Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

• Title:  Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
• Director:  Peter Weir
• Date:  2003
• Studio:  20th Century Fox, Miramax, Universal
• Genre:  Action, Drama, Historical Epic
• Cast:  Russell Crowe,   Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd, James D'Arcy
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"Would you call me an aged man of war, Doctor?  The Surprise is not old.  She has a bluff bow, lovely lines. She's a fine sea bird, weatherly, stiff and fast.  Very fast, if  she's well handled.  No, she's not old.  She's in her prime." -- Captain Jack Aubrey

"This is the second time he's done this to me.  There will not be a third."  -- Captain Aubrey

"England is under threat of  invasion.  And though we be on the far side of  the world, this ship is England."  -- Captain Aubrey

I loved this movie the first time I saw it, and I really do enjoy it every time I re-watch it.  Peter Weir is a very talented director, who manages to balance the large scale, such as full-on battles between tall ships during the Napoleonic Wars, and the more intimate story of the unlikely friendship between the ship's doctor, a man of science; and the ship's captain, a life-long Navy man.

Master and Commander is set in 1805, and the HMS Surprise is a man o'war, captained by Jack Aubrey, a hard but fair man, lucky, but also experienced.  He's been in the service his entire life.  The ship's doctor is Stephen Maturin, - a man of  science, and a naturalist.  He's close enough friends with Aubrey to be able to challenge him, and speak his mind, especially when talking to Aubrey as his friend, rather than as a member of  the crew.  The film is based on a series of  several novels by Patrick o'Brian, specifically the two that form the film's compound title (the first introduces the characters, the second is the plot of  the film, since Weir wanted to do a plot involving a long sea voyage).

The film contains a lot of  beautiful historical details (I love the look of  the ship, especially when Aubrey stands alone on the top of a mast).  However, the film also doesn't shy away from the brutal historical facts of the life of sailors, especially naval sailors in the 19th century.  The crew of  HMS Surprise is shockingly young, and as the British are at war with France, the young die too.  We also see Aubrey order the flogging of a disrespectful sailor, not because he is cruel, but to keep discipline.  Life in his majesty's navy is tough, nasty, and often short -- and the film shows you that.

The plot of  the film is basically that of a cat and mouse game.  A French privateer frigate is harassing British whalers and merchant ships.  Aubrey is ordered to find the ship and - "sink, burn, or take her as a prize" as the film's opening printed narration tells the audience.  But the frigate vastly outguns the Surprise -- 44 guns to 28, with twice the crew, and the frigate has two decks to the man o'war's single deck.   The frigate also seems to be a cross between a ghost, a Flying Dutchman, and Jack's opposite number.  In two engagements, the Surprise is caught nearly unaware, and the frigate has the "weather gauge" or the advantage in the engagement.  In their final battle, Aubrey turns the tables and is able to successfully surprise the frigate, but at a high cost in lost men.

A secondary plot is the ship's doctor, a naturalist.  Because of  the damage done to the ship, in both the battles with the frigate and a journey around Cape Horn in a storm, one place Aubrey takes the ship during repairs is the Galapagos -- someplace Stephen would dearly like to explore, to collect and document new species of  wildlife.  But every time it looks like the ship might head there - the frigate shows up, and Aubrey must fight.

There is also a plot about one of  the Midshipmen being cursed as a "Jonah".  Basically, he's scapegoated for the ship's run of  bad luck.  He's the Midshipman whom another sailor disrespects, and gets lashed as a result.  The scapegoat plot is one of  several examples showing the innate superstition of  the sailors.  The Midshipman commits suicide, and the ship's luck begins to turn.  Though, Dr. Maturin is accidentally shot after the poor lad's death.  (Maturin is shot by one of  the Royal Marines who's taking pot shots at a following albatross.  Obviously, the guy never read "The Rime of  the Ancient Mariner").  Aubrey temporarily gives up his chase of  the frigate, so Maturin can be brought ashore to remove the bullet and cloth in his stomach.  Stephen does the surgery himself, using a mirror, and Aubrey keeps a hand on Maturin's belly to steady him.  It's one of  the more frightening scenes in the film - not that it's overly gross, but can you imagine operating on yourself?  Even if  it's the only way to survive?  Yikes!

