The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) – Movie Review

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, 2024.

Directed by Kenji Kamiyama.
Featuring the voice talents of Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino, Miranda Otto, Christopher Lee, Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Jude Akuwudike, Michael Wildman, Bilal Hasna, and Janine Duvitski.

SYNOPSIS:

A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg.

Despite the enticing novelty of strikingly colorful hand-drawn animation coming across as a blend between Western high fantasy and Japanese anime, director Kenji Kamiyama’s (working from a bloated yet lacking screenplay from the crowded team of Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiou, with some of the characters here created by none other than J.R.R. Tolkien) The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is disappointingly clichéd, dull, and bland.

The narrative doesn’t necessarily feel specific to The Lord of the Rings (even if there are some tie-ins, such as orcs looting rings or late, brief appearances from significant characters of the franchise), but more so a tale of war and feminism empowerment that could have been from a separate universe if not for a couple of familiar characters and locales present here. It’s one of those situations where, if one changes around a small number of names, locations, and lore, what’s left is blueprint generic fantasy.

The screenplay is so concerned with action and the ensuing war (which isn’t necessarily inherently a bad thing) that the depth it gives to lead heroine Hera (voiced by Gaia Wise), daughter of Rohan king Helm Hammerhand (a name fans will instantly register, lent the distinct voice of Brian Cox), is that she is wild and rebellious while having an almost-telepathic connection to animals, whether it be her trusty horse or birds she helps in her free time. Once that five minutes of introductory exposition is out of the way, the political intrigue and backstabbing begin, with Helm betrayed by the Dunderlings.

After disagreements about alliances and how to handle an impending “long winter,” giving the feeling that the filmmakers are also going for a Game of Thrones feel, their leader challenges Helm to one-on-one combat, where he dies from one punch. This leaves his son, Wulf (voiced by Luke Pasqualino), a childhood friend of Hera, so enraged that the only thing on his mind is conquest and murder, to such a degree that the childhood friendship is never explored again. Meanwhile, Hera, who doesn’t consider herself a leader, wants to actively participate in defending her land but is quickly shut down by her father, who insists that she is to be protected whether she wants to be or not (which is uncomfortable and socially relevant rhetorical.)

As Wulf continues to start skirmishes and pick off Hera’s siblings (her cousin is also sent away for behaving in a manner Helm disapproves of), the conflict between daughter and father grows until the predictably inevitable occurs. He realizes the error of his ways and encourages her to be the warrior she has always meant to be, even if she is still uncertain about leaving the entire army and Shield Maidens (women who once protected this land when there were no more men soldiers left to do so.) The conversations between Hera and the latter are some of the most interesting segments, preparing the former to step into a larger role.

This is boilerplate material that the filmmakers hope to distract from with near-nonstop action. The problem is that most of those battle sequences are weightless since the characters are still thinly written (which is majorly frustrating, considering we know how compelling and emotionally absorbing stories within this franchise can be.) Even the animation, which is nice to look at, occasionally feels off and sluggish in motion. Unsurprisingly, the story doesn’t become engaging until Hera’s born leadership qualities, bravery, and physicality are put front and center, but that’s also after 90+ minutes of routine fantasy storytelling. The music (courtesy of Stephen Gallagher) is also flat, save for whenever the film pulls out a legacy piece from Howard Shore (and some beautiful ending credits songs.)

Apparently, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim was fast-tracked into production so New Line could hold onto cinematic rights for novel adaptations. The result fits with that information, as much of what’s here feels hastily written and constructed without giving that narrative a second. It ends with a similar narration, mentioning that Hera is still wild and free as she starts on a solo adventure. One presumes a movie exclusively about her, separated from so much other political baggage and family drama, would have provided more refreshingly tantalizing opportunities, yielding something richer and more exhilarating.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com

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