue Pippin and Merry and pursue the orcs, who have entered the land of Rohan. Rohan is lead by King Théoden (Bernard Hill), but all is not well with him and he is under the guidance of a strange advisor, Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif), who does not appear to have Rohan's best interests at heart. Grima has his eye on the King's niece, Éowyn (Miranda Otto), who wants nothing to do with him; but he doesn't like her brother, Éomer (Karl Urban). A changed Gandalf (Ian McKellan) returns to join the fight against Sauron, and Frodo and Sam get to meet Faramir (David Wenham), who was the brother of Boromir (played by Sean Bean in the previous film and in the extended version this film only). Also returning to the second film are the characters Arwen (Liv Tyler), Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), but with lesser roles than in the first. Memorable scenes in "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" include Pippin & Merry's escape from the orcs, Pippin & Merry's meeting of Treebeard, Frodo and Sam capturing Gollum, the return of the changed Gandalf, Gandalf's first meeting with King Théoden, the battle with the riding orcs, the swamp, the arrival of the elves lead by Haldir (Craig Parker), the battle at Helm's Deep and battle of the trees. The extended DVD version better ties the various scenes in the film together and provides a deeper understanding of several of the characters, especially Faramir and the trees. Overall, I rate both the regular and extended versions of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. It is no wonder that the film won two Oscars for Best Sound Editing and Best Special Effects and was nominated for four more: Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Picture. I highly recommend purchase of the extended version DVD, which breaks the film between two DVD's and includes two extra DVD's that include multiple documentaries, design & photo galleries, an atlas of Middle Earth, etc. I also can't wait to see the third and final film installment, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", and to purchase it on extended version DVD. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2003 by M. Hart

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