The final battle is total chaos, then silence, then more chaos.  Aubrey looks fine, and in his element as he boards the enemy vessel.  Billy Boyd is also quite good in the scene!  For the most part, he's seen alot but doesn't get many lines, but it is nice to see him again.   Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany are perfectly cast, and have a great rapport with each other.  The rest of  the crew of  the HMS Surprise slowly move from faces to having personalities.

One thing both Aubrey and Maturin share is a love of  music.  Aubrey plays violin and Maturin the cello; and there duets in the captain's cabin are some of  the best moments in a film that is full of  excellent moments.

Again, Weir's direction really is very, very good -- and he's now one of  my favorite directors.  There are plenty of  gorgeous shots in this film:  the ship at full sale, the creatures in the Galapagos Islands, etc.  There are also plenty of  terrifying shots:  the storm around Cape Horn, the battle scenes.  But the driving force of  the story is the friendship of Aubrey and Maturin; and the comradeship between the sailors on the ship.

I have the two-disc collector's edition and it really is a beautiful DVD set.   The set looks like old parchment, with line drawings of  Crowe and the ship.  The special features are located on the second disc and there are plenty of  them and they are enjoyable to watch.  I also found that I learned from the special features, especially about the different techniques used in the production of  the film.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:  5 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Monty Python and the Holy Grail

LotR The Return of the King (4 Disc Ext. Ed.)

• Title:  Lord of the Rings The Return of the King (4 Disc Ext. Ed.)
• Director:  Peter Jackson
• Date:  2003
• Studio:  New Line Cinema
• Genre:  Action, Drama, Fantasy
• Cast: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Ian Holm, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Mirando Otto, Karl Urban, David Wenham, John Noble
• Format:  Widescreen, Color
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC, 4-disc Extended Edition

"He's always followed me.  Everywhere I went, since before we were 'tweens.  I would get him in to the worst sort of trouble, but I was always there to get him out.  Now he's gone.  Just like Frodo, and Sam."  -- Merry

"One thing I've learned about Hobbits, they are most hardy folk."  -- Aragorn

"Take heart, Merry, it will soon be over."  -- Eowyn

"My Lady, you are fair, and brave, and have much to live for and many who love you." --Merry

For complete summary of The Return of the King, see review of the two-disc edition, here I will highlight the differences and added scenes in the extended edition.  Again, the added scenes make the film richer, and more enjoyable, though unlike the other two extended editions, many, though not all, of the "new" scenes are extensions to the battle and fight scenes in the film.  Or new battle scenes altogether.  However, there is more characterization, and Merry and Eowyn get additional scenes and dialogue which is most welcome.

Return of the King is a magnificent film.  It is a truly wonderful film.  The heart of the film is the emotional journeys of the characters, which are now fulfilled in the third and final chapter of  The Lord of the Rings.  Tolkien's book is loved by so many, including myself, because not only are there a lot of characters, but those characters each have an important and interesting journey to take -- and they each have a part to play in the story.  In adapting the books to film, I think many directors would have been tempted to only show us Frodo and Sam's story -- and that might have been okay, heck it might have even been fine; but such a film would have lacked the richness of the books.  Peter Jackson choose to adapt all the story lines of the books -- and allowed each of the major characters to have their stories and for them to be completed.  That makes these films masterful.


Now on to specifics about the Extended Edition.

The prologue scene of Smeagol murdering Deagol to get the Ring, seems longer.

Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, with Theoden and Eomer, ride through Fangorn forest, which now lies between Helm's Deep and Isengard, to Isengard.  Merry and Pippin, at Isengard, talk a bit more about Longbottom Leaf pipeweed and ale.

There's a confrontation between Gandalf and Saruman.  Saruman has the Palantir.  Gandalf breaks Saruman's staff, casting him from their Order of Wizards.  Theoden asks Grima to give up his loyalty to Saruman, and return to Rohan as a loyal subject.  Grima stabs Saruman in the back, and he then falls to his death, landing on his back on his own machinery which crushes him.  The Palantir falls from his hand and then Pippin sees it and gives it to Gandalf.

