Title: The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Cast: Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino, Mirando Otto, Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, and others
Where: In theatres near you
Rating: 3.5 Stars
When stepping into Tolkien’s mythological rabbit hole, one might wonder if anything is left unmined from the appendices, footnotes, and stray scribbles.
This film is a prequel that dances somewhere between a visual masterpiece and a narrative placeholder. Directed by anime stalwart Kenji Kamiyama, the film reaches back 183 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings to unveil the legend of Helm Hammerhand, the namesake of Helm’s Deep, with all the roaring drama, intricate battles, and obligatory existential speeches the franchise demands.
At the story’s core is Héra (Gaia Wise), daughter of Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), whose fiery temperament and impulsive actions reflect his formidable name, sparking the conflict that drives Héra’s transformation into a resilient leader amidst chaos.
When Wulf (Luke Pasqualino), a jilted suitor with more grievances than personality, takes a blood oath to decimate Rohan, the kingdom is teetering on the brink of annihilation. Héra rises as a reluctant yet formidable leader, embodying the anime heroine archetype—resilient, wide-eyed, and stubbornly noble.
Visually, the film is a triumph. The animation blends painterly 2D landscapes with the visceral dynamism of 3D motion capture, creating sequences that evoke both- Tolkien’s grandeur and the surreal brutality of anime. Whether it’s a massive fortress under siege or a tentacled monstrosity chomping on an elephant (yes, that happens), Kamiyama ensures every frame feels meticulously crafted. Fans of Peter Jackson’s trilogy will relish the connective tissue—from Howard Shore’s familiar musical themes to cameos that tether this epic securely to Middle-earth lore.
The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim Review: An Animated Saga Worthy Of Tolkien’s Lore |
Yet for all its visual splendour, the film occasionally stumbles under the weight of its melodramatic dialogue and predictable character arcs. Wulf, in particular, suffers from moustache-twirling villainy, spouting lines like, “The boy you knew is gone, Hera. I am the man your father made me,” with a straight face. The narrative feels less like a fully fleshed saga and more like a series of climactic moments strung together to justify the film’s existence. That it clocks in at 134 minutes doesn’t help; even the most ardent Tolkien devotees might feel the runtime stretching beyond its welcome.
The decision to focus entirely on human characters (with one wizardly exception) lends the story a grounded intensity. Still, it also robs it of the fantastical variety that made Middle-earth so enchanting. Still, the film manages to rise above these shortcomings, thanks in no small part to its exhilarating battles, which are as grandiose and grim as one would expect from a tale of vengeance and survival.
In the pantheon of Tolkien adaptations, this film sits comfortably as a visually arresting chapter that respects its source material without reinventing it. This is a worthy addition to the legendarium. If nothing else, Helm’s hammer lands with a satisfying thud—proving, once again, that the echoes of Middle-earth are far from fading.
