The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – "An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"

GamesRadar+ VerdictWhat could have been an exciting experiment in telling a new tale in a beloved universe in a very different way feels heavily compromised. Kenji Kamiyama and his fellow anime veterans have produced great work before, but this uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien doesn’t allow anyone to show off what they can do best.Pros+There is appeal in a relatively smaller-scale prequel epic set in this universe+Who doesn’t want to see/hear Brian Cox tackle Tolkien?Cons-Algorithmic in its character and story writing-Uninspiring designs and light on wowing spectacle-Superfluous nods to much later events in the timeline GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict What could have been an exciting experiment in telling a new tale in a beloved universe in a very different way feels heavily compromised. Kenji Kamiyama and his fellow anime veterans have produced great work before, but this uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien doesn’t allow anyone to show off what they can do best. What could have been an exciting experiment in telling a new tale in a beloved universe in a very different way feels heavily compromised. Kenji Kamiyama and his fellow anime veterans have produced great work before, but this uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien doesn’t allow anyone to show off what they can do best. Pros+There is appeal in a relatively smaller-scale prequel epic set in this universe+Who doesn’t want to see/hear Brian Cox tackle Tolkien? There is appeal in a relatively smaller-scale prequel epic set in this universe Who doesn’t want to see/hear Brian Cox tackle Tolkien? Cons-Algorithmic in its character and story writing-Uninspiring designs and light on wowing spectacle-Superfluous nods to much later events in the timeline Algorithmic in its character and story writing Uninspiring designs and light on wowing spectacle Superfluous nods to much later events in the timeline Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Although The War of the Rohirrim contains a new musical score from Stephen Gallagher, the familiar notes of Howard Shore’s piece ‘One Ring to Rule Them All’ are among the first things we hear in the opening stage-setting of this new film, as the same title card font used for Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy returns to firmly place this movie in that specific universe – if you’re more keen on The Rings of Power series, you may still find things to enjoy in this very different prequel to J. R. R. Tolkien’s mainline novels. Also returning from the Jacksonverse is Mirando Otto as Éowyn, narrating proceedings as though the film’s story is something she’s telling to her children. Back in time (Image credit: Warner Bros.) FAST FACTSRelease date:13 December, 2024Available on:In theatersDirector:Kenji KamiyamaRuntime:2h 14m FAST FACTS Release date:13 December, 2024Available on:In theatersDirector:Kenji KamiyamaRuntime:2h 14m Release date:13 December, 2024Available on:In theatersDirector:Kenji KamiyamaRuntime:2h 14m Fantasy lite (Image credit: Warner Bros.) The War of the Rohirrim is an interesting case where a film’s potential strengths directly feed into its failings. On the one hand, it’s refreshing to get an ostensibly smaller-scale tale set in this universe, where the main antagonist is just a human rather than a magic-user or mythical creature. On the other hand, that this entry in a fantasy series is relatively light on fantastical elements – bar a few single-scene appearances of orcs and monsters, and one plot thread with a wraith – doesn’t help to disguise the lack of flavor to this lethargically-paced story. The assembled voice cast gives it their all, but none of these characters pop in a memorable way like even some of the supporting Rohirrim players from Jackson’s films – shout out to Gamling in The Two Towers and The Return of the King. A case where a film’s potential strengths directly feed into its failings. A case where a film’s potential strengths directly feed into its failings. When it comes to the animation itself, there’s a sense that design restrictions have been enforced, based on this film serving as a prequel to a set of hugely popular, undeniably iconic blockbusters. There is a recognizable anime flourish in the faces (though not too extreme), but perhaps so as not to alienate fans of Jackson’s live-action films who aren’t well-versed in anime, character models are otherwise designed to be as boilerplate as possible, with the humans often moving with a distractingly mechanical stiffness.The few creatures on display fare a little better, with one memorable set piece involving an elephant-like mûmak in the woods being a rare moment where the film comes alive. But the spectacle potential for Tolkien filtered through an anime lens feels wasted, especially when compared to how wild and inventive the contributors to Star Wars: Visions get to make things. Elsewhere, empty nods to later events – including Mordor orcs looking for rings – grate, while the dramatic way that the title ‘Helm’s Deep’ is delivered hammers that this tale really is little more than an origin story for the name of a location in a much better movie. And one particular voice cameo from a deceased actor jars. Thankfully, their limited dialogue was reportedly pulled from archival material rather than digital resurrection through the dark magic of generative AI (if you don’t mind spoilers, you can learn more here). But going to that well for ultimately superfluous ends only adds to this film’s imbalance between honoring the past and forging a distinctive identity of its own. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is out in UK cinemas and US theaters on December 13. For more, check out our guide tohow to watch the Lord of the Rings movies in order. CATEGORIESAnime Movies CATEGORIES More about the lord of the rings the war of the rohirrimJust two weeks after its theatrical release, Lord of the Ring: The War of Rohirrim is heading to digitalIf you squint, those Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim cameos work surprisingly well in Tolkien loreLatestI can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speedsSee more latest► More about the lord of the rings the war of the rohirrimJust two weeks after its theatrical release, Lord of the Ring: The War of Rohirrim is heading to digitalIf you squint, those Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim cameos work surprisingly well in Tolkien loreLatestI can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speedsSee more latest► More about the lord of the rings the war of the rohirrimJust two weeks after its theatrical release, Lord of the Ring: The War of Rohirrim is heading to digitalIf you squint, those Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim cameos work surprisingly well in Tolkien lore More about the lord of the rings the war of the rohirrim Just two weeks after its theatrical release, Lord of the Ring: The War of Rohirrim is heading to digitalIf you squint, those Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim cameos work surprisingly well in Tolkien lore Just two weeks after its theatrical release, Lord of the Ring: The War of Rohirrim is heading to digital Just two weeks after its theatrical release, Lord of the Ring: The War of Rohirrim is heading to digital If you squint, those Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim cameos work surprisingly well in Tolkien lore If you squint, those Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim cameos work surprisingly well in Tolkien lore LatestI can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speedsSee more latest► Latest I can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 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