I like this better than in the shorter version of the film, where Gandalf simply leaves Saruman and Grima in his tower (a line added to the film in ADR, when the above scene was taken out).  Saruman's death at Orthanc is closer to the book, than merely leaving him there.  In the book, he and Grima escape, after Grima throws the Palantir at Gandalf and Company, and Saruman is responsible for the Scouring of the Shire.  However, Saruman does meet his end at Grima's hands, who stabs him in the back.  If the filmmakers were determined to drop the Scouring of the Shire, for there own reasons, some of which were sound (partially it was a matter of time), then actually showing the death of  Saruman is considerably more satisfying than just saying "we'll leave him in his tower" and that's that, and the general audience has no idea what happened to him.

In  Rohan, at the celebration feast/wake for the fallen warriors, Gimli and Legolas have a drinking game, and Merry and Pippin sing and dance.  However, during the Hobbits' song, there's a pause as Pippin looks at Gandalf.

During the Smeagol/Gollum discussion in Ilthilien, Gollum flashes back to killing Deagol.

Aragorn looks at Eowyn sleeping and she awakens.

Pippin looks into the Palantir, and his separation from Merry is still heart-breaking.  However, not only does Merry climb to the top of one of the watchtowers to watch Gandalf and Pippin leave, he talks to Aragorn of what his cousin means to him, that Pippin always followed him.

The introductory flyby shot of  Minas Tirith is breath-taking, and the city is very beautiful.

Pippin flashes back to Boromir's death, when Denethor mentions that he knows his son is dead.  Pippin offers his service and explains Boromir was pierced by many arrows defending his kinsman and him.  Denethor claims Lord and Kingship, saying he will not bow to the Ranger from the North (e.g. Aragorn).

Gandalf explains what's happened in Gondor, where the stewards come from.

Frodo talks to Sam of not coming back.  Sam encourages him that they'll go there and back again, like Bilbo.  They reach the Crossroads, and see the statute of the king, with it's Orc pumpkin-head like thing.  The proper head of the statute is on the ground a few feet away, covered with a crown of flowers.  A beam of light hits the flowers, making them shine like a crown of gold, this heartens the Hobbits.

I loved that scene in the book -- the description of  the crown and the sun, and the way it gives hope to Sam and Frodo, is very beautiful and meaningful.  I was so disappointed it wasn't in the shorter version of  the film when I saw it in the theater, so I was very glad to see it here in the extended cut.

Sam threatens Smeagol, basically saying he will kill him if anything happens to Frodo.

Gandalf tells Pippin there's an opportunity for the Shirefolk to prove their great worth, when sending him to light the beacon.

Faramir is with his guard in Osgiliath, and his aide-de-camp tells him of sending out scouts to the north.  Then we see Orcs on boats.  Faramir takes his men to the river to attack the Orcs. Faramir and his men fight the Orcs with swords.

Then we see Pippin lighting the beacon, and the beacon fires going one by one to Rohan.

Merry offers his service to Theoden King, who accepts it, naming him Esquire of Rohan.

Gimli talks to Legolas, wishing he could bring a legion of Dwarves to the battle.

More of  Faramir's battle in Osgiliath.  He begins to call for retreat to Minas Tirith, and a Nazgul attacks.  They make a run for it.  Faramir's aide-de-camp (or second in command) is killed.  Gandalf rides out, with Pippin, to challenge the Orcs and Nazgul and help Faramir's men safely get to Minas Tirith.

Denethor criticizes Faramir about sending the Ring with Frodo to Mordor.  Faramir states he wouldn't use the Ring.  Faramir tells Denethor, Boromir would have used the Ring and been corrupted -- they wouldn't know him.  Denethor has a vision of  Boromir standing near Faramir.  Denethor kicks Faramir out of  his chamber.

The Witch-King orders the Orc Captain to take the city and kill them all.

