Reviewed 26 Dec 2002      While LORD OF THE RINGS - II was not up to the first episode, it was nevertheless an unqualified success in its ability to entertain.   Visually, whether talking of actual scenery or special effects, LORD OF THE RINGS - II was a solid 3 hours of eye-candy.   The epic Middle Ages siege battles were as interesting as they were exciting.  The SFX giants and beasts were as good as any ever seen, and the pace of the action unrelenting.  And this time out, the ending was appropriate of an episode; we knew it was the end and that the sequel (Part III) would follow.   * You may recall in Part 1, everyone walked out at the end shaking his head, asking the person next to him, "That's it?  That's the end?"
       However, Director Peter Jackson inundated us with way too much "King James Version Bible" English in an effort to impress upon us the grandeur of the moment.   At times it seemed everyone was busily trying to be more grandiloquent than everyone else; as in Gandalf "smote" the giant bull...   It wore a little thin after the second hour, and certainly would not have been appropriate at all without a thundering performance by the London Symphony Orchestra.
       Also, it seemed that too many of the main characters were having their 'hour-of-doubt' in the face of Destiny.  In for a penny, in for a pound, I say.   How many popcorn munchers really thought for an instant that our cast of underdog heroes was going to 'chicken-out' at the last minute?    Come oooon, guys....
       Star Wars gave us the first "Totally-Annoying-SFX-Construct" Jar Jar Binks.  Then Harry Potter II gave us their 'own' version of a "Totally-Annoying-SFX-Construct" with their Dobbie, the house elf, but nothing comes close to LORD OF THE RINGS II 's schizoid, treacherous, and totally unpredictable Gollum - what's not to like about this all-too-human piece of work?  Gollum (Andy Sirkis) gives new depth of meaning to "two-faced".
      Enduring Line or Phrase:  "A cage   ...and all chance of Valor has gone. "
       

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