The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg.

My Take – Indeed, filmmaker Peter Jackson‘s multiple awards winning The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003) is so ironically embedded in our mind, and of course pop culture, that any expansion the franchise takes, it is immediately receives flak and is deemed unworthy for not reaching up to the standards set by those still very re-watchable films, irrespective of their actual quality.

Something which Peter Jackson‘s epic The Hobbit trilogy faced upon release, Prime Video‘s Rings of Power series is currently facing, and something which veteran anime director Kenji Kamiyama‘s take started facing since last week. Some of which it deserves, some it does not.

Drawing from Appendix A of author Tolkien’s Return of the King novel about Helm Hammerhand, the prequel story is surprisingly short on fiery floating eyeballs, wizards harnessing the power of the sun and ghost armies rising from caves, all the kind of stuff you’d expect an anime feature to go all out with. Instead, director Kamiyama renders mortal armies, giant elephants, eagles and cruel weather in warm colors, resulting in an epic and action-packed cinematic anime experience.

However, in an attempt to be its own thing, it is also hard not to ignore how the narrative is bottled in a rather underwhelming tale. Though the film showcases some striking animation and occasionally throws in some references to the original trilogy, it is also held back by its generic characters and inadequate pacing, something that also makes it the most middling entry into the famous IP.

Simply told, the feature ends up being a fascinating experience with a generic script, more interesting as a concept than an actual retelling of one of Middle-Earth’s famous legends.

Narrated by Éowyn (voiced by Miranda Otto), the story is set 183 years before the events of the War of the Ring and follows Héra (voiced by Gaia Wise), a fierce daughter of Rohan, someone who will not be remembered in great tales or songs. All her life, Helm Hammerhand (voiced by Brian Cox), her father and Rohan’s mighty, aging King, has afforded her a level of independence bordering on scandal. That is until she finds her desire of freedom pile up against royal duty.

At a gathering of Rohan’s banner men in Helm’s halls, Freca (voiced by Shaun Dooley), an ambitious lord of the wild Dunlendings, confronts the King with a rumor that he intends to marry Héra off to one of the sons of Gondor, solidifying a tenuous alliance with the great kingdom to the south. Which, of course, comes as a surprise to Héra. As does Freca’s offer that she instead marry Wulf (voiced by Luke Pasqualino), his son, and her childhood friend.

Privately, she tries to let him down easy as she has no intention of marrying whatsoever. But Freca is more transparently trying for the throne, and Helm suggests they take it outside. And the Dunlending’s overconfidence proves fatal. After landing a series of undefended blows and hurling insults, he ends up getting accidentally killed by the enraged King, with a single punch.

Though, Wulf immediately tries to avenge his fallen father, he finds himself banished from Rohan, and years pass with no trace of where he ended up. But in that time, he’s built an army of wild men and mercenaries to take his revenge. And he’s coming not only for the throne, but for Helm, his sons Hama (voiced by Yazdan Qafouri) and Haleth (voiced by Benjamin Wainwright), and, of course, the woman who scorned him.

Director Kenji Kamiyama is an anime legend who’s worked in the worlds of Star Wars, Blade Runner, and Ghost in the Shell, but his decision to canon with three of the greatest pieces of cinematic history proves to a double-edged sword. From Eowyn’s opening narration, accompanied by musical cues from Howard Shore’s soundtrack, fans will immediately be swept up into the world of Middle-Earth.

But the key problem of the film is how it sticks to traditional arcs and the blandness of the characters. Outside of Héra and Wulf, none of the characters have any arcs, making the House of Hammerhand clan one of the dullest we’ve seen within the Tolkien cinematic realm. All except for Helm Hammerhand.

The film successfully portrays the most powerful King in Rohan, largely due to his assertive, masculine demeanor, sophisticated design, and Brian Cox‘s commanding vocal performance. Helm’s punches are so powerful that he kills men with a single blow. And while he is a headstrong and stubborn ruler and warrior, we are also treated to a genuine moment between Helm and Hera that solidifies him as one of the best fathers of Middle Earth. While his mistakes are seen earlier in the film, Helm is portrayed as both an imperfect man and a good human.

However, the script by Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou plays like a mix of many drafts that maybe too anxious to hurt loyal fans and end up not adding any new flair that might complements the medium. For some reason, they also introduce modern issues like feminism, into Tolkien‘s world in a way that feels both foreign and forced, ultimately undermining both the vision and the cause it seeks to support.

Nevertheless, the film is visual excellent. Middle Earth gets a great stylistic coat of paint from the art directors and production designers, retaining the epic scope while making its style stand out. The backgrounds are lush and meticulously crafted, exemplifying the mood of each scene, and the Tolkien creature designs rendered in this anime-style are captivating.

The voice performances are all sturdy enough to hang the film on, though only Brian Cox leaves a lasting impression. He gives Helm Hammerhand the kind of richness and power that sells him as a figure who will be remembered in various songs and stories. On the whole, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim‘ is a fascinating anime epic that could have worked better with a worthy script.