Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers * FIRST TIME WATCHING * reaction & commentary

[@EvelyntMild]

Treebeard's line "A wizard should know better!" is one of my absolute favorite lines. What a badass!

[@mattfraser1096]

In the Extended cut, there is an epic Boromir scene... You see how good and honorable he was and the pressure he was under.

[@j.munday7913]

Extended Cut is always the way to go with LoTR.

[@EvelyntMild]

Is that the confrontation with wormtongue? I haven't seen the theatrical in so long I can't recall most of the cut bits. EDIT: I read it as Eomir. oops.

[@darthgorbag]

yeah, I'm SO disappointed she watched the inferior version of the movie this time instead of the proper one.

[@JsscRchlDrsy]

Extended cut with Boromir is one of my favorite scenes in the whole trilogy. FOR GONDOR!

[@Pip8448]

@@darthgorbag "Oh no, she has a more similar experience to everyone who actually watched it in theaters..." The important part is she'll have this fantastic story in her now. IF she really likes it she can watch the extended version later and get the joy of watching it for the first time again. :) Maybe she'll even release a video about her experience with the extended scenes and she'll be like, "I'm sorry for what I said about that character before, what I've learned from you guys plus these extra scenes really made a difference." I don't need to watch her watch the whole trilogy again, but I wouldn't mind if in the future she had a little 5-15 min video conveying how the extended version changed her mind about the story or characters. I know the littles detail get drawn out and there's more explanations for stuff, so the extended versions are better for people who are not as familiar with the fantasy genre or who aren't always paying attention to the more subtle facial expressions: which makes it great for reactors, but not necessary. All the necessary stuff stayed in the theatrical versions (if you're paying attention). It is not the inferior version.

[@thefamilydad8635]

Please be patient with Theoden (Horse Viking King). He just recovered his faculties to find his son dead, his military decimated, and his kingdom under active invasion, and feels like it all happened because he was somehow too weak to prevent his enthrallment. As for why nobody challenged Wormtongue's control and the king's transformation, it happened gradually, probably over a decade.

[@seimen4348]

And going to helms deep is the only logical choice he has left for many reasons. Edoras is undefendable.

[@gimligibbons3916]

100% agree, and I truly think that the vast majority of us, in that situation, would be weighed down with despair and hopelessness.

[@mage1439]

His speech in the next movie is a real hype-up.

[@Bill-en7kw]

The film took a bit of Theodin's thunder. It was him, not Aragorn that had them ride out on horseback to face the orcs at the end.

[@AuspexAO]

It's important to the movie that it shows that Men are in a bad spot in Middle Earth. They live a selfish existence and don't really have a common cause against Mordor. Theoden is a good man, but he IS in some ways much weaker than Aragorn. I think the movie has to show that without making Theoden look like a coward (which he most certainly is not).

[@jackfishthe6th373]

One of the reasons why Frodo is more caring for Smegol is because Frodo is experiencing the same pains and transformation as what has afflicted on Smegol. Smegol is the one being who truly knows the real pain and consequences of bearing the ring of power.

[@j.munday7913]

Yeah, its like being forcibly addicted to a drug, then being guided around by someone who is deep in addiction to that drug and they're going through detox. You know how bad their craving for that drug is because you feel that way when you need another hit. Frodo just sees his future in Gollum and can't bring himself to hate him, he really sympathizes.

[@VirtualBabe29]

Frodo is also hoping that Smeagol can be reclaimed and cured of the addiction to the ring. That would mean there is still hope that he can recover

[@tadanott300]

Frodo has his reasons for not killing Gollum. One of my favorite quotes from the fellowship was when Frodo told Gandalf Bilbo should have killed Gollum...but Gandalf said, " Those who are alive sometimes deserve death, and sometimes those who are dead deserve life....Can you give them that, Frodo? That's powerful stuff.

[@splitimage137.]

My favoritest of all the book quotes. (eleventy-one is a close second.)

[@edp5886]

That is super powerful! I love that quote.

[@tactikiller]

And she would’ve probably remembered that quote if she hadn’t been most likely talking over it.

[@douglassnyder214]

JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe/Narnia Chronicles) were very good friends He loved to hang out in a pub with friends, drink beer, and smoke his pipe. He was short, and into gardening and telling stories. He had a very deep and booming voice, and he talked slowly. CS Lewis was the inspiration for both the hobbits and Treebeard.

[@connorbosley4431]

They were part of a writing club called "the inklings"

[@AoRArchAngel]

They named it?! Thats fantastic. I knew they basically met up and bounced their books off each other in their trek to perfect the books, but didn't know they named the group! I love it. @@connorbosley4431

[@Cherokee9898]

Anytime one of the elves dies it always hits me. They were alive for thousands of years, no risk of death, but they chose to fight and risk dying for humans.

[@Weaseldog2001]

Jackson changed the involvement of the elves for the movie, so we could see them fight. In the books we learn that Sauron has his armies harassing the elven Kingdoms too. While Saruman was going to war, orcs were attacking Legolas' home in Mirkwood. The Golden Wood was under assault from the Mines of Moria. And finally Elrond was facing assaults on his borders. Putting this in the movies would be a bit much.

[@dr.k8610]

At least they will walk the Halls of Mandos

[@verynicevidya3515]

They get to come back to life, but only if they're good boys also it has a cooldown.

[@dr.k8610]

@@verynicevidya3515 elves have it pretty good. Immortality, afterlife, and resurrection

[@NZBigfoot]

@@dr.k8610 more reincarnation, rather than resurrection.

[@jakubfabisiak9810]

FYI Ashleigh: there's an audiobook of Lord of the Rings read by Andy Serkis (Gollum), as well as an audiobook of Children of Hurin read by Sir Christopher Lee (Saruman, also the only member of the cast who knew Tolkien personally).

[@Tchika]

As Gandalf said in the first movie: "Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play in it, for good or evil, before this is over. " I like Gollum a lot. He struggles and is dangerous, but I pity his lost soul.

[@synthetic240]

It's an interesting lesson about second chances and trust and the power of kindness, but I still find it amusing translated to a modern scenario. Like, yeah, let's trust this meth-head who has done nothing but lie, steal, cheat, and (definitely) tried to murder us not too long ago... we'll let him move in because he promises to get a job and clean up so he can see his young kid again. So sure, "even the very wise cannot see all ends" but when the stakes aren't as high as saving the world (Frodo knew they needed a guide) and are instead the immediate security of you and your family, can anyone be blamed for not wanting to take the risk? It's a fine line between being dangerous naïve and seeing the spark of goodness in people despite all the evidence about their true intentions.

[@radekhladik7895]

The whole quote put this more into a perspective: Frodo: 'It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill Gollum when he had the chance.' Gandalf: 'Pity? It's a pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play in it, for good or evil, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.'

[@jaquesshugossen9398]

I agree with the replies to this comment and this comment as well. There are so many possible variables that are yet unforeseen, and there is setup and payoff in the trilogy and they are all done very very well. We all have our own part to play and if one doesn't make it, there are consequences, and consequences if one makes it. Yes the Return of The King does fix all loose ends and questions, and warps it up very well. The uniqueness of individual and their actions can have great consequences, good or bad. I can see why Gandalf the Wizard, or Valar? understood this so well to make wise statements, which isn't only true in the Story but true life as well.

[@Tchika]

@@synthetic240 I actually just said I like the character Gollum 😅 not, that I would let a meth head into my house 😳 And Frodo does not exactly trust Gollum, but he remembered Gandalfs words about his role. Also Frodo experiences the burden of the ring, so he understands and pities him more, while Sam rather would want him dead.

[@josephkrider1306]

@@Tchika - And, Frodo HAS to believe that Gollum can come back, if there is to be any hope for himself.