The men of  Gondor ask Gandalf  if  Rohan will come.

Pippin wonders what he's done, offering his service.  He meets Faramir who tells him the armor he's wearing was once his own.  Faramir talks to Pippin of Boromir, Pippin tells him he has strength of a different sort.  Then we see Pippin formerly swear loyalty to Denethor, and the service of the guard in Gondor.

Cuts to Sam, Frodo, and Gollum sleeping.  Gollum throws away Lembas, the Elven waybread, setting up Sam.  Frodo sending Sam away is heartbreaking.

The men of Gondor leave the city, at Denethor's order, women throwing flowers -- it's a very mournful scene.  Gandalf tries to stop Faramir --  Faramir states this is the City of the Men of Numenor and he will die defending it.

Then Denethor asks Pippin to sing, and Pippin's song is still intercut with Faramir's men riding out to a hopeless battle -- where they are all going to get killed.

The shorter version tightens up the editing of this sequence, but keeps Pippin's song and the intercutting between that, Denethor stuffing his face, and Faramir and company riding out to their doom.  The slightly shorter, more tightly edited version is actually better, even though it makes sense that Gandalf would try to stop Faramir.  Gandalf can't succeed at that, and Faramir must prove his loyalty.

During the muster of Rohan, Eomer talks to Eowyn of war, but you can see in her eyes it hasn't dissuaded her.

Aragorn has nightmares of Arwen dying.  As he wakes from the nightmare, a messenger asks Aragorn to see Theoden.  Elrond comes to Aragorn, talks to him of the Oathbreakers in the mountain, gives him Anduril, the Flame of the West, the re-forged Narsil.  Elrond also encourages Aragorn to become king.

Aragorn tries to dissaude Eowyn from her plans.  Then he, Legolas, and Gimli take the Paths of the Dead.  Legolas talks a bit more in detail of the prophecy that the heir of Elendil, who shall come from the North, will call on those who are Dead to fulfill their Oaths.

There's a quick shot of the Orcs marching on Minas Tirith.

Legolas sees ghosts of men and horses under the mountain.  There are mists of ghosts near Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn.  There are skulls in the cave.  They reach the cavern where Aragorn asks for the allegiance of the dead.  There are more shots of the dead army.  Aragorn raises Anduril, summons the dead, commands them to fight for their honor.

There is an avalanche of skulls.  Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas leave the path and see the Cosair ships.  Aragorn seems completely defeated.  Then, the dead King arrives, swearing they will fight.

Injured Faramir is returned to Gondor.  The heads of the rest of his men are flung into the city by Orc catapults.  Pippin realizes Faramir is still alive, no one listens.

Denethor begins to break, blames Theoden for betraying him.

Gandalf leads the battle, the battle begins in earnest.  The battle is longer.  Pippin makes his way to Gandalf, saves him from an Orc and is ordered back to the citadel by Gandalf.  (This was in the shorter edition).

The Orc Captain orders that Grond, the flaming Wolfshead ram, is used to break the city gate.

End of  Part 1

Part 2

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli meet the Corsair ships.  Aragorn denies them passage.  The dead attack the ships.

Smeagol leads Frodo into Shelob's lair.  Frodo tells Smeagol he must destroy the Ring for both their sakes.  Smeagol attacks Frodo and falls down a cliff.  Frodo continues on through the pass of Cirith Ungol.

The men of Rohan gather at the camp.  Eomer reports the scouts say Minas Tirith is surrounded, the lower levels in flames.  Eowyn and Merry talk, he tries to raise her spirits.

Flaming stones or rocks are sent into Minas Tirith.

One flower blooms on the tree in Minas Tirith -- despite Denethor saying Gondor is lost.

 Denethor argues it is better to die soon rather than late, for 'die we must'; then he calls for wood and oil to burn himself and his son.

Gandalf  is still commanding Gondor's soldiers.

But when Gandalf and Pippin return to the citadel to confront Denethor and rescue Faramir they are stopped by a Nazgul, the Witch-king.  Gandalf's staff is broken.  Pippin starts to charge and then stops  -- the Witch-King leaves at the sound of the horn of Rohan.

