The theater lights dimmed, and the massive screen lit up.
Hutchinson was well prepared. He hadn't touched the popcorn and soda he had bought—those were purely for the ritual of watching a movie.
Without them, something always felt missing.
But he rarely ate or drank during a film. He didn't want to waste a single moment; he just wanted to focus on the movie.
Howard Shore's score began to echo through the theater, from the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles to the Caster Theater in Santa Monica, all the way to the Saint Carlo Theater in New York.
Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle—countless cities' theaters at that moment were filled with the epic music of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
As the opening scene flashed onto the screen, a breathtaking snowy mountain range appeared—the filming location was none other than China's Kunlun Mountains.
At the same time, a voiceover from Galadriel played. Russell immediately recognized it. "That's Galadriel."
Hutchinson was curious. "How do you know?"
Russell, slightly embarrassed, admitted, "I really like Nicole Kidman's portrayal of the character. I recognized her voice instantly."
Despite Galadriel's limited screen time in the previous film, she had left an incredibly deep impression on the audience. To some extent, it had even changed the public's perception of Nicole Kidman.
Simply put, Nicole Kidman had become much more popular with moviegoers.
Gilbert's films always had a stunning opening, and this time was no exception. After Galadriel's narration ended, the audience was immediately thrown into Gandalf's battle with the Balrog.
Readers of the books knew what was coming, but Gilbert had to make sure those who hadn't read the books understood how Gandalf had returned.
Just from this opening sequence alone, Michael Bay felt deeply impressed. There was no doubt—Gilbert was a master at stirring emotions in his audience.
The moment he stepped into the theater, his usual restlessness had been replaced by anticipation, drawn in by the music and visuals.
And the opening did not disappoint.
After Gandalf's intense battle with the Balrog, the film swiftly transitioned to Frodo and Sam.
They had finally reached a point where they could see Mount Doom, but Frodo was increasingly affected by the One Ring.
The closer they got to Mount Doom, the stronger its influence became.
But Frodo was never alone. Sam remained by his side, faithfully keeping his promise to protect him.
At that moment, a familiar character from the previous film made his full appearance—Gollum.
Gollum tried to snatch the Ring but was overpowered by Frodo and Sam. Ultimately, Frodo, out of kindness, chose to spare him.
And Gollum, desperate to reclaim the Ring, pretended to become Frodo's servant.
Seeing the grotesque creature, tortured and twisted by the Ring's power, the audience let out gasps of shock.
Noel was curious. "How did they even film this?"
A knowledgeable viewer nearby explained, "I heard they used optical motion capture technology and had Andy Serkis perform the role."
"Oh, I see…" Noel, unfamiliar with the technical side of filmmaking, let the thought go and continued watching.
What followed was a series of unfolding events—Rohan's riders hunting down Uruk-hai, giving the audience a taste of the film's action-packed sequences.
Then the focus shifted to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli as they tracked the Uruk-hai.
Noel noticed that compared to the first film, this one had a noticeably faster pace.
Of course, Gilbert wasn't blindly speeding up the storytelling. He slowed things down where necessary and heightened the tension when needed, maintaining a well-balanced rhythm.
Following the clues left by the Riders of Rohan and their own discoveries, Aragorn's group ventured into Fangorn Forest.
By this point, the movie had established its three narrative threads:
Frodo and Sam's journey,
Aragorn's pursuit,
Merry and Pippin's adventure.
Merry and Pippin encountered the Ents in Fangorn Forest, and the design of the Ents left the audience completely awestruck.
Michael Bay was no exception.
Looking at the Ents and Gollum, he felt The Lord of the Rings was pushing the boundaries of modern visual effects.
It was said that Gilbert owned a VFX studio that had already won two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects—one of the few studios capable of competing with Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Digital.
Gilbert had significantly trimmed down Frodo and Sam's storyline in the theatrical cut, but he still kept key moments that showed how the Ring was corrupting Frodo and how complex Gollum's character was.
Meanwhile, Aragorn's group tracked their way into Fangorn Forest and stumbled upon someone entirely unexpected—Gandalf.
Gandalf revealed that the two Hobbits were safe and recounted his resurrection.
After his battle with the Balrog, he had been on the brink of death, his soul drifting through an endless void. But he still had unfinished business, and so he was sent back by the Valar.
Here, Gilbert briefly introduced the god-like beings of The Lord of the Rings universe but didn't delve too deeply—just enough to provide some background.
Gilbert wasn't a Lord of the Rings book fan—he was a movie fan.
For the theatrical version, he had streamlined some of the more complex lore.
At the same time, however, he didn't just cut content—he also added more spectacle.
Battle sequences were expanded, and action scenes were heightened.
Most notably, Legolas had even more scenes showcasing his archery skills—something that sent female audience members into a frenzy.
Not just the women, either.
Even the men were saying things like:
"Oh my God, I want to sleep with Legolas."
A nearby fan raised an eyebrow. "Uh… dude, you know he's a male elf, right?"
"So what? That's true love."
"Uh…" The nearby fan was speechless.
But the male audience members didn't have to worry, because Princess Arwen had screen time in the movie as well—and quite a few action scenes, too!
Gandalf and Aragorn's trio immediately decided to head for the royal court of Rohan, only to discover that King Théoden had been controlled by his trusted minister, who was actually a puppet of Saruman, the White Wizard of Isengard.
At that moment, Saruman was amassing an army, cutting down countless trees—even extending into Fangorn Forest.
His goal was to control Rohan, but Gandalf arrived in time, driving out the treacherous minister and helping Théoden regain himself.
