PILIPINAS! Join the HOMECOMING PARADE for the very first Miss Universe Asia, the Philippines’ Chelsea Manalo!
Friday, December 20, 2024
4:00 PM
SM Mall of Asia
BY AJ SIYTANGCO
The War of The Rohirrim is an excellent reason for an excursion back to Middle Earth, to a time we’ve never had a chance to explore before.
The War of the Rohirrim showcases an unlikely alliance. On one hand, you have a narrative pulled from the world created by one of the West’s most influential authors, J. R. R. Tolkien. On the other hand, you have the guiding vision of one of Japan’s leading animation veterans, Kenji Kamiyama. The result speaks for itself: a fully realized original story, firmly planted in the world of Middle Earth but given the uniquely Eastern flair.
The tale begins in the kingdom of Rohan, about two hundred years before Bilbo Baggins finds the One Ring, the Ring of Power that will have all the peoples of Middle Earth scrambling for survival. As a tangible link to the films we all have come to love, Miranda Otto reprises her role as Eowyn, daughter of Rohan’s King Theoden, as she narrates the events of her ancestors.
The story is of Hera, voiced by Gaia Wise, a Princess of Rohan, daughter of King Helm Hammerhand, himself brought to life by the formidable Brian Cox. A free spirit, Hera is more at home in the fields on an adventure than in the great halls of Edoras at court. When Lord Freca, a corrupt, malicious leader from the land of Dunlendings, proposes that his son Wulf marry Hera to strengthen their ties, both she and her father refuse.
Tolkien himself did not write much on this era, giving only a few entries in the appendices of The Lord Of The Rings. Those who have seen the films or devoured the books know of the impenetrable fortress of Helm’s Deep, named after Helm Hammerhand. But no one knows his whole story.
This is where things get a little dicey. It is inherently problematic when other authors expound on someone else’s material, and the original author is no longer around to check whether things are going well. In this case, however, the creators had much respect to ground their work as much as possible in Middle Earth.
Hera, Helm, and the other characters feel well-rounded and larger than life in the vein of things told to us now or long ago. You’ll find a sense of world-building and myth-building. Helm Hammerhand’s name is carried down even to the time of Aragorn, and here you get to see why.
Tolkien loved his lineages, stories of family trees, and legacy, and that aspect of his work permeates this movie. So, too, does his theme of rising, finding strength in oneself, and
meeting the challenges head-on.
Being an animated film works well as a medium for telling the story and is at its best during the action scenes and one-on-one combat.
This is something viewers have come to expect from anime. The animation itself is vibrant and striking, although sometimes a bit clunky, with the hand-drawn characters only sometimes fitting in well with the 3D environments or elements.
That being said, The War of The Rohirrim is an excellent reason for an excursion back to Middle Earth, to a time we’ve never had a chance to explore before.
1.Everything happens for a reason. Once you start to believe that, life will become easier.
2. Trust that when the answer is “No”, there is usually something better along the way.
3. You have never known a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes.
4. A good deed each day can do a lot for someone.
5. Just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
6. You should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
7. Stop worrying about what everyone else thinks. Stop wasting time on things that are not your business. At the end of your day, just do you.
8. Trust the vibes you get, and listen to your gut. Energy does not lie.
9. Not everyone is going to like you, and that is okay.
10. You cannot control others. You can only control how you react to a situation.
11. It is okay to disagree with someone, but it is not okay to disrespect them.
12. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, “Will this matter in 5 years?”
13. You are never too old to need your parents.
14. Put your phone down for a few hours every day and interact with the people around you. You never know what you may be missing. After all, you cannot get back those hours that you are spending on your phone.
15, It is more important to have a few good friends, rather than many acquaintances.
16. Choose being kind over being right, and you’ll be right every time.
17. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
18. Remember the three R’s: Respect for yourself, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.
19. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up your present.
