LotR2-TTT-Seq25

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I'm a typical middle child. I'm the mediator. The one that makes everything OK, puts their own needs aside to make sure everybody's happy. It's hard to change your nature, even with years and years of therapy. - Jennifer Jason Leigh


The war continues in Osgiliath, yet as the Winged Nazgûl aren’t about, Faramir seems unconcerned. With the air full of projectiles, he walks as if saying, “It’s like this all of the time…you should see during the holidays!” Faramir shows Frodo, Sam and Gollum the old sewer system of Osgiliath (not to be confused with the new sewer system). We are to believe that the sewer runs UNDER the river. Think about that for a moment.

Here in the Steel City (Pittsburgh), the powers that be want to build a tunnel under a river so that 5 people a day can ride a train approximately 100 yards. The tunnel is exciting and surely will be a tourist attraction We can’t cross the river on a bridge; no, that would make too much sense and not expend enough of our limited resources. Anyway, it’s pretty silly, but typical - a simple practical solution is ignored for some grandiose scheme of dubious worth. These same pols’ ancestors must have been in charge of public works in Gondor. Their wagons and shirts were emblazoned with dreaded “GPW.” They, at considerable expense, designed and built a sewer line that ran under a river. Water, and anything and everything else that made it into this sewer, would go exactly where, assuming that gravity works the same here as there? I assume that somewhere in the system that there are immense pumps that push the sewage uphill into East Osgiliath, where it is loaded onto wagons, pulled by mûmakil, and carted to the Dead Marshes.

At least we know what Sauron’s gripe is with Gondor.

PJ had to add this silliness to get our main characters back across the wide Anduin. If he would have left them on the East side in the first place…And we are also to believe that Sauron does not know of the sewer system? At least the extended version explains, however farcifully, how Frodo, Sam and Gollum get back across the river. The theatrical version had me guessing. It’s just seems so contrived and there’s no reason for any of the ‘action’ requiring the West Side story. Anyway…

Sam blows smoke Faramir’s way, stating that he showed the very highest quality for…I guess Sam figures that anyone who listened to his speech must be a high quality person, for as far as I can see, all that Faramir did was stand there, listen, then inexplicably change his mind about the Ring’s – and Frodo’s fate. Everyone’s feeling giddy, as Captain Faramir goes mushy and pays Sam a compliment as well. At least Sam’s is deserved. If I were the two hobbits’ I’m make good and run before some Gondorian opens his mouth and Faramir changes his mind yet again.

Gollum gets manhandled while being quizzed about Middle Earth geography. To Cirith Ungol they go with a warning from the good Captain. Too bad Frodo won’t head the warning. But then again, he’s a bit misty-eyed as Faramir, after abusing him and Sam across Ithilien and Gondor, lets him go, and so all is forgiven. “If only Sam had made a speech in Henneth Annûn.”

Frodo and Sam make their way into the sewer. When they are out of sight, high quality Faramir has a few last words for the low quality Gollum - I must say again, Gollum is NOT CG, and a living breathing being. He’s rendered that well.

Faramir has no warning for Frodo about traveling with one that has done murder, or of granting Gollum safe passage out of Gondor, just a threat to a frail wretched creature then more abuse. Again I feel for Gollum. The creature tries to keep up, but seemingly there’s something wrong with its right arm and body, and it struggles. Sam tries to make nice, but the damage is already done. Sam compliment Gollum’s understanding as the scene closes.

Next, we see the five horseman of the apocalypse. Or is it six? Is Gimli behind Legolas, or did he fall off again? Anyway, we see Théoden’s attendant, Théoden King, Gandalf the White, Legolas and something with a cap, and the very Lord Aragorn himself.

Gandalf spouts off about Sauron’s wrath and retribution. Somehow the Eye will be torqued as, well, Orthanc is underwater and new management and Théoden and his people still live. Thought that Saruman was working for himself, or is he working for Sauron? And how will the Eye learn of the Fall of Isengard? It’s too confusing. Anyway, the horsemen gaze out over the horizon and see, seemingly, Mount Doom erupting, which usually is the signal that war comes, but here I think that Sauron may just be expressing anger and frustration over the Sewers of Osgiliath. “If only I could find them!”

