Set 200 years before Bilbo Baggins found Gollum’s “precious”,The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimmostly thrills as an anime chapter that will delightthe Tolkien faithful, but suffers from the same narrative flaws that bedevil the modern film adaptations. The epic story of a heroic princess' fight to save the Kingdom of Rohan runs much longer than it should have. You feel the 134-minute runtime as it ebbs and flows like a cinematic roller coaster with many slow bits. Thankfully, the superb animation, a rousing score, and fantastic character development overcome the franchise’s usual pacing issues.
Éowyn (Miranda Otto) narrates the tale of a forgotten heroine who was never honored with “songs” of her greatness. This would be the wild and adventurous Hera (Gaia Wise). Her father, King Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), ignores his three children as they sit beside his throne for unexpected visitors. Helm glares as his old adversary, the rotund Lord Freca (Shaun Dooley), approaches with his son, Wulf (Luca Pasqualino). Freca wonders aloud if there’s any truth to the rumor that Helm has promised Hera’s hand in marriage to a Prince of Gondor instead of to Wulf. That would be a betrayal to the Kingdom of Rohan and disrupt a peace that has held for centuries.
An Anime Legend Interprets ‘Lord of the Rings’
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Set before the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated action-adventure fantasy film that follows a King of Rohan named Helm Hammerhand. When his home comes under siege by Dunlendings, Hammerhand prepares himself and his allies to fight back against them, with the war leading to the eventual establishment of Helm’s Deep.
The War of the Rohirrimis very much a parable of female empowerment against a patriarchal system that foolishly escalates divisions towards certain conflict.Haters who go ballistic every time girl power themes grace the LOTR screen will again have their ire aroused for no reason except blatant misogyny. Hera, of course, is stupefied to hear she’s being potentially traded like a farm animal. Her objections are heard, but the outcome of Helm and Freca’s my-kilt-is-bigger-than-yours showdown is far worse than anyone dreamed. The Rohirrim, Middle-Earth’s vaunted horse warriors, become fractured as a fight for the throne of Rohan begins in bloody earnest.
The Lord of the Rings: How Different Are the Extended Editions?
The extended editions of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings have a reputation for being better than the theatrical. How different are they, really?
Japanese anime legend Kenji Kamiyama (Ultraman,Ghost in the Shell,Star Wars: Visions) delivers artistic excellence once again. It is a welcome respite from the usual all-CGI onslaught of mainstream Hollywood.Kamiyama and his production team skillfully blend the hand-drawn characters with immersive CGI backgrounds. This is especially cool when Hera and her kin face rampaging creatures galore throughout Rohan. The close-ups fit classic anime styles, while everything around the immediate action is more detailed and computerized. The film looks fantastic in every regard. Anime fans will be overjoyed by this Middle-Earth endeavor.
An Overly Long Film Is Good for Beginners & Tolkien-Heads Alike
You don’t have to be a LOTR expert to understand the plot and characters ofThe War of the Rohirrim. Kamiyama and producer Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson’s co-writer for both LOTR trilogies and story developer for this film,accomplish the difficult task of diving deep in established lore without alienating nerds or neophytes. Those who know every drop of Tolkien are comfortably on the same footing as casual viewers. They’ll recognize important details that fit into the overall LOTR timeline, but aren’t necessary for the uninitiated. The film does well as a standalone entry with general appeal.
The Two Strangest ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movies Are Now Streaming
The long-forgotten, and largely bonkers, animated Lord of the Rings movies have finally arrived on streaming.
It boggles the mind why every LOTR film and the Prime Video series has scene after scene of characters meandering around for no reason whatsoever.The War of the Rohirrimfalls into the same plodding morass. Why can’t characters get from point A to B succinctly? Why linger seemingly forever in an established setting when they don’t need to? An incredible second act battle is almost deflated by the protagonists milling about afterward in useless filler.The War of the Rohirrimshould be at least 20 minutes shorter. A leaner edit would have made the film pure heart and adrenaline. It’s a significant detractor that can easily be rectified. The studio suits have to learn this lesson.
Hera’s Character Arc Makes ‘The War of the Rohirrim’ a Winner
The War of the Rohirrimexcels with character exposition. Hera, much like Éowyn, is discounted as a fighter. Helm and her brothers view Hera as someone that needs protection rather than a capable ally. Their obstinacy and refusal to listen to her wise counsel has tragic consequences. But Hera must also find her inner strength and trust her instincts to lead Rohan’s besieged through their darkest hour. Hera’s journey from radically underestimated princess to an ass-kicking shieldmaiden is absolutely worth the price of admission.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimis a production of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Animation, Sola Entertainment, and WingNut Films. It will be released theatrically on December 13th from Warner Bros.
