The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Part II of the cinematic trilogy based on Tolkien’s epic picks up with our heroes in the predicament they were in when Part I left off: the Fellowship of the Ring, formed to take the Ring to Mordor to be destroyed, has split up. The members now journey in three separate groups—Frodo Baggins carrying the Ring—each encountering different creatures and perils along the way. Peter Jackson directs this second chapter with the same visual momentum that characterized the first installment. Unlike many fantasy films, the first two parts of The Lord of the Rings offer much more than impressive effects or an epic storyline. Thanks to his serious and devoted direction, Jackson succeeds in revealing the darkness embedded in Tolkien’s work and elevating the adaptation beyond shallow pop culture.