[@derrisreaditbefore]

I AM SO SORRY THAT YOU RECIEVED COMMENTS THAT MADE YOU FEEL BAD! I'm delighted that you've returned, and that you're finishing off the trilogy all in one go. You asked where this was filmed. All three were filmed back to back in New Zealand (where I live), and there are some wonderful trivia 'bits'... my personal favourites are these: to gain permission to film on Aoraki (Mount Cook), the production had to ensure none of the incredibly rare *MOSS* was killed (it's a national park) - SO THEY CARPETED ALL OF THE TRAILS - AND NZ RAN OUT OF 2ND HAND CARPET! Also, the Rohirrim scenes (the horse people), despite the casting calls engaging men - had to be filmed in shearing season (we have a LOT of sheep), making most of them unavailable, so the vast majority of the riders are women wearing beards. I hope that made you smile. Thanks Ashleigh, you're a delight. x

[@User87_]

Don’t be sorry that she’s a bore

[@Matisaro]

@@User87_ better a bore than a troll, die alone.

[@erikawilliams9558]

​@@User87_you don't have to watch

[@purplehaazebee1649]

Believe it or not I saw all of these in the theater and I was impressed by the cinematography and effects but bored otherwise. I need to give them another watch. I have evolved since then. We grow all the time. You do you girl. Love you.

[@derrisreaditbefore]

@@purplehaazebee1649 I saw these in theaters too and as a fantasy fan, familiar to the story, and having been teased so effectively (I miss trailers that don't just put a highlights reel together), I'm grateful I was able to fully enjoy the magic and clear love that was put into these movies. I hope knowing what the story holds keeps you more enthralled in a re-watch, and that you get even a fraction of joy that I do.

[@EdSigma]

16:15 "Like a little guardian angel?" You're actually spot on, in the lore of Middle Earth, the wizards aren't humans who know magic, they are pretty much angels!

[@GeryonM]

25:50 New Zealand. Everything was shot there. There are tours of nearly every shooting location. Hobbiton is a very nice walking tour.

[@garmisra7841]

Ashleigh, we LOTR fans can be passionate and prickly especially when it comes to Lore and the hugely emotional story beats. But know we love you for you and your honest reactions are what we enjoy. And yes this was an utterly astounding experience on the big screen, especially the battle of the Hornburg. Sam's words, "How could the world go back to the way it was after so much bad had happened?" rang true for a lot of people from my generation - because this film came out the year after 9/11. Just like Gandalf's words "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us" from FOTR. These movies meant so much because they were a message of hope, courage, and compassion during a very turbulent time in the world, and it's quite possible that we gravitated to them so strongly because of that watershed event in history. EDIT: "Bitch I'm Gandalf the White" will live forever in the annals of LOTR reactors. 🤣

[@TSIRKLAND]

Tolkein wrote this story, drawing on his experiences in World War 1. [The Hobbit was published in 1937, shortly before WW2] The LOTR books were published in 1954, and resonated with many WW2 vets, and they got popular again in the 1960s/70s, while the Vietnam War was going on. These films came out just after 9/11/2001, the attack on the Word Trade Centers, like you said- yet another generation living through troubling times. It really sucks that every generation has their own trials and tribulations to go through; the struggle is real. But there is comfort in knowing you're not alone- others in this time are also struggling, and we can struggle together, comfort each other- and others have struggled before, and come out the other side. Tolkien's words of sadness and also of hope, can echo our own sadness, and give us some hope.

[@ronweber1402]

@@TSIRKLAND With the events in Ukraine there is now a whole new generation of people who will identify with a story of surviving war and evil and doing what must be done against insurmountable odds. And the beat goes on.

[@ayethein7681]

I am a lifetime LoR fan from when the books came out and I saw the films appear. I like your reaction and pertinent comments (two things everyone says - "Don't say that" and "Don't just let him go"). The films are maybe not just for watching, but for watching again and again. When you are done, you might like the videos on the making o the films.

[@williamstefens]

@garmisra7841, So very well said. As a devoted lover of a Tolkien's works, I know I have the potential to be rather defensive when people are critical of the books and/or movies. And I was admittedly a but disheartened when Ashleigh only gave The Fellowship a 3 of 5 stars. That said, in my comments, I simply said how I am sorry others were so nasty to her about her less than enthusiastic reaction. Explained how the second two movies are a continuation of the story line rather than sequels of the first, and simply hope she will still give the next two movies a chance to win her over. And Happily she has. That is l we can hope for.

[@ronweber1402]

@@williamstefens Ya people who know nothing about it should be informed that it is not a movie and two sequels it is one long movie split into 3 parts. Tolkien wanted to release the books as one long one but the publishers quickly shut that idea down and split it into three parts which is brilliant. If people saw it as one huge book it would have been like 2500 pages and 5 inches thick. That would have scared most people off but you give them a 800 page book to read and get them hooked they will come back and buy the other two books. Not only that you make more selling them 3 smaller books than as one massive one even putting aside that you will sell more copies because people aren't intimidated by the size.

[@ScienceWinsEveryTime]

7:08 Fun fact: these running scenes were shot after Legolas had broken ribs after a fall, and Aragorn had a broken toe from kicking a steel helmet. And yes, his reaction when kicking the helmet is still in the film.

[@darthgorbag]

AND Gimli's scale double had an injured knee IIRC. So all 3 of them were running while injured.

[@AwakeLazarus]

Gimli's size double also had breathing problems.

[@MantisEnergy]

In the theatres, this Was incredible. The sound system couldn't take it, so in the first movie, when Sauron's ring hit the ground and the shockwave felled the armies, the whole room buzzed and the air shook. 🤩

[@gozamite]

...and there was lightning strike through the movie theater!

[@Amonabus]

The theater I saw these movies had the sound at max as well. The nazgul scream was a little much hah

[@canadianscratcher7834]

I agree with you 100% Ashleigh. I enjoyed The Two Towers even more than The Fellowship of the Ring. The fight scene at the Castle was the best I've ever seen.

[@astromonkey2]

I worked at movie theater with a fancy sound system when this came out and a projection manager that was a LOTR fan. During that scene and a few others you could see the walls of the auditorium vibrate. Not feel, see.

[@kennethcook9406]

You are right. I was working at a Games Workshop store when the first movie was released (GW is the makers of Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40k; and they also made the tabletop battle game based on the LotR trilogy.) We, as affiliated employees, got exclusive access to the initial public showing of the movies in our area. (We didn't have to buy tickets)

[@thomashiggins9320]

The siege at Helms Deep is considered Master Class in how to film a battle scene. While ostensibly chaotic, the viewer always knew what was happening and why, and when the orc with the torches started to run for the culvert, every viewer in the cinema understood the stakes, exactly, and knew the characters understood them, as well. It was absolutely brilliant film-making. No battle scene before then came close to its clarity and dramatic intensity. The only battle scene to ever surpass it was the landing at Omaha Beach in "Saving Private Ryan." Helms Deep and Omaha Beach are the two best battle scenes ever lensed, and they stand alone at the apex of that sort of film-making.

[@KnightsaysNi]

I would add "Waterloo" for consideration as well.

[@silentjay01]

I still contend there needs to be an Academy Award category for "Best Digital or Voice Over Performance" because the fact that Andy Serkis didn't win an acting award for his performance in this movie feels criminal. He didn't just to the voice acting; he also did the motion capture. And I include Voice work in this category because actors in animated films deserve love, too. Robin Williams should have been nominated for his role as The Genie.

[@mattymoowhite]

Andy serkis as smeagol and Gollum against each other.. That's the moment..

[@waynezimmerman1950]

But Gollum did win an award from MTV in 2003 for best virtual performance. That acceptance speech was amazing. 😎👍

[@mccpcorn2000]

Andy Serkis also voiced many of the Orcs as well. I remember his DVD commentary on the film. :)

[@pdraggy]

and some of the apes in the planet of the apes movies.

[@silentjay01]

@pdraggy And King Kong in the version from 2005.

