The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Starring Gaia Wise, Brian Cox, Luke Pasqualino, Miranda Otto
Directed by Kenji Kamiyama

"The Lord of the Rings" are my favorite films of all time, and have withstood the test of time since their release ending in 2003. They're unparalleled in every aspect - story, action, performances, music, effects, settings, etc. - and New Line has profited greatly from having it in their wheelhouse. Fearing losing the franchise, they quickly green-lit "The War of the Rohirrim" with Japanese director Kenji Kamiyama providing a unique look through his brand of animation a story that takes place two hundred years before Bilbo discovers the ring, and centers on the great war that gave Helm's Deep its name. While other films greenlit this quickly fail to deliver, "The War of the Rohirrim" manages to capture the essence of "The Lord of the Rings" and still stand on its own merit - even if there's a few moments of fan service squeezed in.

Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox) is the king of Rohan who has an independent daughter named Hera (Gaia Wise) who is well trained in fighting, horseback riding, and nature. She is approached by Wulf (Luke Pasqualino), who's father leads the Dunlendings, into marriage, but she refuses, leading Helm and Wulf's father Freca (Shaun Dooley) to a fight, resulting in Freca's death. Wulf vows revenge and rides off into the distance. Years later, Wulf returns with an army of his own, and wages war against Helm Hammerhand, Hera, and the people of Rohan, forcing them to flee to Dunharrow where they stage their last stand against Wulf and his forces - with Hera leading the charge.

Animated films are interesting in that they can get away with things you can't do in live action, and "The War of the Rohirrim" utilizes this to its full advantage. The animation is beautiful - strikingly so - and is reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki's work. The lands are vast and breathtaking, and the action is palpable and intense - especially the opening siege on Rohan and the subsequent Dunharrow battle that bookend the film. While it takes a little bit to get used to, once you adjust to the type of animation, you'll forget you're watching something animated. It's amazing how visually stunning it is.

The story itself is really a simple one - a quest for revenge - but all tales are of such style. Wulf is obsessed with revenge, and will stop at nothing to see Helm and his entire family eradicated, and Rohan reduced to ruin. It's an interesting character study to see how a boy Hera once knew as a kind and caring soul could turn so ruthless. He plays a great villain, and Hera plays a great heroine, along the lines of Miyazaki's Nausicaa. She's headstrong and powerful, not willing to sit back and let the men do the fighting. She's fierce and determined, and Gaia Wise gives her a great vocal performance.

The film does falter a bit in its overt nods to "The Lord of the Rings," throwing in moments that don't really make sense in the grand scheme of the story its telling, but does so to give fans a reason to cheer. While sometimes I don't mind it, I didn't really like it here - but that's a small negative against an overall positive experience. The movie does a great job at showing what war would be like during that time - it doesn't end in a day, but lasts months, and you see how it takes a toll on everyone. In the end of such events, there really isn't a winner, only a victor.

The Score: A