NEW YORK (OSV News) – Catholic moviegoers will naturally take an interest in any project related to the works of renowned Catholic novelist J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973). But the question always remains whether any new adventure set in his fictional land of Middle-earth will share in the elusive magic of the stories he himself spun.
In the case of the animated drama “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” (Warner Bros.), unfortunately, the comparison is less than favorable to the newcomer. While director Kenji Kamiyama’s fantasy is often lovely to behold and its moral values are mostly in order, his tale of derring-do stagnates because the characters who inhabit it are mostly one-dimensional.
Take our heroine, Princess Hera (voice of Gaia Wise), for example. A dauntless warrior whose courage and skills are initially underrated by her otherwise sage father, King Helm Hammerhand (voice of Brian Cox), she’s a symbol of female empowerment. Beyond that, however, we learn little about her.
The conflict of the title is initiated after Hera’s childhood friend, Wulf (voice of Luke Pasqualino), seeks her hand in marriage and is rebuffed. Amid the recriminations that follow, King Helm unintentionally takes the life of Wulf’s dad, Freca (voice of Shaun Dooley), instantly transforming the bereft son into his, and Hera’s, implacable enemy.
As Wulf relentlessly pursues his revenge, the script – penned by a quartet of screenwriters – highlights his principal adversaries’ chivalrous dedication to truth-telling, faith-keeping and the granting of mercy. Yet there’s also a vaguely discernible anti-marriage message attached to Hera’s insistence on remaining independent and untethered.
While the narrative of her struggle is clearly meant to seem epic and poetic, there’s a static feel to the proceedings with Hera and her allies never faltering in virtue and Wulf proving villainous at every turn. As a result, a sense of investment in the fate of those on screen is largely lacking.
Assessed for its appropriate audience, the movie is more successful. The strife is bloodless and the dialogue almost unblemished. So, although it’s too frightening for little kids, this addition to Tolkien’s lore – set 200 years before the action of his three main volumes – is acceptable for most others.
The film contains stylized combat and other violence, characters in peril, some grim images and a single mild oath. The OSV News classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.