The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Girls rule, Mûmaks drool.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 18, 2025

Chances are when (Arwen?) you say "animated Lord of the Rings movie", those of a certain age will likely think of the oddball Rankin/Bass production from 1978 or The Hobbit from a year earlier. They each have a special spot in my core memory that was later almost completely erased by the monumentally popular live-action Peter Jackson films from the early 2000s. Other nooks and crannies of author J.R.R. Tolkein's bibliography have been explored but the deepest cut now belongs to The War of the Rohirrim, a recent anime-inspired feature film that's built from a segment of LOTR's Appendix A; sources vary on the exact details, but it's anywhere from a few lines to maybe a page and a half.

That fact alone means that The War of the Rohirrim required even more padding that Jackson's three-part take on The Hobbit, as this attempted epic runs over two hours -- that's well above the usual timeframe of your average animated feature, though admittedly a little slim by LOTR standards. Without the source material at my fingertips, it's basically impossible to pinpoint and and all differences... so with those estimated lengths (or lack thereof) in mind, let's just say that most of it is new; not just a few occasional subplots, of course, but both narrow elements like specific details and much more broad material including entire character arcs. Accurate or not, does this "fan fiction" approach work? Not quite -- this is the kind of film whose visual storytelling clearly exceeds its actual storytelling, if that makes sense, which means that The War of the Rohirrim will work a little (or a lot) better for some than others.

This sweeping tale is primarily told from the perspective of Héra (unnamed in the Appendix), the tomboyish young daughter of Rohan's King Helm Hammerhand, who served some 200 years before Bilbo Baggins found a ring that would change his life forever. Her life is similarly changed one day when Freca, lord of Rohan's rivals the Dunlendings, brings his son Wulf for a visit; he's Héra's childhood friend, but Wulf is presented as a potential suitor in an obvious play for the Rohirrim throne. It doesn't go over well with Helm, and the two leaders end up fighting with Freca shockingly slain after a heavy blow is landed, which officially earns "Hammerhand" his nickname. Wulf understandably tries a rebuttal attack, but fails and is banished from Rohan in disgrace. He's not seen again by the Rohirrim for years.

That day inches closer when Héra and a group of riders, including her part-Dunlending cousin Fréaláf, encounter a slain warrior and are attacked by his rabid runaway Mûmak, an enormous elephant-like creature with multiple tusks. They're separated and Héra lures it to a forest lake where the beast is eaten alive by a massive tentacled plant known as The Watcher in the Water. Unfortunately, though, Héra is kidnapped by a handful of Freca's men and taken to a fortress in Isengard, where she learns that Wulf has been promoted to High Lord of the Dunlendings. She's eventually rescued, of course, but it's obvious that Wulf's long-gestating revenge will include an attempted full takeover of Rohan.

Director Kenji Kamiyama, a long-time anime writer and animator whose career dates back even further than his work as a credited background artist on Akira, describes The War of the Rohirrim during a behind-the-scenes featurette as "a story of men" and Helm Hammerhand as one who "overestimates his power, which temporarily suspends the Rohirrim bloodline" (paraphrased). Yet it's important to know that this film is mostly told from the perspective of Héra, and in true fan-fiction style she's presented as a near-invincible force of nature whose formidable skill in battle only matches her uncanny ability to almost never be wrong. (While her actions never seem quite as pandering as, say, Éowyn's big moment in The Return of the King, Héra's "Goddess mode" basically lasts the entire movie.)

Your opinion about that big moment might be a reliable gauge for how you'll feel about The War of the Rohirrim's overall narrative... but in the event you're hesitant, it does have more to offer which certainly begins with a distinct tone and atmosphere that, well, feels like a Lord of the Rings film despite a somewhat predictable plot and occasionally patchy script. The visuals are quite stunning, however, and deliver a fairly satisfying mixture of hand-drawn and three-dimensional animation that, slightly stiff framerate issues aside, approach the sweeping scope that the franchise's best installments are famous for. The sound design and score are both very supportive too, offering more than a few intense moments and a blend of mostly original music from Stephen Gallagher with a couple familiar themes by Howard Shore from the live-action films. Voice acting is also well above average, as relative newcomer Gaia Wise is decent enough in the lead role with other key characters filled out by the likes of Brian Cox (Hammerhand), Luke Pasqualino (Wulf), and others. (Christopher Lee is even briefly heard during a cameo appearance of you-know-who near the end thanks to an archival recording, while Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan even get bit parts as orcs just for fun.)

