By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Lord of the Rings fans often seem hungrier than The Hobbit for new content, but they don't always know what to do with it once they get it. For example, The War of the Rohirrim it was moving in and out of more theaters faster than Swiftwind, and the film was a box office bomb big enough to breach Helm's Deep. Admittedly, I was one of those Lord of the Rings fans who didn't see it in the theater, but not that I saw it on digital, I'm here to tell you. The War of the Rohirrim is the best new franchise film in decades.
The War of the Rohirrim
Set about 183 years in the past Engagement Ring, The War of the Rohirrim focuses on a game involving Helm Hammerhand and his family. A fierce rivalry with the ambitious Lord of Dunland forces the Lord of Rohan to take refuge in Hornburg. His daughter, Héra, helps the Rohirrim fight against impossible odds, and when it's all over, she'll have a new respect for why Hornburg is later called Helm's Deep.
I didn't watch this movie at first because I made plans to see it with some friends after Christmas, and that's when I got the shocking discovery that it was out of theaters in my area and went digital only two weeks later. At the time, the film earned only $15 million against its $30 million budget. To me, the message was clear: for whatever reason, Lord of the Rings fans were very determined to get out. War of the Rohirrim.
Anyway, plans are plans, and I rented the movie as soon as possible to watch with my friends after Christmas. My expectations were greatly tempered by the fact that the film was a box office bomb, and that meant I was blown away to find out how good it really was. The movie was better on every level than those unnecessary Hobbit movies, and when you consider that The return of the Lord it came out in 2003, that did War of the Rohirrim best LOTR movie in decades.
Lord of the Rings Fans Rejoice
Fans of Lord of the Rings may find themselves equally surprised by the film's beauty and quality: the Japanese animation is truly amazing, and director Kenji Kamiyama (who has worked on extraordinary films such as Akira before directing fan-favorite productions such as Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex TV series) infuses the film with a combination of jaw-dropping visuals and heart-pounding battle sequences. In addition, voice work in the The War of the Rohirrim it is at a high level. Everyone did a fantastic job, but I was particularly impressed by Brian Cox as he brought Helm Hammerhand's iconic character to life.
The film also features many familiar locations that Lord of the Rings fans will enjoy, from Rohan to Isengard to Helm's Deep. Some of this was admittedly fan service for my liking, but it was hard to complain given the high quality of the art and animation. At the risk of sounding like a marketing ploy, this was truly Middle Earth as I had never seen it before, and the animation's freshness and beauty helped me take War of the Rohirrimfan service that stands out in the slowest way.
Even though the production is like apples and oranges, I'd be remiss if I didn't compare this new movie to it. Rings of Power. That live-action Amazon show has grown since its first season, and admittedly has an impressive production value all around. But for this Lord of the Rings fan, the show is rarely exciting or compelling, which is why I liked the way War of the Rohirrim kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
It's not too late to catch this movie in select theaters, and you can rent a digital copy and check it out at home. Your mileage may vary, but I found it to be the best Lord of the Rings film in decades…the kind of high-quality film that fans often wonder if we'll ever get again. In short, to anyone who often likes to quote Theoden and ask “where is the horse and the rider,” War of the Rohirrim good bloody answer you were looking for.
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