[@lisaspikes4291]

These movies have a special place in my heart, because my late husband was a big fan of the LOTR trilogy. He died before any of the movies came out. I can just imagine how he would have loved these movies! ♥️

[@michaelstowe2167]

King Theoden gets a lot of flak that I don't think is really deserved. His capitol city was undefendable. He really didn't have any choice but to run to Helm's Deep. He lost his only son and heir, and the commander of his army was banished by Grima. He didn't let Eowyn fight because he needed her to be a leader more than a soldier. He wasn't overconfident or cocky. In fact, there are a couple times when you get to see that he was completely dismayed. He was trying to keep morale up for a fight they all knew they couldn't win. Theoden is one of my personal favorite characters. He's flawed, he makes mistakes, but in the end he is still a good man just doing the best he can. He's human.

[@iapetusmccool]

In the book, his plan was to send the civilians to a safe place [not Helm's Deep], while taking his army to reinforce the border with Isengard. But on the way, he learned that the border had already been overrun and the survivors (and local civilians) had retreated to Helm's Deep, so he went there instead. The film having _all_ the civilians go to Helm's Deep probably makes sense for the sake of simplicity, but Theoden got done dirty by making him want to hide rather than fight. I don't think it would have been too difficult stick closer to the book. The battle with the warg riders (which wasn't in the book) could have been done slightly differently as e.g. rescuing retreating soldiers who had come under attack.

[@gmh3]

at the time the story takes place Eowyn is around 24, and Aragorn is 87 and fought beside theoden's father back in the day, he 100% cares for her in a grandfatherly way

[@JeM130177]

In 2020 actor Josh Gad did a series called "Reunited Apart" where he got movie casts together over Zoom and he did a LOTR one and like I was already crying with joy the entire time but then Sean Astin (Sam) read his speech from the end of this movie and honestly I BAWLED. Mid 2020 as well the world was just....we needed that speech..and we still do.

[@Blue_Eyed_Chippewa]

I kept laughing every time Ashley "flashed" us. 😂 she was so serious about the "No body no death."

[@tonyschannel7438]

It's Ashleigh not Ashley!

[@TheWindcrow]

​@@tonyschannel7438in the words of Ashleigh "she would get it"

[@Pip8448]

so serious-ly right! If I was a reactor I would want that shirt or a big button pin that said that. ;)

[@drakeredwingofficial]

Sam's speech in this movie makes me tear up every time I hear it. Thank you so much for checking out the rest of the trilogy!

[@acrynellys]

I'm sorry people were so uncharitable to your Fellowship video. For me, the whole point of reaction videos is watching someone experience a story for the first time, with their honest thoughts, feelings, and interpretations, and you're a FANTASTIC reactor 💖👏👏👏

[@malcolmdrake6137]

Yes, but the point of reaction videos isn't to act like everything is comical and sh!t over movies people care about...I'm sure you disagree. 😂

[@Pip8448]

@@malcolmdrake6137 You can't please everyone, and with how popular these films are you're bound to get someone too attached to a character they have come to know and love who gets really mad that someone else (with very little knowledge of that character) makes a negative comment about and they explode. That's not a good way to convince someone that your favorite character is actually good, and it nearly scared her off the whole movie series! If you (general you not specifically you) don't like this loud, emotional, straight forward KZbinr (enough that you'd leave hateful comments) then go to someone else and find/enjoy whatever you're looking for. I'm guessing a bunch of people exploded over Ashleigh not liking Boromir: Having watched the theatrical versions myself I can honestly say he's not that likable of a character: pretty blank slate hero/party member and he has almost no lines except while he's under the ring's influence. His death speech and Aragon's acceptance of it almost seems undeserved. It's clear a lot more happened between the fellowship members off screen that forged a better bond. He's MUCH more likable in the extended editions where you hear him confess his struggles. interact with the Hobbits, and you see him in the Two Tower's movie being a hero to his people and a shield for his brother from their father.

[@AoRArchAngel]

Thing is, she watched the extended edition, but was really hyped up from the energy drink she had chugged pre-stream and, in general, isn't a fan of longer movies. It's understandable that not everyone is going to like everything, but I remember watching that video and thinking she really wasn't invested in this movie from the get go and being pretty disappointed in that.

[@YTAG33]

Criticism is an important part of reactions. To have valid criticism you have to first understand it. It seems like she didnt really understand the One Ring was tempting and corrupting and instead immediately mistrusted what are supposed to be heroic characters. That is kind of an important misunderstanding.

[@zoniekat]

She is a reactor. She has an audience. An audience has every right to respond with criticism. People for the most part we're not mean but we're annoyed or even offended and,as many that did, says a lot. She had an attitude from the start. I could only get through half her reaction, and to me, it was about her disrespect for the movie and her negativity. I was clearly not alone. I have nothing against Ashley, either. Been watching her for a long time. This review was excellent and she really got into it. It's called learning a lesson.

[@andre1999o]

Fun fact: when coming up with Gollum's voice, actor Andy Serkis took inspiration from his cat coughing up a furball.

[@npflaum]

I took a LOTR tour to the filming sites in New Zealand. Even though it was nearly 20 years ago now, I still consider it in the top 5 of my life experiences. NZ is just incredibly beautiful, and the people are so fun and welcoming. It's an expensive trip, but totally worth it.

[@nickgjenkins]

Ashleigh's look when Theoden asks about his son was perfect.

[@thomasreitemeyer4778]

I never thought you would revisit this series. So glad you did. Can definitely tell you enjoyed it more and were able to follow the story better. I think you will enjoy the third movie.

[@dahobdahob]

I'm sure I'm already late to the party, but Gandalf always was a guardian angel. He is not a man but an Istari, one kind of the lesser hosts of angels called Maiar. As the Grey, he was literally sent to give hope to the people of middle earth in dark times. Returning as the White puts him in charge of the defense of middle earth, at least among the other wizards.

[@christopherwall2121]

"I feel like, now that Gandalf's back, everything's gonna be okay!" That's actually one of Gandalf's powers, as it happens. Gandalf bears one of the Elvish Rings, Narya, the Ring of Fire. And not just physical fire; with his ring, Gandalf can inspire courage and confidence in his allies, the "fire down below" as it were. And when he seemed lost in Moria, the loss of that boost was felt very harshly by the Fellowship.

[@MaskHysteria]

Frodo has pity on Gollum because he sees himself in him and what he could become under the grip of the ring. He saw the same in Bilbo and understands, better than anyone, why the ring must be destroyed...for his sake, for Bilbo's sake even for Gollum's sake. Part of the reason Isildur didn't destroy the ring, aside from its ability to quickly corrupt its owner, is he had never seen its ability to corrupt whomever possesses it. Sauron had been the sole owner of the ring and was corrupted before the creation of the ring so Isildur assumed the ring was simply a tool of Sauron's evil not fully realizing that the ring had its own power to corrupt and Sauron had made it that way deliberately to ensure it would always return to him.

[@autumnpoe4612]

Thank you for giving this series another chance. It really is such a wonderful work of literature and film, and I would’ve hated to see you miss it because of people’s rudeness. I love watching your reactions and hope you enjoy the rest of the trilogy. This is one of the few series that get better the next few times you watch it in my opinion, there’s so many little details baked into it that at first watch you might not notice ❤

[@DanSolo0119]

Sam's speech at the end kept us Lord of the Rings fans going during 2020.

[@issuepunkzine]

The claustrophobia of being trapped in Helms Deep - besieged by a merciless hoard bent on your utter destruction is so powerful in the film - and when the Orcs blow the wall, wow, for my money one of the best cinematic explosions ever.

[@gmchris3752]

At the beginning, I'm thinking "Poor Ashleigh! LotR fans tend to correct too much, but it's a shame they came after you! There's only one thing that a reactor can do to upset them..." Ashleigh: ...Dumbledore... "OK, 2 things . . ." Ashleigh: ...Theatrical cut... "Oh, dear, you sweet summer child..."

[@Patriot009]

I like the tear from Grima at 24:34, his sudden realization of "this isn't what I signed up for, this is too much".

[@arcadeinvader8086]

you were actually pretty much spot on to call gandalf a guardian angel, he basically is the middle-earth equivalent of one, except he's not limited to just one ward. Saruman and sauron are also similar beings

[@stvbrsn]

As well as the balrog.