It all adds up to a good but not exemplary effort yet should still partially satisfy hungry fans of the franchise and animation enthusiasts alike, as its visual and sonic strengths can clearly be seen on both Warner Bros.' separate 4K and Blu-ray editions of the film. (The former in particular, which is also available as a Steelbook combo pack.) Whether you're trying or buying, The War of the Rohirrim is a home video release at least worth looking into.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are taken from the separate Blu-ray edition, which is reviewed separately here and also available as part of the handsome 4K/Blu-ray Steelbook combo pack.

Presented in 2160p/HDR10 with Dolby Vision, The War of the Rohirrim offers striking visuals on this full-strength 100GB disc, an unexpected but welcome surprise from the occasionally stingy studio. It's a great-looking film that doesn't necessarily shine in the frame rate department... but that's nothing new for hand-drawn anime, even if the frequently three-dimensional backgrounds look smoother in comparison. The character designs are largely attractive and well-rendered with layered shadow detail, often fitting in well with their respective environments. This adds a lot to the film's overall atmosphere and is served well thanks to the HDR pass -- it's not terribly aggressive but is noticeably refined over the Blu-ray version, which can't help but look a bit more "contrasty" in comparison -- while colors are well represented well, typically running muted though not without plenty of vivid highlights. Quite simply it looks very crisp and cinematic with a smooth but not waxy sheen and no signs of manipulation or compression artifacts. I didn't see it in theaters, but I'd wager that this 4K presentation meets or exceeds what was projected on the big screen.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Atmos mix is another success, earning high marks for its commitment to a strong, sweeping atmosphere from start to finish. Dialogue and front-field effects are balanced well, with many action scenes and crowded locales bustling with rear channel activity and discrete effects that feel generous but not overcooked. Whizzing arrows and other projectiles showcase strong directionality (and obviously make use of the height channels when appropriate), while the overall sound field typically runs fairly wide in keeping with The War of the Rohirrim's spacious landscapes. Low frequency effects make their presence known but don't always achieve the weight of those live-action films, yet are still potent enough to be felt. On the whole, this is a perfectly solid effort that pairs nicely with the visuals.

Optional subtitles, including English SDH, are included during the main feature and all extras listed below.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with attractive cover art, a slipcover, and a Digital Copy redemption code. The extras are limited in number (at least as far as Lord of the Rings goes), but are worth a once-over.

• Return to Helm's Deep: History Becomes Legend (12:53) - Director Kenji Kamiyama (who speaks in his native Japanese with forced English subtitles), producer Joseph Chau, screenwriters Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, WETA workshop creative director and CEO Richard Taylor, and design consultant Daniel Falconer briefly discuss the film's inception, production, and the creative process required to bring J.R.R. Tolkein's world to life in the anime realm. Filmmaker Peter Jackson and several voice actors including Brian Cox are also briefly seen working behind the scenes, and we also get a few glimpses of concept artwork and storyboards.

• Middle-Earth & Anime: A Marriage of Creativity (6:52) - Several returning participants -- and new ones including producer Philippa Boyens, animation director Wanqian Xie, and character designer / first animation director Miyako Takasu -- focus a bit more on the film's visual approach and style. Again, concept art and sketches are seen here, although sadly it's over before it really gets a chance to go into any real detail.

• Héra: A New Hero for Middle-Earth (6:53) - A few familiar folks discuss Héra (including her voice actor Gaia Wise), a character who was unnamed in the original source material, as well as other changes made to the story. Naturally, though, it's mostly a character-focused piece, though again stays mostly on the surface.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Some fans initially decried The War of the Rohirrim as a cheap attempt by New Line Cinema to protect film rights, which is a fair point but undercuts what the animation team was able to achieve here. The world of The Lord of the Rings is unusually well-fit for animation and, despite a handful of script and narrative issues, the visuals and sound design work in tandem to make a real case for its existence, both briefly on the big screen and now on home video. Separate 4K and Blu-ray options are offered as stand-alone-releases, with each offering proportionately great A/V specs, and an all-inclusive Steelbook combo pack is also available for die-hard fans and collectors.