With his plan foiled, Saruman decided to attack Rohan first. Tens of thousands of Uruk-hai marched toward the kingdom.
Upon receiving this news, Gandalf decided to seek reinforcements.
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, meanwhile, accompanied King Théoden and his people as they withdrew to Helm's Deep, preparing to defend against the Uruk-hai onslaught. The final battle was imminent.
On another front, Frodo and Sam continued following Gollum, encountering the Nazgûl's relentless pursuit. They narrowly escaped death several times before finally arriving at the foot of Mount Doom.
Although Gilbert had trimmed down this storyline, all the crucial scenes remained intact.
Far from upsetting Noel, a dedicated book fan, this actually made him appreciate Gilbert's pacing even more, as it kept the film tight and engaging.
The storyline involving Merry and Pippin underwent the most changes. Long, drawn-out dialogues were condensed into their essence.
At first, the Ents decided to remain neutral and protect themselves.
However, when they led Merry and Pippin to the edge of Fangorn Forest, only to witness the devastation Saruman's forces had wrought—entire swaths of trees felled—the Ents were enraged.
They lifted boulders, broke the dam, and launched an assault on Isengard. Saruman, caught off guard, was ultimately defeated by the wrath of the Ents.
This attack on Isengard was so intense that it left the audience in awe.
Even Michael Bay noticed multiple moviegoers standing up, clenching their fists as they watched.
When Isengard fell, spontaneous applause erupted in the theater, cheering for the victory of justice and light.
Michael Bay had to admit—when it came to evoking emotion, Gilbert was far more skilled than he was. His technique was masterful.
By contrast, Bay himself had often been criticized for forcing sentimentality into his films.
Watching The Two Towers, Michael Bay even began reconsidering his approach to Pearl Harbor.
However, with the latter's release imminent, there was no time for revisions.
The film's climax centered on the Battle of Helm's Deep.
Here, Gilbert made a notable change—having the leader of the Elven reinforcements be Arwen instead. With so much focus on Legolas, another "ornamental" character like Arwen deserved more screen time, too.
And Anne Hathaway, who played Arwen, couldn't have been happier about it.
The battle loomed large. King Théoden's monologue added a tragic weight to it.
How could a few hundred men hold off an army of ten thousand Uruk-hai?
This was a fight for survival, but also a battle of honor.
The elderly, women, and children retreated into the caves, while the men bid farewell to their families, picked up weapons, and stood atop the walls.
Teenage boys, though terrified, no longer trembled. They clutched their rusty swords, ready for battle.
At this moment, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, having fought side by side with Rohan, naturally stood with them in life or death.
Before the battle, Aragorn and Arwen shared a heartfelt conversation atop the walls—a confession of love, but also a possible farewell.
Hutchinson and Russell clenched their fists. Like everyone else in the theater, they wished they could step through the screen, join Rohan's army, and fight alongside them.
The battle began.
The Uruk-hai's grotesque faces were even more terrifying under the cold glow of the night.
A sea of darkness surged forward, filling the defenders with dread.
But with their king fighting beside them, the Rohirrim found their resolve.
They did not run. Nor did they have anywhere left to run.
During the battle, Legolas repeatedly took the spotlight—his main appeal to the audience was, after all, his looks.
However, this time, he wasn't the only one stealing the show—Arwen fought alongside him.
Like Legolas, she was an exceptional archer, but she was also a skilled swordswoman, using her agility to cut down Uruk-hai in close combat.
This was one of the film's biggest departures from the original material.
During production, the stunt coordinators had designed a graceful yet deadly fighting style for Anne Hathaway's Arwen.
In the theater, Michael Bay realized how brilliantly Gilbert had utilized these "decorative" characters.
Every time Legolas loosed an arrow, female audience members erupted in cheers.
And every time Arwen engaged in swordplay, the male viewers let out gasps of admiration.
Yet, despite their skill, the defenders were vastly outnumbered.
At last, Aragorn convinced Théoden to lead a final charge.
The camera lingered on their expressions—on the warriors, knowing they faced certain death yet unwavering; on the women and children in the caves, eyes full of fear and hope.
Everything had reached its most desperate moment.
Théoden and Aragorn raised their weapons high and roared the command:
"Charge!"
Across the two thousand preview screenings in the United States, not a single viewer remained seated.
Everyone had risen, fists clenched, chanting in unison:
"Charge! Charge! Charge!"
The deafening cry startled the theater staff, who rushed in to see what was happening.
What they witnessed left them dumbfounded.
Every single audience member was standing, eyes blazing with determination, utterly absorbed in the film.
This was an unprecedented sight, one that even the most seasoned theater workers had never encountered.
At the premiere, even the attending celebrities abandoned their composure.
Like the ordinary moviegoers behind them, they stood and shouted along.
Anne Hathaway joined in, small fists clenched, eyes glued to the screen as she watched her own Arwen charge forward.
She turned to Gilbert.
He was standing, too—but unlike the others, his expression was calm.
Of course, Gilbert wouldn't be caught up in the moment.
After all, this world was his creation. He was the architect of this film.
Just when all hope seemed lost, salvation arrived.
Gandalf finally appeared, leading the Riders of Rohan into battle.
Despair turned to hope.
The moment Gandalf emerged, every theater erupted into wild cheers, so thunderous that it seemed they might blow the roof off.
The audience was beyond thrilled, unable to contain their emotions.
Such was the power of a great film.
Everyone attending the early screenings was a devoted fan, fully immersed in the story.
The press captured this incredible phenomenon in its entirety.
The Battle of Helm's Deep concluded—
But the story of The Lord of the Rings was far from over…
.....
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