[@mevb]

Sam's line "By all rights we shouldn't be here, but we are." is a reference to that Frodo, Sam and Gollum doesn't go to Osgiliath in the book, as Faramir actually lets them go. It was added for the movie to create more drama and to save the latter parts of their story for the next movie (even if path to Minas Morgul and the path of Cirith Ungol happens in The Two Towers book, it is actually happens according to the timeline at the same time as events of The Return of the King). Also Faramir isn't tempted by The Ring but instead say "I wouldn't have taken it if it were laying at the wayside." which works for the book but does take away a lot of drama and tension for a film and it wouldn't have been sufficent for character growth which is important for movies, especially in the modern age.

[@Grace-cs5sk]

This is my favorite Lord of the Rings movie. Also getting Dumbledore and Gandalf mixed up is common for the people that watched Harry Potter first before Lord of the rings so do feel bad. The movies were filmed in New Zeland

[@malagastehlaate230]

I read these books when I was a kid... also when I was a kid they had made a whimsical cartoon out of them.... so I was very familiar with the story by the time these came out... though I had forgotten a lot of it over the years... but I LOVE these movies... I could watch them again and again and never tire of them... and they are very beautifully done... I'm glad you are enjoying the series.

[@liamevans9815]

Hearing you call Gandalf "Dumbledore" made me laugh way harder than it should have and it's because I know some people are going to get so triggered by that simple slip of the tongue and to those people I says Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! 🤣😂

[@johnfriday5169]

To be fair they're effectively the same character along with Yoda, The Sage.

[@kriso3065]

I had to pause the video until I quit laughing!

[@neil2444]

Everybody knows Dumbledore commands the U.S.S.Enterprise with Obi Wan Kenobi as second in command, gosh!

[@jasonp1162]

To be fair, they did ask Ian McKellen if he was interested in working on Harry Potter and he said no. This was after Richard Harris had passed, so he assumed it was for the part of Dumbledore, but McKellan admits they never told him what part they had in mind for him. They also considered Alec Guinness (Obi Wan Kenobi) for Dumbledore very early on, but he passed in 2000

[@1805movie]

They were filmed in New Zealand. There's even a place called "Hobbiton" (the original Shire location) where you can take tours and have a pint.

[@cosmocassidy420]

I'm very glad that you went back and are finishing this trilogy. The return of the king took movie of the year at the academy awards but most believe that it was really a tribute to the whole trilogy. But when it's all said and done I don't think they leave any loose ends. It is really amazing. Hope you enjoy it.

[@tfawns1147]

When I first saw the Ents running toward Isengard I cracked up because what popped into my head was "Run Forest, run!".🤓

[@YouLousyKids]

I was so disturbed that you didn't like the Fellowship of the Ring because it was an amazing accomplishment, but I get that you're coming at this from a different perspective. I mean, there's been two decades of big CGI-fests that overwhelm the eyes...partly due to LOTR being such a success by investing a lot on special effects. I'm writing this before you watch it so I'm hoping you like this one.

[@prodigalbrock]

The whole saga was a yawn fest. Clerks 2 said it best. It’s 3 movies of walking.

[@pscar1]

​@@prodigalbrockeverything doesn't have to be all action, all the time...

[@boki1693]

@@prodigalbrock It was a yawn fest for you. Many others loved it. And I have to say even mentioning Clerks two in the same sentence of LotR's sort of makes me not take you seriously.

[@hectic105]

@@prodigalbrockumm, keep in mind the character who said that was also the same character that wanted to “take” a certain phrase back. I love Randall, but just because he’s always honest, doesn’t make him always right. Even in Clerks 1 he had someone immediately explain how he was wrong about a certain point about Return of the Jedi. I also kinda think that the point of that scene isn’t to strictly insult LotR, but to show the kind of stupid things that certain kinds of fans work themselves up over.

[@Sancsteq]

​@@prodigalbrock"3 movies of walking" if u think that you didn't watch them, there's plenty of intrigue, suspense, thrills, and action.

[@daniroth6604]

As a LOTR fan, I deeply apologize for your experience. You deserve to be very proud of trying out these movies and providing a genuinely entertaining reaction. Love what you do🤩

[@heffatheanimal2200]

^^THIS^

[@crankfastle8138]

It's becoming too common that people lash out or can't conceive of the idea that someone isn't immediately in love with their favourite movies or series. I find these movies to be ok. They aren't bad but just a bit better than average. In my opinion. And too many people just need to fight me on it.

[@alexg1778]

​@crankfastle8138 in fairness it's because your opinion is objectively wrong. They aren't "just a bit better than ok" - They're regularly voted as 3 of if not the 3 best films ever made by a wide array of people. They're almost universally loved. To not like them because they're not your thing is fair enough, but so say "meh they're ok" is wrong.

[@alexg1778]

Nothing to apologise for. Her reaction to the first one wasn't just "eh this isn't really my thing" it was much more of a "this is stupid and that's stupid what the hell is that I don't understand this crap" tone. Again, fair enough if they're not your thing but she was very disparaging of them and asked questions that were answered in the movie if she'd just listened instead of cracking wise every 10 seconds. I used to love her reactions but the way she walked into this franchise with such disdain was too much for me. I've seen other reactions where the people openly stated it wasn't really their thing but they still sat and gave it a chance without making fans feel like idiots for enjoying it.

[@ravendebonair]

@@alexg1778 Hmm. Really? I just finished watching that reaction, read the comments, started this one along with comments, and also happen to be a huge fan of the books, films, trivia games, as well as high ADHD as Ashleigh mentioned she has. 1. EVERY VIDEO: Intro disclaiming she knows nothing going in, hence she doesn't know anything about the history of any of the characters, nor the power of the ring and how reaching it's effects are. Not to mention not understanding the Elvish because quite possibly they might not have been available where she watched? And those questions that were answered later "if she'd just listened", I dunno, maybe are a NATURAL REACTION when you're watching something you don't know is going to be elaborated on and explained over time throughout a 3 movie time-span? She also DID acknowledge quite a few in the video when she had it answered and made sense. 2. She also said many times she enjoyed things. And those "I hate that" were at points where it was something gory or unpleasant. The action scenes match up with the stuff she said she feels is more horror movie. 3. It's a 3 HOUR MOVIE EDITED INTO 30 MINUTES. How does anyone know how things went in the other 3 hours? And looking at it from going into the movie knowing literally NOTHING of the LOTR world a ton of her questions are completely understanding. And again, this one starts with her explaining a lot plus being invested in the characters now that she's seen how they're working. 4. Yes, things can be disparaging, but if you had known absolutely zero about Boromir before this movie, would as many be honest enough to admit it as she did. 5. SHE HAS ADHD (which is kinda obvious) and in all her videos she's constantly cracking jokes through things and some things are missed, so why is this different? Also as someone with ADHD like me, it's hard at times to focus and read into the deeper meaning behind something that's not as obvious. And many people just simply have much different taste or blatant honesty. Literally every video I've watched so far she's blunt, honest, no shame about it.... Somehow shit gets missed just because people are too excited it's LOTR (including myself), that people literally just attack without remembering or realizing what they usually see and hear.

[@LexAnnalyn]

This was a fun reaction to watch! Glad for your sake that you get to watch Return of the King right away. I had to wait a week. The last Gollum scene had me on edge. But if I complained about having to wait, Dad would just say he had to wait a whole year. (I watched these with Dad when I was 11. One movie per weekend. I think we watched it on the family computer ad we lounged on the guest bed-my little sister wasn’t old enough to watch yet, so we couldn’t use the TV. Good memories.) Also, I appreciate your reaction to Gollum. Too many people call him cute and lack the proper amount of suspicion.

[@PictureHouseCinema]

My local cinema is showing these films and I just watched The Two Towers this week on the big screen, seeing the third one in November. It's awesome on the big screen. I did see them on original release. Excellent films.

