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‘The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim’ is a pleasant surprise for audiences. Not only does it stand out for its impressive Japanese anime-style animation, with stunning details such as the recreation of fire and the view of Edoras from a distance, which almost looks like a photograph rather than an animation.
This film offers a two-hour adventure spectacle that effectively connects to Peter Jackson's trilogy.
Viewers can sense this connection through the ‘Lord of the Rings’ music, the respect for the depiction of Helm's Deep and Edoras as they appeared in the films, as well as the inclusion of characters from the trilogy in various forms, although no further details will be revealed.
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One of the highlights of the film is Héra, an exceptional heroine who is presented as a worthy predecessor to Éowyn, the warrior of Rohan.
Héra is accompanied by well-developed characters, such as the formidable Olwyn, Helm, her brothers Haleth and Hama, her cousin Fréaláf, and the villainous Wulf, who, though cruel and cowardly, has understandable motivations.
However, there is a noticeable difference between the two hours of footage. The first part is truly sensational, while the second, by moving the action to the fortress and adopting a more fantastical approach, becomes considerably duller and more surreal, in the worst sense of the word.
Fortunately, the final climax and epilogue are again excellent, although they fail to elevate the film to the remarkable level it would have deserved were it not for that half-hour-plus drop-off.
All in all, this is a very well made film that delves into the fascinating history and culture of Rohan, revitalising a universe that, thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien, is eternally linked to the audiovisual world.
The best: The animation, the characters and the connections with the original trilogy.
Worst: The second half is much less interesting.