Gandalf closes out with the line, “The battle for Middle-earth is about to begin.” Why he didn’t say, “See ya next time on, ‘While the Middle Earth turn’,” I’m not sure. Note that this image of Gandalf looks too two dimensional – too flat, as if he has the case of terminal stares. His face just doesn’t look right. Regardless, the old wizard smiles, and maybe he is enjoying what will be his greatest labor, or maybe he thinks kindly on two witless hobbits that just recently were going to Minas Tirith but now are heading off to Cirith Ungol just after Sauron, via Mount Doom, signaled that at the very least that he is in a wrathful mood and looking for some retribution. And there’s something in those hills that’s waiting, as we will soon learn.

With all of that going for the good guys, I’d smile too.

Frodo and Sam plod along to the Cross-roads, possibly, and Sam brings up yet again tales and stories. PJ has Sam quoting from the book, and here I don’t see a story with Frodo the Courageous, at least not yet. Frodo returns the quote then compliments his brave companion. Good stuff, but I’d like to have seen a little more of the brave captain Frodo and his loyal batman.

Everyone’s just happy-slappy and full of good will. Can we all hug? I think that if the Witch King were to suddenly appear, he’d join in and he, Frodo and Sam would be sitting around enjoying a pipe and a laugh. The movie is almost over, and everyone who still alive is happy and full of joy.

Except for Gollum, that is.

He begins to lose the last sheds of Sméagol as he and Gollum discuss Master’s fate. Note that when the evil Gollum speaks, the creature is more animated and seemingly less injured/pained. He gains strength from his dark side. Sam and Frodo, oblivious to Gollum’s struggle, call out for him. Great idea when you are behind enemy lines. Gollum then drops the cliffhanger. She. She’ll do it, she’ll do those nasty hobbits in, and then the Ring will be Gollum’s.

Peter Jackson’s second installment ends with an excellent song performed by Emiliana Torrini. The lyrics just capture the last moment of the film perfectly, and are delivered in an eerie fashion. It’s just too good. If you read the lyrics, you see why Gollum fell, and why Frodo yet has a chance.

We leave the movie with Sam and Frodo, now with Gollum, on their way to Mordor (isn’t that where they started the movie?), Merry and Pippin amongst new allies in Isengard, Arwen on her way West, Gandalf returned from the dead, powered up seemingly, and Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn amongst Théoden’s people, whom they had saved from extinction. Saruman and Wormtongue await their fates in Isengard, and Faramir sealed his fate by giving up the Ring. The Eye still looks out from Barad-dûr.

This finishes The Two Towers EE DVD.


What I liked about the movie:

• The opening was spectacular and unexpected. It put Gandalf in a new light - he didn’t fall, but was simply continuing the battle.

• The scenery was awesome. After time you take for granted that Middle Earth is real.

• Gollum was spot on. The schizophrenic conversation scene should have won awards for Peter Jackson, WETA and of course Andy Serkis. We see that Gollum is not purely evil, nor simple, but a complex troubled soul.

• Howard Shore again hits the mark with his score, especially for inventing the Rohirrim theme.

• Théoden breaking down as he finally mourns the passing of his son was a great scene, and was acted well.

• The battle for Helm’s Deep is somewhere between liked and not liked. I liked it in a visceral way, and the battle was just immense and over the top. The disliked items include the lack of battle logistics, the hyping of Legolas and Gimli and the fact that the Uruks almost overrun the place entire.

What I didn’t like about the movie:

• The Ents. Too CG and watered down. Treebeard is played as a fool. I skip these parts of the movie.

• Faramir’s character, though improved in the Extended Edition, is too weak. He seems to want to gain his father’s approval, yet in a moment passes on that which might have gained him access to the Steward’s cold heart (mostly likely not).

• Frodo remains passive.

• The Black Gate was contrived and silly.

• The over-use of the “bet that won’t/can’t happen” device.

• Did we really need to have Aragorn go missing? Surely there was a better way to bring in the back story between he and Arwen.

• Why is Gimli, in many scenes, shown as a clown? I’m all for a chuckle now and then, but again we get the same note from the same instrument.

I’ll quit there. The Two Towers was a good second ‘bridge’ movie, but hopefully PJ will get back to the books in The Return of the King.

Thank you for your posts.