[@Drforrester31]

Glad to see you getting back on the horse! This is my personal favorite in the trilogy, that shot of Shadowfax rearing up with Gandalf on his back never fails to make me smile. In light of your commentary, I'm most excited for you to see Theoden's arc come full circle in Return of the King, it's his journey that I love the most

[@lottelarsen2918]

So glad that you are watching these movies ❤😊 All three movies are filmed in New Zealand ❤

[@kathyastrom1315]

My favorite acting scene is in this movie, when Wormtongue is trying to seduce Eowyn by telling her she has nowhere else to turn for an ally. It’s actually an improvement over the books, where the dialogue about Eowyn comes from Gandalf gleaning it from her own thoughts. Here, it makes much more sense coming from Grima who has been watching her probably her entire life, so he knows her and knew she was at her most vulnerable. Both Dourif and Otto are amazing-when he reaches out to cup her face, you can see just how much he has been wanting this opportunity, and you can see that she is tempted just for a few seconds before rejecting him utterly.

[@NigelIncubatorJones]

Can't agree. In fact, Wormtongue is too oily and creepy in the movie. He was the king's most trusted advisor, and had slowly poisoned his mind over the years with clever advice, what we'd call brainwashing today. A man doesn't get into such a role if he is so obviously repulsive at first glance. I understand why they did it in the movie, because they were trying to take all sorts of visual shortcuts, but it doesn't make much sense once you think about it for a while. A good director could have had Gandalf deliver that line, and if filmed properly, it would have been just fine. I don't really have a problem with them transferring the line to Grima, but to say it's an improvement is too much of a stretch.

[@mmattson8947]

It also explains why anyone would listen to someone nicknamed “Wormtongue”. Dourif made him very eloquent and persuasive for that scene.

[@NigelIncubatorJones]

@@mmattson8947 When we hear "Wormtongue" we think of wriggly earthworms, and we are grossed out. But that's not the case in Middle Earth. The dragons were often called worms, or great worms, and dragons were known to be very clever with words. So "Wormtongue" in Middle Earth is actually a compliment, meaning "well spoken". And that's _exactly_ what you would want, or expect, in the king's chief counselor.

[@kennethfharkin]

@@mmattson8947 Brad Dourif did a great job here. I have always enjoyed him. If you want to see a great example of his work check out the Babylon 5 season 3 episode Passing Through Gethsemane. B5 has lots of interwoven backstory but you do not need that to appreciate his storyline and work in this episode. It is outstanding, and tragic, and makes you question your own ideas and positions. Pay close attention to the dialogue throughout.

[@green7apocalyptica]

Hmmm maybe that's why there are worms in Dune, they are Arrakis' dragons😊

[@thomasbryant6512]

"The Return of the King" won the Oscar for Best Picture, although I'd like to think this was a collective Oscar that included the first two films which were nominated but did not win for the years they were released. Looking forward to seeing your reaction next week.

[@Noricavus]

It was filmed in New Zealand. After you've watched the movies you should watch the behind the scenes for the series. They are really good as well.

[@beowulfthedane]

Interesting story J.R,R, Tolkien was not an author when he wrote LOTR. He was an expert in Languages. He wrote the forward for an adaptation of Beowulf into English and he created the elven language for this book series. He didn't know how long a book should be and it was the publishers that divided it into three books.

[@onlyrevolutions2010]

I'm sorry you had such a negative reaction from the Lord of the Rings fandom. My entire life revolves around the books and everything Middle-Earth history and lore. It's my greatest passion. So, I'm excited to see you revisit this world, and I hope other fans will be more understanding that you're not as steeped and invested in all of this. I'm just glad you're getting to experience this world. It's like a second home for me, so welcome! :D

[@AnnekeOosterink]

The main complaint that I saw, and agree with, is that she didn't honestly go into it. Like, I get it, people don't know the lore, that's fine, people have questions, also fine, people may not understand everything, totally cool. But going in blind does require actually engaging in some way, paying some attention. A reaction channel will include some talking over, and missing some details, but if the entire plot sails over someone's head, then I'm really turned off. I genuinely liked her channel a lot before because usually she does engage with the material, she does at least try to follow along, even if she misses things. She at least is clearly trying to understand the story and the characters. Which is why it was so disappointing when she didn't in the FotR reaction.

[@DarkHairedOne]

@@AnnekeOosterink I think watching the extended edition for FoTR was a mistake that I've seen more than one reactor do, out of pressure from their fans. What is already a long movie turns into an even longer movie with, arguably of course, unimportant scenes added in for people who already have read the book. FoTR has the worst grouping of them, with the awkward extra scene at Bilbo's party or Galadarial giving Gimli three hairs (which goes unexplained in the movie!) being the two stand outs. It's absolutely fine to just watch the theatrical editions as, unlike say Kingdom of Heaven which is FAR better with the director's cut, LOTR tells it's story well as is.

[@AnnekeOosterink]

@DarkHairedOne that's not really relevant to the actual complaint though.

[@eddiepalmer9543]

THIS, people wont engage if the RUN TIME of 3 1/2 hrs bothers them. @@DarkHairedOne

[@Blarglesnarfe]

It was easily my least favorite review of hers.

[@CGRREDACTED]

Ashley the entire series is filmed in New Zealand because New Zealand contains both volcanoes glaciers desserts mountain regions valleys every possible land mass you can think of exist within New Zealand it's all of Middle Earth is New Zealand i'm glad you liked it.

[@anath7589]

Elijah Woods who played Frodo started out as a child actor…he was in “Radio Flyer,” in “Forever Young” with Mel Gibson, & “The Good Son” opposite Macauley Culkin (yes, the kid from “Home Alone”). Macaulay played the “good son” while Elijah played his cousin. Elijah wanted the part of Frodo, so he campaigned for it, made his own audition tape as Peter Jackson had someone else in mind. Samwise was played by Sean Astin, son of the late Patty Duke Astin…Patty won a best supporting actress Oscar playing Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker” while her co-star Anne Bancroft (Mel Brooks’ wife) won for Best Actress. As for Treebeard, John Rhys Davies, who played Gimli, provided his voice. In the book, the Lorien Elves did NOT show up to help at Helms Deep, so Haldir did not die…Jackson added that. Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, broke 2 toes when he kicked that helmet so that was real scream of pain, not fake. Viggo said that was nothing compared to all the other injuries sustained by the stuntment & extras. Even Orlando Bloom (Legolas) broke a couple of ribs. It was amazing he was even in this film considering the year before he was cast, he fell off a roof & broke his back…he walked out of the hospital less than a week after surgery to repair it.

[@Sageddegas]

Dont forget flipper!

[@xavimartin7173]

As in TLOTR as in LIFE remember Gandalf words: "Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement." Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it more this time. I am sure you would enjoy Fellowship more knowing what you are getting into. Fun and peace to you all! ❤

[@Muck006]

LOADS of (primarily american) reactors go with the "they should have killed Gollum at the start" ... completely ignoring Frodo's and Gandalf's conversation in Moria. Same with Wormtongue.

[@splitimage137.]

My favoritest of all the quotes from the book. (Eleventy-one is a close second.)

[@Sidewalkman1]

Sam's spoech was so inspiring. I always feel moved no matter how many times I've heard it.

[@mevb]

The Dead Marches was the place where The Battle of The Last Alliance took place which is seen in the prolouge of film one (though we only see the final part in Mordor at the foot of Mount Doom), lots of elves, men and even orcs perished here and over time this area would be flooded. It's ambigous werever the corpses you see are the actual corpses, some kind of ghosts/spirits or just some dark magic, it's not clear in the book either, though it hints that Gollum might have fell into the water and seen the spectral corpses coming toward him, probably what inspired the scene cuz Frodo doesn't fall into the water in the book. Tolkien were inspired by his experiences fighting in World War I in The Battle of Somme where he saw corpses of soilders lying in flooded trenches.

