‘The Lord of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim’ Movie Review: A Forgettable Return to Middle-Earth! (LatestLY Exclusive)

The Lord of the Rings - The War of the Rohirrim Movie Review:  The Lord of the Rings trilogy consists of three of the best fantasy movies ever made, which not only earned critical acclaim but also raked in significant box office success and awards. Naturally, leaving a legacy intact isn’t in the cards for Hollywood, so we’ve since been treated to an averagely received Hobbit trilogy, a lavish Amazon Prime series that failed to ignite widespread enthusiasm, and now an animated LOTR movie, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – all of them prequels. As the unseen narrator (Eowyn from the original trilogy) in the movie reminds us, there are more tales to be told in Middle-earth beyond that of the Bagginses. But the real question is: are these stories born out of a genuine need for storytelling, or just for the sake of cashing in? Dear reader, you and I - we both know the answer. The Lord of the Rings - The War of the Rohirrim: Trailer Reveals Helm Hammerhand’s Epic Battle (Watch Video).

Curious about how Helm’s Deep got its name? No? Well, tough luck, because this 134-minute movie exists to answer that question. Set two centuries before the events of the main trilogy, The War of the Rohirrim centres on Hera (Gaia Wise), the brave and fiery daughter of Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), the King of Rohan, who is also the fastest rider in her kingdom. After Helm kills Freca (Shaun Dooley), a power-hungry lord, in a fit of rage, Freca’s son Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) vows revenge and launches an assault on Rohan with his army of Dunlendings.

Watch the Trailer of 'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim':

Hera’s brothers are killed, forcing her to flee to the fortress of Hornburg with her injured father and a group of survivors, all while Wulf pursues them, laying siege to the stronghold. The rest of the film follows Hera’s journey as she finds the courage to defend the fortress and carve out a legacy of her own.

'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' Movie Review - Intriguing Visual Treatment

The War of the Rohirrim employs Japanese anime-style animation, which is an intriguing creative choice. On the one hand, it lends the film a unique aesthetic, with some striking visuals that stand out like the opening sequence where Hera climbs on top of a cliff and the frame fills with the natural beauty around her. On the other hand, this style diminishes the sense of wonder that the original live-action trilogy evoked, especially before the Hobbit trilogy over-saturated Middle-earth’s mystique.

There are two ways to interpret the decision to go animated. An optimistic view might see it as a tribute to Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 animated LOTR or the earlier Hobbit TV movie, which is adapted in a modern anime style to engage younger audiences. A more cynical perspective might argue it reflects the studio’s lack of faith in producing a live-action LOTR movie with a female lead. Take your pick.

Regardless of how you see it, this choice wouldn’t matter much if The War of the Rohirrim delivered a compelling narrative. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. While the movie aspires to match Disney’s spirited heroine movies, it ultimately falters with a plot that boils down to a generic revenge tale peppered with a few lacklustre battle sequences. The animation fails to convey the weight of these battles, leaving victories and losses feeling hollow. The climactic fight, in particular, lacks the exhilarating moments that could have elevated the story, instead resorting to clichés from Tolkien’s lore, including the overused trope of the Eagles swooping in to save the day.

'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' Movie Review - Not Enough Compelling Narrative

The editing feels uneven at times. For instance, in one scene, Hera fells an orc with a spear-like weapon, but the film skips over the actual throw, showing only the impact. This robs the moment of its intended dramatic effect.

There’s also a subplot about Helm Hammerhand embarking on a covert, violent rampage creating terror in the enemy minds as 'Wraith'. However, the film neither explores how he accomplishes these feats despite his injuries nor does these actions do enough to redeem him for the chaos he caused in the first place. Hera, too, is underdeveloped. While Gaia Wise is decent at best with her voice performance for the character, the script doesn’t convincingly establish Hera's growth as a warrior. Hera’s victories often feel like a matter of luck or her enemies’ poor judgement rather than her strategic brilliance. The film misses the opportunity to delve into her tactical mindset, which would have made her arc far more compelling. If The War of the Rohirrim was any good, I would have been rooting for a tag-team future film involving Hera and her loyal confidante Olwyn (Lorraine Ashbourne) as they set on missions across Middle-Earth.

Ultimately, even the obligatory cameos and nods to the original lore can’t salvage the tedium that sets in. The score only truly resonates when it echoes Howard Shore’s iconic compositions from the original trilogy. Andy Serkis To Direct New The Lord of the Rings Focused on Gollum – Reports.

'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Sadly, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim becomes yet another attempt by a studio to cash in on nostalgia without fully understanding what made the source material resonate so profoundly with audiences in the first place. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a visually distinct but narratively lacklustre addition to the LOTR universe. It’s unlikely to satisfy fans yearning for the grandeur and depth of the original trilogy, while also failing to capture the magical wonder of JRR Tolkien’s prose or the enchanting artistry of Studio Ghibli films, which its visual style seems to emulate.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 12, 2024 12:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).