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Review: ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’ is a Handsome but Forgettable Prequel that Barely Justifies the Return to Middle-earth
December 11, 2024Ben MK
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Widely regarded as some of the finest works of cinema ever created, Peter Jackson's original Lord of the Rings trilogy became instant classics when they debuted some 25 years ago, garnering legions of devoted fans and earning praise for accomplishing what was once thought impossible — adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's mammoth tome for the big screen. Fast forward another decade, and Jackson would again attempt to do the same with The Hobbit trilogy, and while his second go-around would prove less successful, it still managed to capture the essence of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings prequel. Now, 10 years after the last chapter of The Hobbit series hit the big screen, a new entry in the beloved franchise is arriving. But does this latest spin on Tolkien's classic tales live up to its predecessors? Set nearly two centuries before the originals, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim introduces viewers to Hèra (Gaia Wise), the only daughter of the King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), and sister to Haleth (Benjamin Wainwright) and Hama (Yazdan Quafouri). Despite losing her mother in childbirth, Hèra has grown up to be a strong and independent woman, a trait that has helped set her apart from many of the other Rohirrim maidens in the land, but which has not excused her from the usual traditions, such as having her father oversee her arranged marriage to a potential suitor. However, when the treacherous Lord of the West-march, Freca (Shaun Dooley), comes knocking at Rohan's door one night, proposing that his only son, Wulf (Luca Pasqualino), be the one to take Hèra's hand in marriage, it sets the stage for an unexpected turn of events that will send Rohan down the path of war — and which will have ramifications for generations to come. Balking at Freca's duplicitous offer, Helm challenges the father of his potential son-in-law to hand-to-hand combat, in order to decide whether the fates of their two children will forever be intertwined. But when Helm accidentally deals Freca a fatal blow, it sends Wulf into a frenzy of revenge. Hellbent on getting vengeance on Helm and his kin, Wulf declares war on Rohan, summoning the West-march's most ruthless and deadliest warriors to help him defeat Helm and take over his kingdom. What Wulf doesn't count on, though, is Hèra and her unwillingness to bend to such schemes without first putting up a good old-fashioned fight. Enlisting the help of her closest allies, Hèra sets out to defend Rohan from Wulf's onslaught, a task that will prove easier said than done, especially with the harsh winter closing in and with Wulf's army of both beasts and men drawing near. Will Hèra succeed in saving Rohan? Or will Wulf get the blood-stained retribution he's been thirsting for? An animated adventure that aims to be the entry point into the series for a whole new generation of moviegoers, while also rekindling the interest of those already familiar with the franchise, the result eschews many of the characters Lord of the Rings fans have come to know and love, as director Kenji Kamiyama embarks on a journey into the heart of prequel territory. Yet, even though the film itself looks handsome enough and features a stellar cast of voice actors, the nagging question of why audiences should care at all about this story persists throughout much of The War of the Rohirrim's overly long running time. Whether it's the movie's generic fantasy-world aesthetic or the blandness of its characters, there's a definite sense of unoriginality that permeates the proceedings. And while this prequel attempts to compensate by tossing in a cameo or two to appease fans, it's all too little, too late, especially when it comes to recapturing the attention of disinterested viewers. Of course, that's not to say that The War of the Rohirrim isn't without its merits. After all, for some viewers, simply seeing the familiar Lord of the Rings font on the big screen and hearing snippets of Howard Shore's iconic score for the original trilogy is arguably more than enough to make the trek to the multiplex worth it. Ultimately, for audiences who consider themselves longtime fans of Tolkien's classic stories, there's just enough here to warrant yet another return to Middle-earth. As far as adventures that sincerely justify the journey, however, this is one follow-up that proves someone else doesn't always have to carry on the story. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim releases December 13th, 2024 from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has an MPAA rating of PG-13 for strong violence. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 14 min. |
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