REVIEW: THE LORD OF THE RINGS - THE WAR OF ROHIRRIM

3.5/5

Succession Of Power

134 Mins. Starring: Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino & Miranda Otto. Screenwriters: Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins & Arty Papageorgiou. Director: Kenji Kamiyama. In: Theatres.

This too shall pass. After the much more successful second season of 'The Rings Of Power' on Amazon Prime, 'The Lord Of The Rings' spin-off series sits right next to 'The Hobbit' trilogy, adding to J.R.R. Tolkien's storybook lore. Now, if you add the new movie 'The Lord Of The Rings-The War Of Rohirrm' to the second breakfast mouthful, then the middle-earth map of a shared universe is really becoming a cinematic one to marvel at. But wait, the LOTR legend holds a whole new legacy in this world as, 'The War Of Rohirrm' is no live-action movie. It's actually an anime fantasy film from dynamite director Kenji Kamiyama. The Saitama Prefecture who exploded onto the scene with 2002's 'Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex', and recently cut more teeth with 'Ultraman', 'Blade Runner: Black Lotus', and 'The Ninth Jedi' of the 'Star Wars-Visions' series. Not to mention another 'Ghost In The Shell', the computer generated 'SAC_2045' for Netflix.

Lovingly rendered, 'Rohirrim' feels like a timeless classic. Blending seamlessly with Tolkien's world, to not just look like a pure anime, but one that translates across earth like its worldwide release. All whilst maintaining its own mannerisms, definition and dignity, making for one of the most powerfully produced anime anyone has ever seen. The misty mountains that begin this almost look real (maybe the effects are digital, like the fire and snow), until eagles dare you to think differently. And just wait until you see the size of their snack from the burlap sack. I've been saying this since 'The Simpsons', why does roast chicken always look so much tastier in animated form? Wonders never cease. From elephants in the forest, to something moving between two ferns that's no tree, Kamiyama's Rohirrim ravishes. Doing for J.R.R. what Netflix's 'Terminator Zero' Japanese anime did for James Cameron's floundering franchise, shrouded in Schwarzenegger drapes that even John Candy's shower curtain salesman character from 'Planes Trains and Automobiles' couldn't shift like a Casio.

Perhaps the plodding plot that walks more than Frodo and Sam did in the entire trilogy would have been better served as a series, although it is beautiful to see animation like this on the big-screen. The big battles, by bow and arrow that strikes like the sword, are well worth the worn journey, though. Add some nice nods to the legend of J.R.R. Tolkien and this one still huffs and puffs like Gandalf's pipe, even if too many screenwriters (Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou) spoil the supper. They're still great, though, and the industry should still pay them what they're worth. New Zealand, Japan and the United States come together on something that is more than just characters created by Tolkien, produced in part by Peter Jackson and set 183 years before his trilogy, this story is based on the appendices of J.R.R's 'The Lord Of The Rings'. And if you can get stories this good out of the footnotes, consider this sacred text. No longer living in the margins.

The cast of characters themselves are voiced with power. What else would you expect when the booming Brian Blessed like baritone of Brian Cox leads the way in this succession story? The man who played 'Churchill' before 'The Darkest Hour' takes the throne here with a defiant delivery that befits his classic character's amazing appearance. But it's the great Gaia Wise as Héra who is the heroine of this story. Joined by the voices of formidable foe Luke Pasqualino and shieldmaiden friend Miranda Otto, who also narrates this and reprises her role from the original 'Rings' trilogy. And there are even more Easter Eggs to crack open than that, my precious. But no, not him, although we can't wait for Gollum's movie like the legend of a YouTube one. This New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Animation, Domain Entertainment, and Sola Entertainment feature in association with WingNut Films is one of the best WB animations (a vastly underrated production company) since 'Batman: The Animated Series', which is its own legend amongst all 'The Dark Knight's' and plastic nipples. With its own power, this 'Lord Of The Rings' is the real return of the king. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'The Lord Of The Rings', 'The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power', 'Terminator Zero'