The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Right now you can watch The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in Australia on Netflix and Stan, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 24,139 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Elijah Wood's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers earns its spot. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers through its more ambitious moments. Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor. Frodo and Sam are trekking to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power while Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn search for the orc-captured Merry and Pippin. The human element stays intact thanks to Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen, who anchor every scene. It hit screens in 2002. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers a chance. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Elijah Wood's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.