[@Karadjanov]

Loved your reaction. No matter how detailed the Movies and extended editions are the lore is so rich that very little of it made it to the big screen. Regarding the prologue and the rings: Sauron's plan was to forge rings of power that would give their wilder amazing powers and turning them into great sorcerers and kings but would be under Sauron's will who would rule from the shadows. Sauron deceived the Elfs into helping him forge the rings of power: 9 for Men 7 for Dwarfs and then Sauron made the One ring to rule them all, however the Elf Celebrimbor forged the 3 Elvish rings without Sauron's presence and corruption making them unique in the way that they are good and benevolent and help others not just the person holding them. They are also unique in the sense that they are subject to "The One Ring" but not Sauron himself. This means that unless Sauron puts on The One Ring these 3 rings are the most powerful in existence. The 3 Elvish rings are not explored in the movies but they are an integral part of the lore and story so here is a little info on them that is not directly explained in the movies to help you have a grasp of what is going on offscreen. Their powers are not fully explained but what is know is: Vilya: The ring of Air. Elrond has this ring and with it he was able to heal Frodo from the Nazgul wound something that is normally impossible. It was also the ring of Air (Maybe with the assistance of Gandalf) that made the river wash out the Nazgul. Nenya: The ring of Water. Galadriel has this ring and with it she protects her kingdom from everything including time itself. This is why it is a very tough choice for her to help Frodo because if "The One Ring" is destroyed her ring will lose it's power and her kingdom will diminish and fall into history. Narya: The ring of Fire. Gandalf has this ring. With it he is able to do the Fireworks and probably helped him with his fight with the Balrog. Another quality of this ring is it affects the people around it by increasing their courage, bravery and making them resist corruption. That is one of the reasons why Gandalf's presence was so inspiring and why despair took over the fellowship when he fell. P.S. Isildur was actually much wiser and more noble in the books. They never were with Elrond in the pits of mount Doom for him to change his mind and keep the ring. Elrond merely SUGGESTED it was destroyed but Isildur asked to keep the ring as compensation for losing his father and brother in the battle. At the time nobody knew what it would mean if the ring is allowed to endure so Elrond AGREED and let him keep the ring. After some time Isildur realized the ring was starting to take over him and even though he had shown great resistance to it he had the foresight and modesty to realize he cannot fully control it. He was on his way to give the ring to Elrond for safe keeping and advice when he was ambushed and killed by orcs. In the books Aragorn is not only not ashamed but actually quite proud to be Isildur's heir and screams his name as a battle cry when charging into battle.

[@rukh03]

I'm so glad you are finishing the trilogy! I'm gonna say the theatrical version is definitely a better choice for a first-time watcher. The extended cuts are really more for the book fans who want to see more of our favorite scenes, details, and backstories from the books translated into the films.

[@QRavenholme]

So, knowing a bit about LotR lore, I found it really funny when you said Gandalf was a "guardian angel" because that's kinda what he is. Wizards in the Lord of the Rings are just straight up angels who were sent to Middle Earth to help those facing against dark threats, like Sauron, and lend their aid in the form of old wise men.

[@MrDrewseph87]

their occasional helium voices made me laugh at all the wrong times. great movie. love it

[@adamantyr]

I'm glad you have resumed this trilogy! And no problem with the theatrical cut, the extended cuts were specifically released for the fans to add extra material. There's only one issue I really have with the theatrical cuts, which will be coming up in Return of the King; no spoilers as I want to see your genuine reaction. A lot of fans had mixed reception to the movie at the time because it was the first one that really deviated from the book. Elves were busy fighting Sauron in the east, so they didn't have any armies to spare to send to Rohan, but Peter Jackson didn't want people thinking the elves didn't care at all. (He had to be corrected by his wife in an interview about the elves, as he forgot that hadn't happened.) The whole Aragorn/Eowyn/Arwen arc saw a lot of changes, as Tolkien was a man of the 19th century and his idea of romance was very archaic, even for the 40's when he wrote the books. Sam and Frodo are also released by Faramir without a trip to Osgiliath, something even book fans criticized during Tolkien's lifetime, as Faramir being able to easily resist the Ring's lure marginalizes it's power. Looking forward to Return of the King!

[@rickamsler3088]

despite how well these 3 films were made and their reception among fans (Now) it is always remarkable how people have forgotten how much complaining there was about these when they were made. And despite all of that the thing that has stayed true for these films (and to a much lesser extent the hobbit movies) is that the "spirit" of the story remains. not so much has been lost in adaptation that what we have is drasticly different from the source. there are differences, some glaring, but those differences dont overly take away from the story being told. (of course not always the case for the hobbit films) at least in my opinion.

[@Gwenhwyfar7]

I hate when people don't watch the extended, because it leaves out most of the comic relief and a couple major plot points.

[@Gwenhwyfar7]

@@rickamsler3088 I remember all the complaining and I remember thinking that no movies have ever adapted a book so faithfully and seriously before 🤣

[@zamdrist]

You did great Ashleigh! LOTR fan base is pretty intense. This is some of the best cinema of our lifetime, the effort to digest and understand them is totally worth it!

[@devilkyn1]

Man these films do EPIC sooo well. Even after all these years and many rewatchings, Sam's speech still makes my eyes well up. Can't wait for next Monday Ashleigh, but also I think it's a great idea that you moved right into Return of the King on filming day. Something I've noticed on the channel is that you seem to be much better with long runtime films after having watched so many of them. Especially the stories that are so engrossing like these ones.

[@cmlemmus494]

Don't worry too much about the names of characters, especially secondary characters. Tolkien was a philologist -- someone who studies language and word origins. He was also one of the original authors of the Oxford English Dictionary. When creating Middle-Earth one of the things he did was explore how different cultures would develop languages differently and how that would also affect naming practices. You have probably heard the idea that the Inuit have a dozen words for snow (the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis); it's not literally true, but the idea was new and popular when Tolkien was writing. He also created the languages of the elves and dwarfs based on their lifespan and culture. There's even a story that when his editor challenged Tolkien's spelling of some words, Tolkien was not only able to show the original attestations, but he showed that he had written the dictionary entry that the editor was quoting. My point being that if you read the books and know a bit about linguistics there is a lot going on here that is intentional, but as someone who is just watching the films it is completely understandable that it is confusing. That confusion is intentional in the sense that Tolkien did indeed choose many names to sound similar. He is using name similarities to draw connections between characters. For example, Saruman is working for Sauron. Boromir and Faramir are brothers. Great reminders for readers, not as great when you only hear the name once.

[@toddwright7567]

Watching the extended editions add way more to the story and understanding. I watched the theatrical version in the theater and once or twice until the extended versions came out and haven’t watched them since.

[@THEvagabond29]

@21:21 you said it best Ashleigh, "You dont have to trust him, but your dont have to bully him". I luv your reactions.

[@MrTickleTrunk]

Wizards are modeled after Gandolf. It's NATURAL to mix him up with all kinds of other wizards from other properties :) His look, the tall pointy hat, is why all wizards seem to have tall pointy hats all over the place now.

[@awkwardashleigh]

THANK YOU!

[@goldilox369]

​@@awkwardashleighmy kids call Dumbledore "fake gandalf". 😂

[@ryanadams2671]

@@goldilox369Sounds like you are raising them right! Lol

[@markhamstra1083]

Yeah, no. Tolkien didn’t invent the wizard type or tropes with Gandalf. In fact, Tolkien himself said that he thought of Gandalf as similar to the Norse god Odin in his Wanderer form, and there is a lot that is similar in appearance and otherwise between Gandalf and the Wanderer. Gandalf also borrows a lot from Merlin in the Arthurian legends, and there are also similar wizardly men in old Germanic tales. Even without Gandalf we would still have wizards appearing as old men with long beards, carrying staffs and wearing funny hats.

[@MrTickleTrunk]

@@markhamstra1083 I said he popularized it, not that he invented it. Compair depictions of Odin and Gandolf today if you still have doubts. ✌

[@PortCharmers]

11:50 Ashleigh: "NO BODY NO DEATH" 11:57 Uruk-Leader: "Look, no body..."