I'm glad this scene WASN'T in the shorter version of the film, and it makes no sense here.  It also slows down the sense of urgency to rescue Faramir.  I mean, seriously, Denethor is already in the midst of commiting murder and suicide -- Pippin and Gandalf need to get there quickly to stop it.  Saving Faramir is one of Pippin's great heroic scenes, breaking it up isn't necessary and actually lessens the tension rather than adds to it.  Also, as powerful as the Witch-King is, he shouldn't be able to break Gandalf's staff -- only another Wizard can do that, and the only other one left is Radagast the Brown who's never seen in the films, and is barely mentioned in the books.  (There are meant to be five Wizards, but the remaining two aren't even named).

Gandalf and Pippin do, though, get into the tomb.  They are unable to rescue Denethor, but Pippin saves Faramir.

Back to the Battle of Pelennor Fields, which the men of Rohan have joined.  There are more Oliphaunts and men of Haradrim in the Battle, and it's more complex and longer.

Merry fights in the Battle, and Eowyn fights the Orc Captain.

Then the Nazgul arrives, attacking Theoden.  Eowyn goes to defend her Uncle and King, and her fight with the Witch-King is longer.  Merry gets the first strike on the Witch-King, then Eowyn stabs him with her sword through the head, destroying him.  Thus the Witch-King, whom "no man can kill" is destroyed by a woman and a Hobbit.

The ships arrive, but it's Aragorn and his army.  Note that in the films this is just the Army of the Dead, who make short work of any orcs and evil men still alive in the Battle of Pelennor Fields.  In the book, the Battle is even bigger, and involved even more variety of forces than just Gondor and Rohan -- Aragorn brings with him Dunedain from Dol Amroth in Belfalas.

Aragorn and Legolas defeat the Orc Captain that Eowyn was fighting before she was distracted by a Nazgul.

The speech the dying King Theoden says to Eowyn is longer.

After the battle, Pippin first finds Merry's Elven cloak.


Eomer finds Eowyn and screams.


We see Eowyn in the Houses of Healing and Aragorn acting as a healer.  He succeeds in healing her, and she also meets Faramir there and they fall in love.


Pippin searches for  Merry, finally finds him.  Pippin swears to take care of his older cousin.


In a departure from the book, rather than also being brought to the Houses of Healing, where Aragorn heals him, Merry rides with Pippin and the rest of the company to the Black Gate to provide a distraction so Frodo and Sam can get to Mt. Doom.


Insert shot of Sam approaching the tower where Frodo is held.  There is also a tiny bit more dialog between Frodo and Sam as they enter Mordor.


Aragorn challenges Sauron in the Palantir in Minas Tirith, shows his sword.


Aragorn sees Arwen, and the Evenstar pendant falls and breaks on the marble floor.


Faramir courts Eowyn.


Frodo and Sam are forced into a line of Orcs that marches for the Black Gate and whipped.  Frodo has Sam start and fight and they are able to escape off.  They start to climb up the slopes of Mt.  Doom. Frodo talks of  the weight of the Ring.  They dump the extra armor.


At the Black Gate, the Mouth of Sauron shows Frodo's mail.  Pippin cries, and Gandalf  is near to crying himself.  Aragorn decapitates the Mouth, and says he will not believe it.  Eomer with Merry, Gandalf with Pippin, and Aragorn return to the line as the army of Orcs appears.
Aragorn gives his awesome Men of  the West speech.


Gollum attacks Frodo and nearly kills him.  Gollum bites Sam.  Frodo runs up the side of  Mt Doom alone.


Aragorn goes down at the Battle before the Black Gate.


Screen blacks out as Frodo says, "I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things," before Gandalf comes to the rescue with the Eagles.


