REVIEW: The War of the Rohirrim » New Lords of the Rings Film » Helm Hammerhand, Wulf, Hera,

[@alexkats30]

Just watched it. Nowhere near a 5/5 , but a decent enough adaptation, with a few bonus points for being the 1st anime effort into this. It had a couple of issues, including parts of the animation (meaning it probably shows it wasn't a huge budget movie), but overall a nice addition to the Jackson Middle-Earth, that could have been even better. The thing that made me happier , was seeing Helm in action and the rumours spreading like a magic wildfire during a snowstorm

[@TolkienRoad]

We'll see it again soon - may not be a 5/5 on second viewing, but I was just so psyched to get a screen adaptation of Tolkien that was 95% to what he wrote, well-told, and didn't make me cringe every other minute.

[@TolkienRoad]

buh bye

[@gilbertpearce956]

I thought it was great. I was a bit skeptical of the format initially, but it all worked well.

[@TolkienRoad]

🙌

[@PilgrimofIthilien]

Thanks for the review, which I only watched this morning after being pleasantly surprised that the cinemas were still showing the film yesterday (they began here on 5 Dec but I was away for a holiday). Was genuinely worried that the cinemas were going to stop screening it because of the possibly low attendance. It was a fairly small crowd yesterday at the local cinema where I caught it - possibly because it's been about three weeks since it opened, people being away for holidays, or just the fact that marketing hasn't been as prominent as Rings of Power posters plastered all over bus stops. Miyazaki has spoiled me and so any anime I watch will unavoidably be compared to that in my mind. I wasn't a big fan of the animation which was choppy in parts, while the characters' expressions were a little too flat for me most of the time. I wanted to get a comparison of how horses in motion could be animated and decided to look at Princess Mononoke - a vast difference, if you've seen the latter before, in terms of the fluidity of the horses' motion. Also, Miyazaki's depiction of characters' faces and expressions is masterful, and you feel every nuance through the slightest glimmering of an eye, or creasing of the brow. But I think the film has several redeeming qualities which make this stand far above and beyond what ROP has achieved thus far. Like you both, the true test of whether secondary worlds are engrossing is the element of enchantment and subconscious suspension of disbelief. I found myself tearing up at several parts of the story, mostly when Haleth and Hama fell - and you can't achieve that if you are preoccupied with illogical twists, inconsistent characters and bad lines. I thought they couldn't justify a creative retelling of how Hama fell, but like you I loved how they did it in the end here. Not that it's better than Tolkien, but it's a praiseworthy attempt, I'd say. No need to disavow the Professor's work even as we applaud others who are trying to adapt the story while being faithful in most of the other parts. I did think that Frealaf retaking Edoras and slaying Wulf would have been a wonderful thing to do, rather than how it was eventually depicted. Because they had to accommodate Hera in the story, they had to sideline Frealaf early on on the grounds that he had counselled a seemingly cowardly course of action (in Helm's perspective), and so that Hera would be the presumptive leader (interim) after Helm's fall. I think they would have fared just as nicely if they stuck to Frealaf as the one who would save Rohan, and maybe play up Frealaf and Wulf's rivalry so that the ending assault on Edoras would be much more climatic. I'm still thinking about the eagles - I think the legendarium says that the eagles had one known eyrie in the north part of the Misty Mountains, so the film had to make up another eyrie near Rohan if they wanted to justify how Hera could have pickaxed her way to it. But I fully agree with you that they did a very wise thing to NOT reduce the eagles as subservient or beholden to anyone. One very small nuance that helped: Hera never really touches or caresses the eagles' beaks - they don't let her do it. She is properly awed and reverential of their majesty. I have loads of other thoughts but I might pop them on Patreon later :) final thing, and not a small one. I think they did a good job depicting Hera, even though she is not a main character by far in the story Tolkien wrote. Contrary to my expectations, they avoided making her an aggressive, alpha-female and instead cast her as the unwilling leader of her people, with moments of self-doubt and weakness. She displayed the grace and decorum befitting that of a daughter of a king. She was likeable, as (I argue) was most of the other 'good guys' and General Targg. She did not need to act like a warrior princess to be seen as valuable and appreciated for the traits she demonstrated: courage in the face of fear, mercy and nobility. All in all, I enjoyed it despite its imperfections and share your hope that this will be a standard from which to build the next generation of Tolkien adaptations.

[@TolkienRoad]

Outstanding review, Harrison! Always glad to have your thoughts. Merry Christmas!

