Rohanlim War Review

summation

• Through powerful music, visuals, and direction, the film captures the magic of Peter Jackson's trilogy.
• The animation blends 2D and 3D well, providing (mostly) consistent and polished visual effects throughout the film.
• Although the story centers on Hera, it is truly a story between a father and daughter, and despite some flat characters, the performances are strong.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohanrim was always going to face an uphill battle, from being overshadowed by the original trilogy to being a 2D animated film in Western markets that were much more accustomed to 3D. It was met with skepticism and cursed with poor marketing, a tragedy that became even greater once you saw the film and realized how well it achieved its ambitions.

Director: Kenji KamiyamaGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) Produced by Peter Jackson, Rohanrim War Expands on the short story in the appendix. lord of the rings. This is Rohan's story. The war that nearly destroyed it, the strength of King Helm Hammerhand who defended it, and the courage of his daughter Hera who found the hope she needed to save it.

Capturing the magic of the past

To say that this film captures the feel of the Peter Jackson trilogy is more than a little subjective. Because there are so many things that contribute to that ‘feel’. The trilogy was a monumental labor of love that represented many creative artists and actors beyond the powerful leadership of Peter Jackson. What makes it lord of the rings What is special will be different for each person.

But for those interested in music and aesthetics lord of the rings It was central to their love of stories, Rohanrim War Easily recreates the tone and vision of Jackson's films. This isn't surprising considering the number of producers and writers involved in the film, but they say too many cooks can ruin the broth. Well then, it's a good thing they didn't. Because this movie needed more than superficial similarities.

Stephen Gallagher's music is as epic and soaring as it is tragic and beautiful. The production team received full cooperation from WETA Workshop, including, among other things, reflections on all swords, shields, armor, etc. Then there's Middle-Earth itself, where every shot of Edoras, Helm's Deep, and beyond is as majestic and awe-inspiring as the live-action panning shots that first brought a sense of wonder to this world.

How actions are converted into animations

In the months leading up to the film's release, I was skeptical about its visual quality, or at least its consistency. Perhaps it was the result of poor editing, and it doesn't seem like marketing did this film much favor to begin with. nevertheless, Rohanrim War It's beautiful. There's a mix of 2D and 3D that rarely feels intrusive, except for the overly ambitious character animations.

If the animation's biggest crime is its ambition, it speaks highly of the rest of the film and is consistently polished throughout, whether during battles or simple exchanges of words. When swords clash, there's a healthy mix between faster, more certain blow exchanges and more pronounced, dramatic action that makes the most of the medium.

moments that stay

Even with an optimistic approach, I never thought I would enjoy the action so much. That said, the occasional awkward scene could kill some dramatic moments, and large-scale battles with many active participants relied more heavily on CGI. Overall, the moments between the action where Kamiyama's abilities as a director shined were the most impressive.

Character animation is consistently smooth throughout, highlighting the most subtle gestures and expressions and making moments linger in meaningful ways. way of character feel – may be the film's most important development, especially in moments that don't matter as much as it catches the heart behind it. lord of the rings.

An old story from Middle-earth retold

To elaborate, let's finally discuss the story and the characters themselves. When Lord Freca came to Rohan to marry his son Ulf to Hera, Helm refused the offer and saw through his thinly veiled play on the throne. The banter between them is strong and the few lines that can be lifted from the original appendix suggest they take their business outside, especially with Brian Cox as Helm.

The king will not allow fighting inside the house, but people will be freer outside the house.

But when Freca's insults become too much, he too quickly learns why Helm's name is “Hammerhand.” Because his first punch kills Freca, an act for which Wulf declares revenge. It's a phenomenal setting, but of course it is. Tolkien laid a sweet foundation. The difficult parts are building on top of it, and although it found its footing easily for all the reasons outlined above, it made progress through the performance.

Strong performance and weak characterization

Take, for example, Yazdan Qafouri's performance as Hera's brother Hama. As she sends her brothers into battle, he speaks softly, perhaps fearfully, but nevertheless with overflowing hope, wondering whether a song will be sung about him in the future. Voice acting combined with fluid character animation elevates the characters above their flat archetypes in the small story.

Unfortunately, good voice acting only goes so far and some characters is flat. Wolff starts out as a great villain, but even with Luke Pasqualino's excellent portrayal of his descent into madness, you can't avoid the feeling that he's an overpowering foe. Perhaps this situation could have been alleviated if there had been a little more to him, or if a secondary threat had been added in the climax.

And there are more characters like Wulf. This is both a limitation of the time allotted to tell this story and a testament to how much I wanted to get to know them. But for every underdeveloped character, there was another character who shined despite their limitations. Characters such as Orwyn, Hera's fierce and trusted companion, are wonderfully voiced by Lorraine Ashbourne.

Hera's Story

While the original short story centered on Helm, Rohanrim War This is the story of Hera. Voiced by Gaia Wise, she is a classic fantasy heroine in the most stylish, memorable, and heartfelt way. She is a natural adventurer, inspired by the tales of the Shieldmaidens of Rohan and eager to protect her land in the same way.

Maybe she's a bit plain to some people, but just watch her battle it out in a wedding dress and tell me she's not iconic. aesthetic case is story; If images can speak to us like words, Hera's aesthetic strength conveys profound depth. they say for just like her lord of the rings It has captivated audiences with the sheer power of its cinematography. But just as Helm brings out his vulnerable side, the depth of her character is also brought out by him.

Helm's Story

Helm is not unaware of his daughter's skills. The reason he doesn't allow her to fight is why he does so. I know How brave she is. If he had to live with the knowledge that his sons might die on the battlefield, he would do anything to save her from the cruelties of war. Ultimately, this is a father and daughter story, and the scenes they share are some of the best in the movie.

Some people were disappointed that Helm wasn't the only main character, but honestly, it would be a lie to wait and see how his story unfolds here and claim he did any harm. As Helm screams and boldly challenges his enemies, Brian Cox's performance is on par with Ian McKellen as Gandalf or the late Christopher Lee as Saruman. It's a joy to watch and a highlight of the experience.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohanrim It's not perfect. It needed a longer run to flesh out the cast, but it didn't need any more to be great, and that's worth remembering. It was likely a financial failure, but it was by no means a failure. story However, its appeal is not just about nostalgia, but also comes from the simple pleasure of serious storytelling.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohanrim It is currently showing in theaters.