The end is the same as in the shorter version, as is the Fate of the Ring.  But the film is satisfying, though long.  The break between part one and two is welcome and helpful.  I even found myself watching some of the extra features immediately after seeing the film yesterday because I wanted more -- which is the same feeling one gets when reading the books.  I really think Peter Jackson did the best he possibly could.  The cast is absolutely brilliant.  New Zealand is the perfect place to use for filming Middle-Earth.  The effects, including new ones developed for the films are top-notch, but seamless -- one doesn't sit in a movie theater or at home watching the films thinking, "oh, what a nice special effect".  Great care was given in adapting the novels, and though one can quibble about this or that, I think Peter Jackson did the best he could, and created a nearly perfect adaptation and visualization of the books.  Film is a different medium than the written word, and that changes how storytelling is done.  Also, hopefully, many of the films' legions of fans picked up and read the books, or re-read them if they had read Lord of the Rings before.  Overall, I can't complain too much because I really, really love the films, and the books as well.


Recommendation:  See it!  If you can add both versions of Return of the King to your DVD Library, but if you must choose only one, choose this one.
Rating:  5 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  The Majestic

LotR: The Two Towers Ext. Ed. (4 Disc)

• Title:  Lord of the Rings:  The Two Towers Ext. Ed. (4 Disc)
• Director:  Peter Jackson
• Date:  2002
• Studio:  New Line Cinema
• Genre:  Action, Fantasy, Drama
• Cast:  Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill, Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, David Wenham, Andy Serkis, Sean Bean, John Noble
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"It's very special, that, it's the best salt in all the Shire." -- Sam
"It is special.  It's a little bit of home." -- Frodo

"The Old World will burn in the fires of Industry, the Forests will fall, a New Order will rise.  we will drive the machine of war with the sword, and the spear, and the iron fist of the Orc."  -- Saruman

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn, a great power has been sleeping here for many long years.  The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."  -- Gandalf

"If we go South, we can slip pass Saruman, unnoticed.  The closer we are to danger, the further we are from harm.  It's the last thing he'll expect."  -- Pippin

"Hum, that doesn't make sense to me, but then you are very small."  -- Treebeard

The Two Towers Extended Edition DVD set is also beautifully boxed, in a red slip-case that looks like a leather-bound, gold embossed book.  The DVD holder slips out and unfolds with a DVD on each of four leaves.  The movie is split across the first two DVDs and the special features are on the second two DVDs.

Like the Fellowship Extended Edition DVD, The Two Towers builds more into the story of the film by adding little moments, lines, and scenes.  But whereas Fellowship Extended could almost have been released in theaters (the extended edition of Fellowship is about as long as the Theater version of Return of the King after all), The Two Towers is better suited for a DVD release.  However, it is a shame that the longer version of the film wasn't released to theaters (except the special Celebration showings).  I think the extended editions could have been released in theaters as long as there was an intermission.  The extended edition really builds up the storyline of what happened to Merry and Pippin -- which is my favorite part in that book.  The incident with the Palantir however is still moved to Return of the King.

I watched this over two nights, Tuesday and yesterday, and even after a full day at work, in a very real sense, even though the film is much longer, it feels shorter.  The film is more engrossing because the characters, and the sense of place is built up better, and the film spends more time with one set of characters at a time, which seems to work better than quickly cutting between the three main storylines.  This also gives a better sense of  place, as The Two Towers opens up Tolkien's world by including the realms of Rohan and Fangorn, and showing Ithilien between Gondor and Mordor.  As before, for a detailed summary of the film, see review of the two disc edition; here I will highlight the differences and added scenes.

The opening of the extended edition is the same -- Gandalf's fight with the Balrog, but then the film moves to show Sam and Frodo climbing down a cliff in Ithilien using Sam's Elven rope.  This is the same rope that later Sam ties around Gollum's neck like a leash.  The film includes Sam wishing he didn't have to leave the rope, and it untying itself and falling free.  Sam also mentions that Galadriel gave him the rope.  There's also more Smeagol/Gollum discussion, describing Gollum's fear of seeing Sauron.

There's an added scene with Merry and Pippin and the Orcs.  Merry is plainly injured and Pippin pleas for water for Merry.  The Orcs force "medicine" down Merry's throat, nearly drowning the Hobbit.  Pippin pleas for them to leave Merry alone.  When the Orcs "smell man-flesh", Pippin whispers, "Aragorn", and drops his Lothlorien leaf clasp.

