The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The film, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), directed by Peter Jackson and written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair, and Jackson himself, is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s second volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, titled The Two Towers. In one of his dreams, Frodo Baggins envisions Gandalf battling a Balrog in Moria, before waking up to find himself and Samwise Gamgee lost in the Emyn Muil near Mordor. They soon realize they are being followed by Gollum, a former bearer of the One Ring. After capturing Gollum, Frodo takes pity on him and agrees to let him guide them, reminding Sam that they will need his assistance to infiltrate Mordor. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli set out to rescue their friends Merry and Pippin from a group of Uruk-hai. In the process, they enter Rohan and encounter an ambush set by a group of Rohirrim.

Éomer mourns the apparent deaths of Merry and Pippin before generously providing two horses to the group. While journeying through Fangorn, Aragorn’s crew meets up with Gandalf, who was reborn as Gandalf the White following his battle against the Balrog in order to aid in saving Middle-earth. Leading them to Rohan’s main city, Edoras, Gandalf releases Théoden from Saruman’s manipulation. Aragorn intervenes when Théoden attempts to execute Wormtongue, causing him to flee. Upon learning of Saruman’s plot to destroy Rohan with an Uruk-hai army, Théoden evacuates his people to the stronghold of Helm’s Deep at the Hornburg. Before setting off in search of Éomer and his followers, Gandalf bids farewell with hopes that they will come to their king’s aid. Meanwhile, Aragorn forms a bond with Théoden’s niece, Éowyn, who develops feelings for him.