[@PilgrimofIthilien]

@@TolkienRoadMerry Christmas, John and Greta and family!

[@TheJmlew11]

It’s good enough. Either 6/10 or maybe 7/10 Not bad by any means, and certainly better than Rings of Power. Hera was a dull protagonist, though not an overbearing “girl boss” as people rush to say (save the end which I will get to), and honestly not having the family dynamic established hurt her. Heck it hurts the whole film as the three siblings and Frealaf have no time to establish a likable dynamic with one another. Hera and Owyn felt somewhat like fanfiction stand ins for Phillips Boyens and her daughter. The only major issue I have is with the end. Both Hera killing Wulf (in the books Frealaf defeats Wulf) and the ending in particular with the final line of the film was pretty terrible with its message. This idea that a woman is only free if she isn’t married. Other than that it was entertaining enough. Also by anime standards the animation was shockingly not great. The designs were good, but the animation wasn’t that strong with choppiness and inconsistent frames. Music and sound design was fantastic.

[@TolkienRoad]

I think the ending for Hera - not getting married - is completely consistent with what we see of Éowyn in the books. Remember, Hera has just lost her father and brothers, gone through something extremely traumatic because of the arsehole that was demanding to marry her. Also, I just imagine that when she meets Gandalf, he tells her she should really meet that nice young Gondorian prince.

[@TheJmlew11]

@ Fair enough, but I was mostly focused on the framing of it through the ending. Someone could not get married and that is fine. But to have the implication be that not being married is the way to freedom seems to be anti Toilken. If they wanted to go this route they could have made it more clear that she had given up her marriage to allow her to serve some purpose (like Finrod Felagund). And I don’t know how well the trauma point holds up. She clearly states she intends to marry no man at the beginning when talking to Wulf, before Helm kills Frecca.

[@redhawkj26]

Just saw it yesterday finally, was half tempted to buy a helm popcorn warhammer but decided against it. Good hearing the first few minutes of this video since you helped me decide to go watch it and i watched the rest today so i wasnt spoilt. Thank yall for all that yall do!

[@TolkienRoad]

🙌

[@Schellnino1994]

This movie has me so hyped for Hunt For Gollum, what about yall? Also, could they make Beren and Luthien being that the Lay of Luthien outlines the story in FotR?

[@Cephalodidge1]

I loved it....I want to see it again but the local cinema has decided not to show it anymore. I am gutted tbh. I went on the opening night, so glad I did, and a week or so later it was gone, which is rubbish! I hope the dvd comes out soon. I have always seen LOTR at least 3 times at the cinema, so I am very disappointed, I thought it was wonderful.

[@TolkienRoad]

Me too. Bought it on Prime last night, watched it with the fam.

[@Cephalodidge1]

@@TolkienRoad is that in the USA or UK?

[@sylviagonzales1680]

I hadn’t seen the trailer either, because like you guys I’m tired of being disappointed. I’m going to go and try and see it tomorrow. Thank you for your review.

[@TolkienRoad]

Let us know what you think!

[@jesserochon3103]

It’s good. All these haters can legit fuck right off. It’s a solid flick. Not legendary like the original trilogy. But a worthy addition.

[@TolkienRoad]

It's not the same story either - much smaller scale, no Elves and really no Wizard (except for mention of Saruman at the end).

[@jeremypardee1895]

I didn’t like it as much as the original trilogy, although I don’t think anything will ever reach that level again. But I did like it more than the hobbit trilogy. I thought the length of the movie was fine. I don’t understand those reviewers that say it was too long. That’s like showing up to a nascar event and complaining that they are doing more than 10 laps. The anime medium helped with Helm’s combat scenes. The animation was a bit choppy.

[@TolkienRoad]

I've heard some other complain about the animation - I thought it was great! True, I don't watch a lot of anime, so I may not have much to compare it to, but I thought it evoked Tolkien's aesthetic and Middle-earth really well.

[@karlkoenig9834]

I only watched this video to the point where they said its a good movie. I want to see it with out any more spoilers

[@TolkienRoad]

Seen it yet? What did you think?

