THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM – A Review by Cynthia Flores
This new film is a wonderful return to the Middle-Earth that the iconic writer and scholar J.R.R. Tolkien created for the world to enjoy. It was done in hand-drawn Japanese style by the director Kenji Kamiyama, a prominent figure in the anime industry. Its style is reminiscent of Kamiyama’s previous works, like Ghost in the Shell.
The official description of the storyline (which was just a footnote in Tolkien’s Return of the King) for this LOTR tale takes place two hundred years before the story of the Fellowship of the Ring. Mirando Otto returns as Éowyn, who is narrating the story of this war, recounting the tales of her ancestor Helm Hammerhand. Éowyn is not the only well-known LOTR character that graces this film; you will hear the audience get excited as others cross the paths of this storyline.
As the press kit states:
“A sudden attack by Wulf (Luca Pasqualino), a ruthless Dunlending lord, forces Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox) and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Helm’s daughter, Héra (Gaia Wise), must lead the resistance against a deadly enemy who’s intent on total destruction.”
I liked Stephen Gallagher’s lush thematic soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Fun fact, he was the music editor on Peter Jackson’s Hobbit film trilogy. Gallagher continued the original style of composer Howard Shore’s music for Jackson’s films. He even reprised Shore’s Rohan theme from the Lord of the Rings film trilogy for this film.
Bottom line, I was entertained by this film for what it was—an action animation that I would enjoy sharing with my family. Also, I applaud anyone who decides not to let a computer create the world they’ve imagined but instead chooses old-school traditional techniques when it comes to animation. In fact, the look of this film reminded me a lot of the 1978 classic animated hand-drawn film Watership Down.
I know hardcore LOTR fans may get upset that this film exists and consider it a money grab. However, I know there are some fans out there who will enjoy spending a little more time in a story that takes us back to Middle Earth.
I give The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 3.5 stars. It’s fun to see another story from the LOTR canon. However, it’s not ground-breaking or spectacular enough to make much of a splash in the LOTR list of notable films. Still, it is worth watching, and fun to see its girl-power theme.
Directed by: Kenji Kamiyama
Written by: Jeffery Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 2 hrs 14 min
Animation, Adventure Epic, Fantasy
Release: wide theatrical release December 13th
Starring the voices of Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Mirando Otto, Christopher Lee
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
