It triggers massive dopamine blasts of remembered splendors from ages past.
But it also makes a promise that the rest of the movie cannot keep.
The reality, however, is more complicated.
On the page, the daughter of old King Helm was never given a name by an unconcerned Tolkien.
Yet on the screen, this Rohirrim woman who a war is fought over becomes the central hero.
If this movie is intended to correct that patriarchal oversight, the ballad remains frustratingly off-key.
Helm is not fooled.
Freca clearly wants the throne for his son despite Helm having many boys already lined up for succession.
In fact, the only person whose wants and desires are being wholly ignored in this whole detenteisHera.
As the Princess of Rohan tells Wulf, she does not wish to marry any man.
But the lad and his father persist until things get violent.
War thus becomes inevitable, and a long siege too.
And like Amazons ponderousThe Rings of Power,Rohirrimfeels somewhat defensive in justifying its existence.
Yet unlike the Amazon Prime series, there are genuine qualities that make WBs animated movie worthwhile.
The aforementioned art direction is beatific and intermittently spellbinding.
Martins riff on high fantasy.
Take for example Heras family life.
In a certain sense, this is tonal distancing from Tolkien is liberating.
Much of the original authors felicity of language or romantic notions of chivalry and medieval pageantry is absent.
This wavering quality could fall on the script, which has nearly half a dozen writers credited.
The dialogue is flat, and the reliance on rote declarations of emotions thick.
Hera cries in one scene, and winter is coming… on an underling warns in another).
ButThe War of the Rohirrims ballad for her sounds unfinished and too derivative of better tunes weve already heard.
Rating:
3 out of 5
