Following the breaking of the Fellowship, the heroes are split into three groups on separate paths to save Middle-earth. Frodo and Sam confront the treacherous Gollum to guide them to Mordor, while Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli hunt Uruk-hai across the plains of Rohan to rescue the captive Merry and Pippin. Meanwhile, a growing shadow falls over the kingdom of Rohan as the wizard Saruman launches his massive army from Isengard, setting the stage for one of the greatest battles in history.
Information |
|
|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States New Zealand |
Premiere date |
December 18, 2002 |
Running time |
179 minutes |
Genre |
Fantasy Adventure Action |
Budget |
$94,000,000 |
Box Office |
$947,944,270 |
Crew |
|
Directed by |
Peter Jackson |
Produced by |
Peter Jackson Barrie M. Osborne Fran Walsh |
Written by |
Fran Walsh Philippa Boyens Stephen Sinclair Peter Jackson |
Music by |
Howard Shore |
Cinematography |
Andrew Lesnie |
Edited by |
Michael Horton |
Production Co. |
New Line Cinema WingNut Films |
Distributed by |
New Line Cinema |
Top Cast |
|
|
|
Official Trailer |
|
Movie Collection |
Movie Order: #02 in The Lord of the Rings Collection
|
The Plot
Shadow and Flame
Deep within the Mines of Moria, the wizard Gandalf the Grey stands upon the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, confronting the ancient Balrog of Morgoth to buy time for the Fellowship of the Ring to escape. Although Gandalf successfully shatters the bridge, casting the demon into the chasm, the Balrog’s fiery whip catches the wizard’s ankle, dragging him over the edge. While the Fellowship believes he has perished, Gandalf continues to battle the creature as they plummet into the abyss, fighting amidst fire and ruin until they crash into a massive subterranean lake deep within the foundations of the earth.
Days later, the Hobbit Frodo Baggins and his loyal friend Samwise Gamgee navigate the jagged hills of Emyn Muil, attempting to reach Mordor alone. Their journey is stalked by the creature Gollum, who is consumed by his desire to retrieve "his precious," the One Ring. One night, Gollum attacks, but the Hobbits manage to overpower and capture him. Frodo, understanding the heavy burden the creature carries due to the Ring, takes pity on him rather than killing him. Realizing they are hopelessly lost, Frodo persuades Gollum to become their guide to the Black Gate of Mordor, despite Sam’s profound distrust.
The Treason of Isengard
Across the plains of Rohan, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue a band of Uruk-hai who have captured the hobbits Merry and Pippin, intending to take them to Isengard. Meanwhile, in the Golden Hall of Edoras, King Théoden of Rohan sits withered and entranced, his mind poisoned by GrÃma Wormtongue, a spy secretly serving Saruman the White. Saruman, allied with Sauron, has incited Orcs and Wildmen of Dunland to ravage the lands of Rohan, burning villages and massacring the populace. In a desperate bid for survival, a mother from a raided village sends her two children on horseback to Edoras to raise the alarm.
The situation in Rohan is dire; the King's only son, Théodred, is found mortally wounded in an ambush. When Théoden’s nephew, Éomer, interrogates GrÃma and exposes his treachery, the manipulator twists the King’s mind further, resulting in Éomer’s banishment on pain of death. Éomer gathers the few remaining loyal men of the Rohirrim and rides north. That night, his company ambushes the Uruk-hai camp near Fangorn Forest. In the chaos of the slaughter, Merry and Pippin manage to escape into the ancient woods, where they encounter Treebeard, the oldest of the Ents and shepherd of the trees.
The Passage of the Marshes
Frodo, Sam, and Gollum traverse the treacherous Dead Marshes, a haunted wasteland where faces of the fallen dead appear in the water. They are forced to hide from a Nazgûl patrolling the skies on a terrifying winged beast. Upon reaching the Black Gate, they find it impenetrable, heavily guarded by Orcs and Trolls. As an Easterling army arrives and the massive gates open, Frodo and Sam prepare to make a desperate run for it. Gollum, however, holds them back, insisting that capture and the return of the Ring to Sauron are inevitable if they enter that way. He reveals the existence of a secret, unguarded path into Mordor. Though Sam remains suspicious, Frodo chooses to trust Gollum, citing the creature's loyalty thus far.
The White Wizard Returns
In Rohan, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli encounter Éomer, who informs them that the Uruk-hai were destroyed with no survivors, fearing the captive hobbits perished. Upon investigating the battle site, Aragorn finds tracks leading into Fangorn Forest. There, the three hunters are confronted by a blinding white light. Expecting Saruman, they are stunned when the figure reveals himself to be Gandalf, reborn as Gandalf the White after slaying the Balrog in a battle that cost him his life. He informs them that their path now lies with the defense of Rohan.
