A Reel Review - THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM

All of this Earth knows the tale of the War of the Ring, as told by J.R.R. Tolkien in his epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings, and adapted for the big screen by Peter Jackson in his equally-epic trilogy of films in 2001 through 2003. Set within that war is the pivotal skirmish known as the Battle of Helm’s Deep, set around the ancient stronghold of the same name within the kingdom of Edoras; home of the horselords. Helm’s Deep has a long history in Middle-Earth, and here in 2024 it is brought to the big screen for the first time in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM. 

 

Set nearly 200 years before the War of the Ring, King Helm the Hammerhand (Brian Cox), flees with his people and heirs to the stronghold of Helm’s Deep, while being pursued by the vengeful Wulf (Luke Pasqualino), and his army of wildmen. When Helm falls ill during the long siege through a brutal winter, the responsibility of protecting his kingdom falls to his only daughter, Hera (Gaia Wise). 

 

Directed by Kenji Kamlyama, THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM is an epic story, told in stunning anime style, set firmly within the Middle-Earth that was created for the screen by Peter Jackson (Jackson serves as a producer here). While some story beats that we see in Jackson’s second film, THE TWO TOWERS, are done again here, ROHIRRIM does enough with it to make it new. The key here is character; Helm’s actions and ego alone lead to Wulf’s thirst for revenge, and Hera’s childhood history with Wulf adds to the drama. For a film set in a fantasy world, it is surprisingly character-driven. 

 

Battles, chases, and duels are presented in breathtaking animation. Every shot is a painting and sometimes it’s hard to know exactly where to look. The film is consistent in look and design to Jackson’s films; the buildings and settings are recreated down to the smallest detail, and the re-use of certain cues from Howard Shore’s iconic score brings it all together. Call it nostalgia maybe, but it does feel like going home again. 

 

The entire cast is excellent. Brian Cox brings the thunder and eventual grief to Helm. Gaia Wise is fantastic as Hera, and gives us a new Middle-Earth hero to remember. Luke Pasqualino is great as Wulf. Miranda Otto reprises her role as Eowyn, who serves as the narrator. 

 

THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM is a packed film, and the 134-minute running time is felt…but that’s what epic films are supposed to do. It serves as a prequel and a sequel, and is a solid entry into the library of Middle-Earth on the big screen. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it