Aragorn gets a few extra lines, introducing who the King of  Rohan is to Legolas, Gimli and the audience, and notes "something is quickening the pace of the Orcs".

Saruman makes his speech about the industry of war, and orders that Fangorn Forest be burned.  The Wild Men also swear allegiance to Saruman.  He also predicts that Rohan is ready to fall.

Eomer and his company of men find a company of Rohan's men slaughtered.  They find the King's injured son, Theodred, amongst them.

Grima shows the order, signed by Theoden King, to Eomer when he is banished.

When the Orc stop for the night, Pippin and Merry are talking and Merry talks about the Old Forest near Buckland.  Orcs cut Fangorn Forest for firewood.  The Orcs discuss the "Elvish weapon" to be brought to Saruman that the two Hobbits have.  Both Merry and Pippin realize this means the Ring.  Merry realizes they must pretend they have it, both to protect Frodo, and to protect themselves because they will get killed and eaten (literally) without  a bargaining chip, so to speak.  When the Orcs fight each other, the Hobbits try to get away, then Rohan attacks.  Merry and Pippin make their escape.  This scene is longer, and more coherently organized than in the shorter version.

The Rohirrim meet Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli -- and yes it's in both versions, but the extended edition has more discussion of what's going on in Rohan.  I also love the formation riding of the riders of Rohan, especially surrounding Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli with spears.

Meanwhile, Frodo, Sam and Gollum are in the Dead Marshes -- there's actually two scenes, first Gollum leading them through the marsh, and complaining of hunger.  Frodo gives him Elvish bread but he can't eat it, it makes him sick.  Later on, is the scene where Frodo sees the corpse in the water and falls in.

In Fangorn, there is more dialog between Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas as they walk into Fangorn, before they meet Gandalf.  Legolas explains it was the Elves who began waking up the trees.  Gandalf arrives, and Aragorn tells him of the trouble in Rohan.  Gimli upsets the trees and has to apologize in his own Dwarven way.  Gandalf explains Merry and Pippin will be safe with Treebeard.  This is much better than in the shorter version of the film, because the audience isn't left wondering why Aragorn and company don't actually rescue Merry and Pippin, after chasing them across half of  Middle-Earth.  The exposition about what, exactly, is happening in Rohan is also quite helpful.

Treebeard is shown walking across Fangorn Forest, reciting poetry.  He brings the Hobbits to his home, and his poetry puts them to sleep.

Gandalf talks to Aragorn of Sauron's plans, and the weakness of Rohan.  He speaks of Frodo and summarizes the Quest.

Sam and Frodo reach the Black Gate and discover they can't get into Mordor that way (same as shorter version).

Merry and Pippin awake in Fangorn.  Pippin is drinking the Ent Draughts.  Merry remarks that Pippin has said something, "treeish", and Pippin seems to be a few inches taller.  They are also nearly eaten by a tree and are surrounded, before being rescued by Treebeard.

Theoden's people, and Aragorn, kneel to Theoden king.  The film shows the funeral procession for Theodred, and his burial at the tomb.  Eowyn sings a lament for her cousin.

Aragorn calms a wild horse in the stables, a horse that belonged to Theodred.  Aragorn and Eowyn speak.  When she compliments his Elvish and skill with horses, he tells her he was raised in Rivendell for a time.

Grima and Saruman talk of the Dwarf, Elf, and Man with Gandalf in Edoras.  Grima talks of Aragorn's ring.  Saruman realizes that this means Gandalf's thinks he's found Isildur's heir -- but, he says the line "was broken" long ago.

In Ithilien Sam and Frodo watch evil men marching towards Sauron's gathering place of his forces, and they see the Oliphaunt.  Faramir and his Rangers attack, and win out the day, but Faramir laments killing someone he didn't even know.

End of  Part One

Part Two

Picks up with Gimli talking to Eowyn about dwarf women.  Theoden tells Aragorn about Eowyn's history.  Eowyn feeds Aragorn some pretty awful stew.  Aragorn and Eowyn discuss Aragorn's age, he's eighty-seven and a member of the Dunedain.