[@MelaniePoparad]

Medieval castles had multiple rings of defense. The keep is an inner portion if the castle. I’m not an expert but there’s usually some kind of moat with a drawbridge and a curtain wall. Multiple layers to fall back to when being overwhelmed. Love that you got the courage to brave the LOTR fans again. I hate that you felt attacked by rabid LOTR fans. The books are magnificent and soooo detailed… I’d recommend audiobooks though in the case of these books. They aren’t written in the modern fantasy style and are a bit harder to follow and enjoy for younger/new readers. I love your reactions. You make me feel like I have a friend in TN. Love from Indiana.

[@michaelcarter1067]

Andy Serkis (Gollum) has narrated the ENTIRE Lord of the Rings series on Audiobook, btw!

[@GeryonM]

Shadiversity could answer all your castle questions.

[@seimen4348]

I mean... she didnt liked the first one because it didnt end the story... Getting called out on that is normal.

[@Muck006]

@@GeryonM Bah ... it is only americans that need that kind of "education", because europeans have that stuff "just around the corner" as part of their history. Instead of Shadiversity I'd advise you to look up "Guedelon" ... which is a castle that is being built right now in France, using the methods of the 12th century. They started in 2000 and it had a 25 year build time, but "the coof" might have extended that a bit. There is a nice 5-part documentation "Secrets of the Castle", which shows off all the crafts involved in it.

[@myfriendisaac]

My favorite installment of the trilogy 🏰💙 31:07 LMAO, I AM IN TEARS 😂☕️

[@RichardFay]

More random stuff: In the books, Aragorn has some Elvish ancestry (that's why he's so long-lived) and Arwen has some human ancestry. At some level they're related, although in Aragorn's case you have to go back a lot of generations to find it (not so many on Arwen's side because Elves are semi- immortal). I say "semi" immortal because Elves can be killed, and if they aren't they may eventually fade away and become "disembodied", something like a ghost. But that takes a very long time; Arwen's almost 3000 years old and her father Elrond is over 6000. Give Theoden a break; he's still recovering from his possession by Saruman. He's only been sane for about a week. I like to think that the Whomping Willow in Harry Potter is descended from Ents, or maybe is just a really old Ent who can no longer walk or think but can still hit things.

[@Bill-en7kw]

Yes Aragorn and Arwen are related. They both human and Elvin blood, in fact Elrond is sometimes referred to as Elrond Halfelven.

[@menachemsalomon]

And Groot, as Ashleigh says, is also probably some sort of Enting. (And I wonder, for real, if Groot was actually designed based on Tolkien's Ents.)

[@AuspexAO]

That was a great reaction, Ashleigh. I remember the comment section from The Fellowship and people were certainly very passionate and I don't think they realize just how much that movie asks of you as a first time watcher. You go in expecting a fun little fantasy movie, and it's a book worth of lore, names, and places all thrown at you at once. I think people who didn't have to react to the movie just digested it slowly over years of rewatches and being able to talk about it with their friends. Now that they're experts, though, there is no mercy for the uninitiated, ha ha. Anyway, I'm glad you liked Two Towers and Return of the King is just a fun movie now that all the setup is over. I think you'll cry at least once!

[@LordOnisyr]

I am so happy to see you returned to this series. I saw this in the theater during a midnight showing when it came out and it was breathtaking on the big screen. This was one of my favorite movies for a long time, but I hadn't seen it in ages. I did your watchalong on Patreon and I was reminded how much I love this film. I'm really happy you liked it. Don't worry if it takes a while to get all the pieces together, this story is a lot and that's just the films.

[@mevb]

If you thought it was tough for Viggo Mortensen (Aragron), Orlando Bloom (Legolas) and Bret Beattie (Gimli's scale double) running with all that armor on, they were all injured while doing it. Mortensen had broken two toes from kicking the orc helmet when the trio find the pyre and they believe Merry and Pippin are dead (it is that very take when Viggo broke his toes that is in the cut and the scream was of actual pain, but he used it for the scene), Bloom fell off his horse during the Warg Attack later and broke a couple of ribs, and Beattie had dislocated his knee. They were such troopers doing all these running takes despite all the pain they had.

[@krisfrederick5001]

I remember a friend that was deeply knowledgeable of the Hobbit and the books watching the Fellowship with me, it still didn't sink in entirely. Then I saw this with my bassist and EVERYTHING came together and I fell in love with this story forever. Aragorn's scream is legit, he broke his toe kicking the helmet. This is my favorite in a sense because it's in the midst of it. I hate when things that I love come to end...Don't tell the Elf.

[@christopherlundgren1700]

Everyone knows that to truly engage with a film, one needs to watch with one's bassist.

[@krisfrederick5001]

This was filmed in New Zealand and you can literally go to The Shire, they preserved it. Amazing

[@Transformania]

Ah yes nothing beats watching these movies with one's bassist. When I watched it with my drummer it just wasn't the same.

[@weirdbeard2244]

@@TransformaniaNow I’m thing GameGrumps: *ist Bassist and Bummer Drummer.

[@Taylorswiftfan13308]

I am glad you chose to come back to this series. I think it will be worth it when all is said and done. It is a little thing overall, but it was one of my favorite moments of this film, when Gimli reluctantly tells Aragorn to "toss him", it was a callback to first movie, when, in a similar situation, Gimli proudly waived him off, with the proud cry, "No one tosses a dwarf!"

[@lou6454]

As someone who had read the books multiple times over decades , The Fellowship brought to life characters that, up until the films , only lived in my imagination and were very fluid. The Fellowship had to introduce and develop so many characters and concepts , that someone unfamiliar with this epic would understandably be confused at the very least ,but more than likely overwhelmed . It made the characters , as depicted , more real , if that makes sense , and as close to perfect , as far as the casting is concerned. It was like a famished person was finally welcomed to the banquet . I totally get the WTF moment at the end when you were left hanging . O the bright side , you don't have to wait a year for the final film . Glad that you enjoyed this , your enthusiasm helped me to see this with fresh eyes and I thank you for that .

[@jamesfischer2427]

30:10 The Keep is the innermost fortified portion of a castle. It is usually the home of the person who owns the castle (The Castilian) and is usually the 3rd layer and final layer of defense.

[@stephenridolfi6464]

I think this is my favorite of the 3. The Battle for Helms Deep is one of the greatest fantasy battles ever committed to film.

[@awkwardashleigh]

a agree - definitely mt favorite of the three.

[@dcaslick]

So something to understand in this world Tolkien created, oaths can be much more than simply words. There can be power in an oath. The reason Frodo was willing to accept Gollum’s oath was because he understood the power of an oath from him made on the One Ring. Frodo knows and Gollum knows that to break such an oath would come with severe consequences and that’s why Frodo was willing to accept Gollum’s oath. Eventually Frodo came to empathize with Gollum/Sméagol, but his original acceptance of him was based on that oath and the power it has. Gollum’s plan at the end of this film is basically him trying to find a loophole to his oath, because he still fears the consequences of doing it himself.

[@scottmcnulty70]

Awesome reaction. Don't worry about the previous film. No body, no death is a good rule to follow. btw, First printing, first run of the LOTR was 1954 and 55. The books came out separately. For further context, Tolkien was in WWI. With the guy who wrote the Narnia books, who was a good friend. And a couple of the Narnia books were made into movies.

[@johnw8578]

In TFOTR, Frodo expresses his regret that his uncle Bilbo had not killed Gollum when he had the chance. Gandalf responds with a speech that goes like this: "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo’s hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."

[@maxnorton1209]

I hope you like this better than you originally liked The Fellowship Of The Ring. In retrospect, I think you would have handled the theatrical version better; but also, it would have helped to know it’s an epic tale split into three epic movies.

[@charlesedwards2856]

I’m pretty sure she has only watched the theatrical versions because anything that was in the extended cut wasn’t shown in this reaction and I remember when she watched Fellowship it was also the theatrical. She needs to go with the extended versions, theatrical was good but the extended does fill in some gaps.

