'Rings sequel is the best of 2002

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. This second return to Tolkein's Middle Earth is, in a word, brilliant.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Miranda Otto

Cert: 12PG.

This second return to Tolkien's Middle Earth is, in a word, brilliant.

Now that the chief characters have been established from the first film director Jackson can get down to the nitty-gritty of a breathtakingly spectacular screen epic of mammoth and totally satisfying proportions.

The film is good to look at and even better to thrill to as action piles upon action as Frodo and Sam and the gang attempt to get the Ring to safety while at the same time saving the Kingdom of Rohan from the evil ones.

The Lord of the Rings books had, until now, always been considered impossible to get onto film.

But Jackson has worked wonders with an approach to the much-loved books by retaining their authenticity and by layering the sumptious screen adaptation with the sheer brilliance of modern technology (while at the same time never allowing it to swamp the characters).

The battle scenes, vast and all-embracing, are quite outstanding, the playing of the large cast is consistently impressive, the music is just so right ... there is nothing about The Two Towers to criticise.

It is, in a year of memorable films, quite simply the best of the 2002 offerings ... and just think, this time next year we'll be overpowered once again with Rings 3!

Star Rating 5/5.