Lord of the Rings on Film

Lesson 4: The Two Towers

Plot overview

There are three main plots in The Two Towers, meaning that the film seems clumsy in places and can lack the pace and suspense of The Fellowship of the Ring. Merry and Pippin are captured by the orcs, eventually escape and wander into Fangorn Forest where they meet the Ent Treebeard who leads his people on Isengard; Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli run after Merry and Pippin, following their trail for days until they meet the Riders of Rohan and later Gandalf, going to Rohan with him; Frodo and Sam meet Gollum/Smeagol, who guides them through Moria but who has an ulterior motive of his own.

The Two Towers the book can be a heavy read in some places, as like all "middles" it is where the plot gets very serious but there is no immediate resolution. The film also has this, and for the uninitiated, added plot details like who the Ents are, who are the Rohirrim and why Gandalf returned which can further complicate matters.

The film opens with a shot of the Misty Mountains, and Gandalf’s voice can be heard as he battles the Balrog. (Both survived the fall into the abyss and Gandalf pursues and fights the Balrog until it is finally defeated and shatters the mountain as it falls.) After Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli meet Gandalf again as the White Wizard, they all go to Rohan and rouse Théoden from his stupor. Saruman is gaining in strength and Rohan is under attack – the people retreat to the fort of Helm’s Deep, where a great battle occurs between the men and the allies of Saruman. The threat of Saruman is gone after the battle and after the Ents storm and ruin Isengard.

The film ends with Frodo and Dam still in Mordor, still trying to find a way in and still guided by Gollum. It is clear now that he will betray them if he can.

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