‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’: Tolkien’s World as a Sweeping Anime Adventure 

Alci Rengifo

Some art forms and genres are made for each other. “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” is a stirring, gloriously entertaining new take on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy world interpreted through anime. Never does it pretend to be a kid’s movie or an American-style animated feature film. It takes the best of the “Lord of the Rings” franchise and fuses it with what makes the anime genre exciting. Plainly put, it feels like a real epic and not a watered down factory product. One could argue the target audience is really adults, though bright younger viewers will also appreciate this film. 

If you don’t know much about the previous LOTR movies or Tolkien’s novels, this works as a fine enough introduction. “The War of the Rohirrim” takes place around 200 years before the odyssey involving Hobbits, quests and that one special ring. This time the main character is a warrior princess and shield maiden named Héra (Gaia Wise), daughter of Helm (Brian Cox), king of Rohan. It’s a place where the people are famous for being great horse tamers and riders. When Freka (Shaun Dolley), leader of the Dundelings, arrives to propose the hand of his son, Wulf (Luca Pasqualino) for Héra and unite the houses. When the shield maiden refuses, tensions naturally rise and Helm accidentally kills Freka. An enraged Wulf heads for the hills and soon enough returns with his men to burn down everything and take over.

As simple as that starting off point sounds, “The War of the Rohirrim” functions in classical layers. Director Kenji Kamiyama has worked on various anime titles, some based on past franchises like “Ghost in the Shell” and “Blade Runner.” The source material here is Tolkien’s appendices to “The Lord of the Rings,” which include unfinished stories and sagas. Héra is a nameless character barely mentioned in these writings, but the film transforms her into a worthy hero. Telling her story through anime is both dynamic and refreshing. This is the first feature set in Middle-earth since Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” films from over a decade ago. Instead of feeling like another tired reboot, it works as a separate expansion. Fans can expect plenty of Easter eggs linking “The War of the Rohirrim” to the Tolkien universe and Jackson’s original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, though these never become overbearing.

Purely as an animated experience, “The War of the Rohirrim” is another example of why the medium can do things live action simply pales at. The overwhelming landscapes, sets and environment are breathlessly imagined. Kamiyama and team give everything a mythical intensity, like a fairy tale on overdrive. There’s room for visual elegance, as when Héra alone tells Wulf why they can’t be together and their two hands barely touching are framed like medieval artwork. This film should be seen on the biggest screen possible simply for its meticulous construction. When Héra rides a horse through a valley, the cinematic rush is fantastic. The runtime is quite long for an animated film at 134 minutes, but anime never plays by the usual rules of what is deemed appropriate for this genre. 

After a fierce battle, Héra guides her people to a mountain fortress where they await the final confrontation with Wulf. Folk songs, side stories about Héra and Wulf’s childhood and other details keep enriching the story. The tropes are all familiar from broken hearts seeking revenge to coveted crowns. Yet, that is the nature of this kind of storytelling. “The War of the Rohirrim” delivers what it promises to “Lord of the Rings” fans and lovers of fantasy fiction. You can imagine all the nerding out that will take place after the end credits among the diehard viewers. The rest of us can just enjoy this as a rip-roaring saga with a nice, female-centric touch in making Héra a real fighter and not some damsel in distress. 

The climactic battle where everything comes to a head is about as grand as a Hollywood epic. It also never borders on the chortling absurdities of what we saw in “Gladiator II.” The violence gets raw, the clang of steel feels real and it finishes on a great, mythical note where a king’s final stand ends with his body captured in ice, frozen in the midst of battle. If you are not into that kind of thing, then seek another movie at the multiplex. For “Lord of the Rings” aficionados, a great voice cast gives it rugged life and Middle-earth feels even more vivid than in the recent, highly expensive Amazon series. It’s a real treat.

“The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” releases Dec. 13 in theaters nationwide.