Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Review: Too Predictable

For over two decades, The Lord of the Rings movies have been some of the most beloved literary adaptations of all time. Peter Jackson, the mastermind of the original trilogy and the Hobbit trilogy, returns as an executive producer on a gorgeously animated return to Middle-earth. Kenji Kamiyama, director of anime shows like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, and a short in Star Wars: Visions, picks up the mantle with The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Set 183 years before the original trilogy, this film follows the story of Helm Hammerhand, a legendary king of Rohan, and his family as they defend their kingdom against an army of Dunlendings.

This movie is an epic, masterful adventure that features fantastic — though occasionally predictable — work. The animation is a highlight. We have yet to see this world in anime form, and Kamiyama turns in beautiful work. His landscapes and colors are off the charts, and he manages to make this film feel just as large-scale and grandiose as the live-action films. The screenplay also does a superb job of setting up the character conflicts in the first half hour. We have Helm, the king of Rohan, and his daughter Héra, who helps defend their people.

Héra used to train with Wulf, who now desires vengeance against Helm after Helm killed his father. This creates a uniquely personal dynamic between the protagonist and the antagonist. Unlike many Lord of the Rings spin-offs, this antagonist is not supernatural or fantastical; he’s human, and even if you disagree with his actions, you understand what drives him forward. Furthermore, Wulf’s connection to Héra is a gold mine of drama and conflict. The only issue is that the film does not push their dynamic further than a flashback or two, leaving this gold mine largely untapped.

As is customary with the Lord of the Rings franchise, War of the Rohirrim features extravagant battle sequences. There is no shortage of large-scale action sequences. Although the choice to make this film animated may have caused some of the weight and power to diminish compared to live-action battles, Kamiyama does everything he can to mitigate this. There are shocking deaths and a decent amount of brutality. A lot of the action remains grounded and keeps you on the level of the heroes and villains, as each opposing force feels more and more menacing.

Although the film contains some incredible moments that solidify why this series has remained one of the most consistently awe-inspiring franchises running today, several choices hold it back. Once the film establishes its conflicts in the first act, the narrative rarely diverges from what you may expect from your typical action blockbuster. When we know who the hero, villain, mentor, good guys, and bad guys are, the story goes through the motions of everything that you have already seen done before in other films of this scale. From overarching ideas to smaller moments, you will generally know where each character will go and what they will do.

Furthermore, Wulf has a personal connection with Héra that primarily exists in their past. Most of Wulf’s anger and desire for vengeance are connected to Helm, not Héra. While Héra aims to protect her family, it can’t help but feel like the primary conflict is happening near her instead of to her. Perhaps this would not be the case if Héra had been less passive throughout the first two acts. Although she fights in the battles, her heroic moments do not always have the most substantial impact on the conflict between Wulf and Helm. She’s often getting kidnapped and rescued by others. Other characters drive the story forward for most of the film.

While Héra is a powerful character, she could have been more well-rounded to give her an extra emotional layer. She is often at the brunt of heartbreaking events, but it’s not always easy to connect with her. She does not have a personality that extends beyond the story. Her arc surrounds a character telling her to choose not to be afraid at the end of the second act. However, you never really sense that she was afraid at the beginning of the movie. A powerful character arc often allows you to compare a person at the film’s beginning and end and realize they have evolved into someone entirely different. This movie does not push Héra far enough because she doesn’t start low enough.

Overall, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a return to Middle-earth worth watching, particularly for fans of the series. We even have some familiar voices and faces, with one of them being Miranda Otto, who returns to narrate this movie as Éowyn. By all means, this movie is worthy of the big screen, and despite the issues with narrative and character, it offers a tremendous experience.