The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will be released throughout the UK and Ireland on December 13th 2024 by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Synopsis
Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg—a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.
Review
Let’s just start by saying that it is so incredibly good to be back in Middle Earth once again, especially a version of Middle Earth that is so instantly recognisable. Despite being in animated form, this movie recreates some of the franchises most iconic locations and the feeling that wells up inside of you is immense. Isengard, Edoras, even some of the most minute architecture has been replicated for this anime feature and it tugs on that nostalgic string us fans have for Peter Jackson’s creation. Of course, it doesn’t elicit that same sort of feeling the original movies pulled off, but War of the Rohirrim finds a really nice inbetween where it can juggle both the familiar aspects as well as the fresh ones.
From a visual perspective, this movie is beautiful. The locations and scenery are sublime with details infused into very frame. The film struggles a little bit with some character animation where it doesn’t feel as smooth and graceful, it comes across quite stiff. However, that is very minimal. For a vast majority of the film, the characters feel and look terrific, and you can certainly tell which scenes required the most attention. When you first meet Helm Hammerhand he enters with such a strong presence that is only strengthened by the animation. It conveys his strength and authority instantly. They also use the animation to create some really interesting sequences that you arguably don’t find in a lot of anime. When Hera goes up against an incredibly tough enemy, one that fans will be happy to see again, there are some great bits of animation that elevates the scene and separates it completely; it also acts as a fantastic introduction for Hera who, much like Éowyn, is looked down upon for wanting to fight and protect.
While a lot of the visuals harken back to what we already know, it’s the characters that invigorates this return to Middle Earth. Narrated by the wonderful Miranda Otto, we are introduced to an armada of new characters, some straight from Tolkien’s mythology and others created specfically for this film. Among them, Gaia Wise’s Hera, Brian Cox’s Helm, and Luke Pasqualino’s villainous Wulf shine the brightest out of the huge cast. The characters are well developed, interesting, and are brought to life superbly by the talent behind the scenes. Hera is a versatile heroine who really goes through a lot, and Gaia’s performance truly captures her innocence, heartache and bravery. Hera is a fantastic addition to the Lord of the Rings mythos, and while she may not have that recognisable status that Eowyn and Arwen have, she is probably the most well-rounded female character in the franchise. In stark contrast to Hera, Wulf actually does remind you of a wolf in a weird way. There’s this feral demeanour that clouds Wulf’s character and Luke leans into that hot-headed and hasty aura. He may be one of the franchise’s most brutal villains and the anime medium allows that to be displayed in full.
There are so many cool elements in this film and seeing them unravel on the big screen felt rather special. You’ve got the memorable music which transports you to Edoras, the animation, the world-building, and the brand new characters. There really is a lot to love. Not that this is a criticism, but it felt experimental in a way, and while it may not be for everyone, we certainly loved this ambitious attempt to further explore Middle Earth and present it in a brand new way. We never imagined an anime and Lord of the Rings crossover before, so the fact that it can exist and it does work opens up some really exciting doors.
Verdict
The War of the Rohirrim is a fantastical and visually vibrant anime that delivers in so many ways. Of course, it doesn’t capture that same spark that the original films have, but there’s something incredibly refreshing about this return to Middle Earth. Sure, some of the animation doesn’t quite hit the mark, but overall this is a beautiful looking adventure ripe with great performances, thrilling action sequences, and plenty of details and references that’ll leave fans wanting more. This could very well open the door for more animated stories set within the Tolkien’s creation, and we are so here for it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Directed by Kenji Kamiyama and produced by The Lord of the Rings veteran Philippa Boyens, The War of the Rohirrim stars Brian Cox (Helm Hammerhand), Gaia Wuse (Héra), and Luke Pasqualino (Wulf). The voice cast also includes Miranda Otto (Éowyn), Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazfan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna and Janine Duvitski.
Will you be joining the riders of Rohan when The war of the Rohirrim storms onto the big screen? Make sure you let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out more from Middle Earth right here.
