The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Overview
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a 2002 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson, the second installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The film is based on the 1954 novel of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien. The film is set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, continuing the story immediately after the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. The film follows three separate storylines. The first storyline follows Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) as they continue their journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring. They are joined by Gollum (Andy Serkis), a corrupted creature who is obsessed with the Ring and who guides them through the treacherous Dead Marshes. The second storyline follows Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) as they pursue the orcs who have captured Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd). They enter the kingdom of Rohan, which is under attack by the forces of the wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee). They meet Éomer (Karl Urban), a Rohirrim warrior, and they travel to Helm's Deep, a fortress where the Rohirrim make their last stand against Saruman's army of 10,000 Uruk-hai. The third storyline follows Merry and Pippin, who escape from the orcs and meet Treebeard (voiced by John Rhys-Davies), an Ent (a tree-like giant). They convince the Ents to attack Saruman's fortress of Isengard. The film culminates in the Battle of Helm's Deep, one of the most epic battle sequences in cinema history. The film ends with Frodo and Sam continuing their journey, and with Aragorn accepting his destiny as the heir to the throne of Gondor. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was a critical and commercial success, earning over $947 million worldwide. It won two Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects. It was nominated for Best Picture. The film is widely considered one of the greatest fantasy films ever made.