[@yangtze2000]

Hi there! I saw the film yesterday and it's great! It's a textbook example of how to add to existing lore without destroying it. For the record, I'm a huge fan of Tolkien and I dislike Rings of Power with a passion - RoP is disrespectful of the source material, misunderstands Galadriel badly, and destroys existing lore in the name of a ridiculous storyline. However, War of the Rohirrim has all the known lore in all the right order and is extremely respectful of it, and the film builds a great story around that scaffold of existing lore. Rings of Power should take notes. Yes, the story of Helm Hammerhand is told through the eyes of the daughter unnamed by Tolkien - note, unnamed by Tolkien, so it's fine for fanfic or anyone else to name her. And why not? Now we know all three of Helm's children. Bravo! And Hera is not a Mary Sue or a girl boss, and nor does she become Queen of Rohan, which would indeed have been destructive of existing lore. She follows in the tradition of the venerable shield maidens of Rohan, and presages the ultimate shield maiden to come, Eowyn, and behaves as we imagine a princess of Rohan might. She's (spoilers) even captured by men at one point and has to be rescued by a man! All charges of intrusive feminism at that point melt away. This is a straight adaptation, with a little spice in the form of a modicum of welcome poetic license, just like the original trilogy and the underrated Hobbit trilogy were. I look forward to the four hour director's cut! :)

[@TolkienRoad]

100% agree. A lot of folks out there straining at the gnat about insignificant changes or other minor matters. I think a lot of folks have some low-grade PTSD from Rings of Power, which I get, but Tolkien fans need to be able to recognize a solid adaptation when they see one, or Hollywood won't bother to play ball.

[@dawud_13_54]

I have to disagree she is a Marry Sue in every since of the term. She rides better, fights better, and everyone she warns, dies when they dont take her advice. And every allie character that is perceived to be strongrer makes sacrifices to defend her, starting with her father and then her companions.

[@sirkylanthered]

​@@dawud_13_54When did you see her fight better besides the finally fight with Wulf? She got her butt handed to her each time she tried to fight a guy stronger than her and needed help. And so what if she's the best rider. Historically the best horsemen in cultures that revolve around horses have been women. How about you actually think critically before opening your mouth?

[@sirkylanthered]

Wasn't a triumpj, wasnt a disaster. It was a gokd movie that told a good story. I enjoyed it and will watch jt again. All the incels on here complaining about having a woman be the lead characfer, go touch some grass and shut up, we dont care about your hatful thoughts here. And ignore the bots, there are so many.

[@TolkienRoad]

🙌

[@JORE4203]

I hope any fan that actually enjoys Tolkien and isn’t looking to fight some sort of media culture war, please watch this movie you’ll enjoy it. Far from perfect but it’s great stuff

[@TolkienRoad]

100%

[@otaku-sempai2197]

I'm seeing the the film later today, but I agree that Warner Bros. has not done the bast job of marketing it. I do think that folks have suffered some burnout from Amazon's 'The Rings of Power', but another issue it the "girl-boss" tempest in a teapot.

[@TolkienRoad]

Wish WB would get their act together. Let us know what you think!

[@otaku-sempai2197]

@@TolkienRoad I wish that I could say that every penny of the film's $30 million (?) budget was on the screen, but I just don't see it. Maybe that includes the budget for marketing and not just for production. That might explain why the animation is so disappointing.

[@markbills4122]

I enjoyed the film for what it was ,however it was a little too" strong independent female " for me.....

[@TolkienRoad]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Squall17x]

Do you really wish to live in a world where the entertainment industry can just pull out an endless amount of content with made up characters? At that point you have to ask yourselves: are you a fan of the story or a fan of the name

[@TolkienRoad]

Endless? No. But I do want to live in a world where my favorite IP can be adapted well into a visual storytelling medium. Why wouldn't I? What's more, Tolkien seems to have wanted that.

[@ColemanJRimer]

Disaster. How anyone can trust those who tear Tolkien apart for identity politics is beyond me. No Tolkien fan should even hate watch the garbage they will bring down upon his name. Tolkien has become a truly GREAT writer used for idiocy and money.

[@TolkienRoad]

Ummm...I think you meant to post this comment on a Rings of Power reaction video. I don't disagree with the sentiment, but it doesn't apply to The War of the Rohirrim.

[@DichotomousRex]

@@TolkienRoad It's just a bot, this is what the AI powered bots do now, they automatically post dissent that doesn't even make sense, to keep people angry engaged. Hank Green did a video on it recently that is very enlightening.

[@TolkienRoad]

Ah, thanks for the heads up.

[@MapEffects]

Because a strong independent woman who repeatedly says she will “Marry no man”, and then riding off into the sunset with her female “friend” is completely in line with Tolkien…🙄

[@androyus]

​@@MapEffects Said "friend" is as old as her mother so I don't think the writer meant anything sus by the two traveling together.