The group rides to Edoras, where Gandalf enters the hall and breaks Saruman’s hold over Théoden, exorcising the dark magic and casting GrÃma Wormtongue out. Restored to his senses, Théoden is immediately faced with the grief of his son’s death and the threat of war. Upon seeing the exhausted children who fled the burning villages, he decides to evacuate his people to the fortress of Helm’s Deep rather than risk open war. Gandalf, realizing the fortress will become a trap against Saruman’s massive army, leaves to find Éomer and his banished riders, promising to return at dawn on the fifth day.
Shadows of the Past and Future
As the refugees of Edoras journey to Helm’s Deep, Aragorn and Éowyn, Éomer’s sister, form a bond. Aragorn reveals that his heart belongs to Arwen, who is destined to leave Middle-earth for the Undying Lands. Meanwhile, Wormtongue flees to Orthanc, informing Saruman of the weakness in Helm’s Deep’s outer wall—a culvert for drainage. Saruman dispatches his army of 10,000 Uruk-hai with orders to leave no survivors. During the trek to the fortress, the Rohirrim are ambushed by Warg-riders. In the ensuing skirmish, Aragorn is dragged over a cliff into a raging river and is presumed dead by the survivors, who retreat to Helm's Deep.
In Rivendell, Elrond pleads with his daughter Arwen to board the ships leaving Middle-earth. He uses his foresight to show her a heartbreaking future: if she stays with Aragorn, she will watch him die as a mortal man, leaving her to fade away in eternal grief within a silent, empty world. Broken by this vision, Arwen yields and departs. However, Galadriel communicates telepathically with Elrond, questioning if the Elves should abandon Men to their fate, noting that the Ring has moved within reach of corruption.
The Forbidden Pool
In the land of Ithilien, Gollum struggles with his split personality, torn between his promise to Frodo and his hunger for the Ring. The travelers witness a skirmish where Rangers of Ithilien ambush a Haradrim column. Frodo and Sam are captured and taken to Henneth Annûn by Faramir, the younger brother of Boromir. Gollum evades initial capture but is lured in by Frodo to save him from being shot by Faramir’s archers. Frodo’s perceived betrayal shatters Gollum’s trust. When Faramir learns of the One Ring, he seeks to prove his worth to his father, Denethor, by decreeing that the Ring shall go to Gondor, despite Frodo’s warnings.
The Battle for the Hornburg
Aragorn washes up on a riverbank, nudged back to consciousness by the horse Brego. Struggling against injury, he rides toward Helm’s Deep, spotting the massive Uruk-hai army on the march. He arrives at the fortress to warn Théoden, but the defenses are woefully outnumbered. Hope flickers briefly when a battalion of Elves led by Haldir arrives from Lothlórien to honor the ancient alliance between Elves and Men. Meanwhile, in Fangorn, Merry and Pippin attend an Entmoot, where Treebeard and the Ents initially decide against joining the war, choosing to "weather" the storm as they always have.
Night falls, and the Battle of Helm’s Deep begins. The Uruk-hai launch a relentless assault, scaling the walls with ladders. Despite the valor of the defenders, Saruman’s forces use explosive devices to breach the Deeping Wall. The Uruks flood into the fortress, slaying Haldir and forcing the survivors to retreat into the inner Keep. In Fangorn, Pippin cleverly tricks Treebeard into walking near Isengard. Upon seeing the decimated forest where Saruman has felled trees to fuel his war machine, Treebeard screams in rage, summoning the Ents for the "Last March" to Isengard.
The Breaking of the Dam
While the Ents launch a devastating attack on Isengard, destroying the factories and killing the Orcs, the situation in Helm's Deep becomes desperate. As the Uruk-hai batter down the doors of the Keep, Aragorn convinces a despairing King Théoden to ride out for one final charge. They storm out of the gate, cutting through the enemy ranks just as the sun rises. On the eastern ridge, Gandalf appears, flanked by Éomer and 2,000 Rohirrim riders. They charge down the slope, blinding the Uruk-hai with the sunlight and routing the enemy army, who flee into the forest to be destroyed by the Huorns. At Isengard, the Ents break the river dam, flooding the entire circle of Orthanc and trapping Saruman in his tower.
The Battle for Middle-earth Begins
Faramir has taken Frodo, Sam, and Gollum to the ruined city of Osgiliath, which is under attack. A Ringwraith on a winged beast descends, sensing the Ring. Frodo, entranced by the Ring's power, nearly offers it to the Nazgûl and, in a moment of madness, draws his sword on Sam. Sam tackles him, snapping him out of the trance. As the Nazgûl is driven off, Sam delivers a moving speech about the great stories of old and the necessity of holding on to the good in the world. Realizing the magnitude of their burden, Faramir releases them, helping them escape through the sewers.
As Gandalf and the victors of Helm's Deep gaze toward Mordor, the wizard warns that the battle for Middle-earth has only just begun. Frodo and Sam resume their trek, guided by Gollum. However, Gollum’s spirit has darkened once more. Feeling betrayed by Frodo’s earlier actions, his malicious persona, Sméagol, completely takes over. He plots to lead the hobbits into a trap, whispering of a secret way into Mordor where "She" creates a path for him to reclaim his Precious.