[@maxnorton1209]

@@charlesedwards2856 Actually, she said in the Fellowship video that she was told she needed to watch the extended version for each of the LOTR movies, so that’s what she watched, the extended cut of Fellowship.

[@alexdillahunt6908]

Yeah, as a person who absolutely loves these books and movies, I would not recommend the extended editions for a first time viewer. While they add a lot of nuance and detail, they are so long and hard for some people to sit through. I would only recommend the second edition for the second viewing an onward.

[@pscar1]

​@@alexdillahunt6908I say it really depends on the individual.

[@crush41gb]

​@charlesedwards2856 💯 and watching the remastered extended editions and not seeing these theatrical versions since the original release in theaters, I can definitely appreciate the color balancing. Love these movies, the appendices, commentaries and all the detail and care put into every aspect of making these.

[@bobc538]

When Gollum jumped off the wall I KNEW you were going to say " That's like wrestling!" It was hilarious

[@matthewganong1730]

I agree that watching the theatrical cuts the first time makes sense. Watching the extended cuts once you’re familiar with the story enhances it, but it would be overwhelming to start that way.

[@hectic105]

I’d say with the exception of a certain scene in RotK involving a certain major antagonists fate that went completely unresolved in the theatrical cuts. But yah, besides that, the theatrical is probably best for new viewers who may not enjoy sitting through 4-5 hours per movie of a series they have no previous knowledge of, heh.

[@ronweber1402]

@@hectic105 More than 20 minutes is just credits though. And as for the watching the theatricals first I call bullshit. Any one of the reactors I have seen watching the extended cuts first were all the same at the end of the movies. It was all, "That's it? "it's over already? I need more." Saying that watching the theatrical cuts first is better is unadulterated codswallop.

[@GriffBateman]

​@@ronweber1402 I don't know, man. The theatrical cuts are better movies? I get that as a hardcore book-fan people get more enjoyment out of the extended cuts, but I can separate my experience reading the books / watching the adaptation, and I'll always go for the better version of a film. Even Peter Jackson thinks the theatricals are superior (especially regarding the pacing and tone)... he did the extended versions for the fans but that's it.

[@ronweber1402]

@@GriffBateman Wrong. The movies were cut because the theater chains demanded it so they could get one more showing in a day.

[@GriffBateman]

​@@ronweber1402dude, I've seen more than one instance when Peter Jackson talked about this. It's not that he doesn't like the extended versions, but he has said more than once, pretty clearly, that his preferred cuts are the theatrical. But anyways, that shouldn't invalidate your feelings about these movies. I think that the theatricals are better and you think otherwise, it's all good.

[@RambinoYT]

I did watch your video on The fellowship, you must understand that these movies and the books are bellowed by the fans. We hold them to high praise and certain things that go unnoticed to you means alot to others. So i think most people found it hard when you ''shat'' on certain things and didn't act a certain way when things happen. Biggest example would be Boromir's death. I assume you read the comments and got a better understanding of things regarding that. Glad you decided to continue the series even tho you did receive some backlash, backlash is criticism and people are allowed to do that and feel that way and it's then up to you if you wanna fall to that or rise above it and improve and it seems you chose the ladder. Good on you

[@joshuaburciaga6395]

THANK YOU! for watching the theatrical cut of this movie! For the casual reaction for someone who isnt familiar with the story or the books, the theatrical cut is perfectly fine and what WE all saw in theaters. I always figured the extended cut were for the true fans of the series with all the extra stories lines and cut scenes that as a casual watcher I honestly didnt care about🤷‍♂️

[@nathannorth675]

Just finished the whole reaction. Thank you again for always being positive even when people are negative in the comments and thank you for coming back to Lord of the Rings. Return of the King is long, but it gives me goosebumps, chills, tears, and a little laughter every time I watch it. Can’t wait for you to wrap up the series!

[@rpsibley73]

Ahh!! my favorite part of this series, hope you enjoyed it sis!

[@jjjones8609]

The third film is the one that won the Oscar for best movie.

[@scottboswell6406]

@@jjjones8609 True, but that was for the whole work, not just for itself. The 1st 2 did win some technical Oscars.

[@NecramoniumVideo]

Probably not, took her a whole year to watch this one after the first one.

[@lynnevetter]

Two Towers is my favorite as well.

[@ThePharaz]

This one is my least favorite. I almost wish they'd taken a few scenes and just added them to the 1st and 3rd and just dropped this movie.

[@Solas67]

Won't @ you with lots of lore and stuff (that's something you can dig into if you feel interested) but there's three fun trivia pieces worth sharing: 1. For a LONG while, Liv Tyler (Arwen) was in the Battle for Helms Deep with her boo Aragorn and the boys. Peter Jackson wanted the women to do and be more in the story, so she got a warrior look and combat training, the whole thing. It was ultimately decided that they should stay true to the books and walked that back, but there are snippets (like when they retreat into the main castle part) where you can see her running. There's also a bunch of found footage of her. 2. When the big orc army starts chanting before they attack Helms Deep, that's the sound of actual New Zealanders! They recorded a crowd of ten thousand people at international cricket match in Wellington and they put up big karaoke style screens for them to follow. 3. This has probably been mentioned in other comments, but the scene of Aragorn kicking the helmet when he thinks Merry and Pippin are dead is him BREAKING HIS TOE for real. That scream is for reals.

[@SailorYuki]

I think I said this in the Fellowship rewiev but I'm going to say it again. I went in blind and cold into these movies too. I've hard of the series but that's about it. I watched them in the theatre on the opening night. The first one just left me confused as to why people thought it was such a big deal (it just took some time to process). After the second movie I thought that perhaps I should read the books and perhaps then, I would get it. I did. I totally got it. Before I knew it I had read all the LOTR books and lore. So going into the third movie, I was really excited. The Two Towers Books was a real snooze fest. I really struggled to get though it, but then again, it really did mirror what Frodo and Sam went thorugh. My biggest memories of the three movies is the damn snowstorm that greeted us every time we exited the theatre. Massive snowstorm. After each premiere. After the first movie, even if it ended 11PM I was home around 3.20 am due to the storm. I was frozen solid and had to still get to work at 6.30.

[@D-Rv8iv]

I remember first seeing the opening in the theatre. I almost cried with how badass they made Gandalf.

[@jasonremy1627]

The set pieces in this, especially in the theatre, was amazing.

[@jacobwalsh1888]

This is the best selling book that isnt a religious text in human history, and yes Lord of the Rings was written as a single book, then split into a Trilogy at the request of the publishers, hence why the first one is a cliff hanger. Tolkien brought the idea of fantasy as a worthwhile hobby both from the Authors perspective and the readers perspective to international attention. He laid the groundwork for what would be the modern fantasy genre. Everything in literature and cinema today that draws on fictional aspects to tell a story owes it's existence to the success of Lord of the Rings. It showed publishers that such things were profitable, and showed the population at large that it was an enjoyable and rewarding area of intellectual interest. So yes, the fandom is quite passionate. I read the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, and the Silmarillion in middle school, no part of my life hasn't been touched by the beauty and depth of Tolkien's mythology. Star wars is a flash in the pan compared to Lord of the Rings. It is a melting pot of ideas from many many people, several of whom where focused on profit. Lord of the Rings is the labor of a writer and teacher with a deep love of language and the desire to make a mythology for his home. Be understanding, because to many Tolkien fans, his works are deeply meaningful and important.

[@Uncle_T]

Glad you're getting back into it. I don't think you'll regret it. :) And it's understandable that going in blind into the first movie with no prior knowledge about what the movies are and what they're about is a LOT. I'm glad you're enjoying this a lot more now you're a bit more in the know.

[@stephenryan1912]

Also the scene were Arogorn talks with Theodon about fighting, technically Arogorn is older than him and fought with his father. King Theodon isn't just being an ass, he's disrespecting his elder and refusing wisdom. Arogorn is 87 years old.