Especially in The Two Towers a big deal is made of  the pendant that Arwen gave Aragorn, which they call the "Evenstar" in the film.  The problem with that is "Evenstar" or Undomiel (in Sindarian Elvish) was Arwen's title, not a jewel she bore.  Aragorn was also (among many names) called Elessar, or Elfstone, but because of a large emerald brooch he wore when he arrived in Gondor.  If in the films, Arwen had given Aragorn the Elfstone brooch I would have been OK with it, but taking her title as a physical thing is one of my nitpicks with the films.

There's a slightly longer scene between Aragorn and Arwen in Rivendell as he tries to convince her to go with her people to the West.

I think the warg battle on the plains of Rohan (as the people head to Helm's Deep) is longer and more complexly shot.  Aragorn falls off the cliff, and later lies in a creek (he imagines Arwen) and he's found by his horse and heads for Helm's Deep, seeing Saruman's many thousands of troops on his way.

There's another scene with Merry, Pippin and Treebeard.

Isengard's troops marching towards Helm's Deep are shown a couple of  times as different people see them.

In Ithilien, the waterfall that hides their cave, the Window on the West, is visible behind some of Faramir's men.  Faramir talks to the Hobbits of finding Boromir's horn cloven in two, then remembers a dream of seeing Boromir's body in a boat.

This leads to Faramir remembering he and Boromir re-taking Osgiliath, and celebrating, and Denethor showing up and praising Boromir while putting down Faramir.  It's clear Faramir and Boromir are close and care deeply for each other, while Denethor favors his older son, and despises his younger one.  Denethor also sends Boromir to Elrond's council in Rivendell, and tells him he must bring the One Ring to Gondor.  Boromir initially doesn't want to go; Faramir offers to go in his stead, but Denethor insists Boromir go anyway.  And thus we are left to wonder, what would have happened if Faramir had been part of the Company instead?

Frodo talks to Sam of the Ring taking him.

Eowyn begs Aragorn to let her fight with him instead of going to the caves.  Again, it's hinted that she has feelings for him.

Merry and Pippin are talking in Fangorn, when the Entmoot pauses.  Treebeard tells them the Ents have only finished saying "good morning" -- it's now evening.  Merry gets upset, knowing they are running out of time.  Treebeard urges, as he does many times, "Don't be hasty".

Aragorn addresses the Elves at Helm's Deep in Elvish.  He also frequently speaks to Arwen and Legolas in Elvish.  He is actually behaving the way someone who is truly bilingual would, using Elvish with Elves he knows will understand it, and the Common Tongue (represented as English) with those who speak it, or at all other times as a Lingua Franca (language in common).  In Lothlorien, when Gimli makes a remark in Dwarvish, Aragorn seems to understand it as well.

Frodo does ask Faramir to please let him go.

There's a bit more with Treebeard, then he sees the destruction of the forest.  Also, Treebeard sends the Ents after the Orcs at Helm's Deep, and he will deal with Saruman and Isengard.

The Ents destroying Isengard is extremely well-done and I really liked it.  We see the Ents and trees destroying the Orcs as they flee Helm's Deep.

Legolas and Gimli finish off their battle count competition in a tie.

At Isengard, Merry and Pippin gather apples, then find a storeroom full of food and goods from the Shire, including Longbottom Leaf pipe tobacco.

Faramir not only lets the Hobbits go, after seeing Frodo nearly giving the Ring to the Nazgul, but he shows Frodo, Sam and Gollum out of the city, through a tunnel.  When Gollum tells them he will take Frodo up the winding stair to Cirith Ungol, Faramir warns of a "nameless terror".

Also, in the tunnel there's a good scene between Gollum and Sam.

Recommendation:  See it!  And again, if you can only buy one version of the Lord of the Rings films, buy this one -- the extended editions.

Rating:  5 of 5 Stars

Next Film:  LotR:  The Return of the King (4 disc extended edition)