Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” Credit: Matt Grace via TNS
The first two episodes of Amazon’s highly anticipated “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” released to much noise from fans and critics alike Thursday.
With a substantial amount of hype surrounding the project since its announcement in January 2020, and notably boasting the title of the most expensive show of all time, what felt like a forever-long wait for fans to return to middle-earth is now over.
Opening with nearly 20 minutes of exposition, it quickly becomes clear the show will cater to all audiences, whether you’re a fan of the books, movies or have no clue what an Orc is. This show can be enjoyed by anyone, as there is a semi-painfully large portion of time being spent explaining things to viewers, for better or worse.
With that being said, the so-called $1 billion budget is apparent from the very beginning even with some weaker moments here and there — notably some fight scenes are not up to par. However, this show is innately immersive in its scope and design elements, which really knocked it out of the park, never failing to forget about details often overlooked when adapting material to screen, especially the stellar wardrobes.
The issue with a show this expensive will likely never be in its presentation, but rather its method of storytelling, which comes off a bit too leisurely for all they’re trying to accomplish. Though there are many different storylines and characters to meet, it’s hard for audiences to see the vision of how they all intertwine through such a slow burn, leaving viewers to only care for certain characters or storylines, which is not unheard of, but ultimately something that can be a hindrance to the show.
There aren’t inherent issues with the characters, and they are all portrayed true to their respective race; whether it be a harfoots, elves or dwarves, there is a level of authenticity in how each is represented. Certain character nuances and attitudes also make for some fun fan service.
Serving as a prequel set thousand of years before the events of “The Lord of the Rings,” audiences will follow the simultaneous journeys of a young Galadriel, the adventurous Harefoot Elanor Brandyfoot — who is a distant relative to the beloved Bilbo Baggins — and countless other stories of elves and dwarves, all of which will lead into the show’s overarching plot of Sauron’s initial rise to power.
Being set in the second-age, there is a certain aesthetic that is new to middle-earth, one that is far more clean and sharp than audiences have seen. While this may not look as appealing on screen, it is true to the lore of the material — and subsequently that much more authentic.
With such an ensemble cast, huge sets and one of the most sufficient names in all of fantasy, “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power” proves to, at minimum, be an epic tale launching audiences into the second-age of middle-earth like never seen before. This is truly uncharted territory for the showrunners and fans alike, and whether or not the series pays off can only be determined with time, as the series will reportedly have four more seasons.
Premiere review: 3.5/5
