I was initially keeping up with Rings of Power when it was first released but fell off after a couple of episodes because of its pacing. I was initially excited about this series, but that excitement has since dulled. The Rings of Power isn’t a bad series, but it isn’t the epic prequel I was promised either.
The Rings of Power is fine, but it is not without its faults. The acting is fantastic, but the writing holds them back. I love the diverse casting and it makes me happy to see people of color in prominent roles in fantasy. The fantasy genre has always felt exclusive to white people. Growing up, I enjoyed fantasy but had to hide this fact to avoid getting picked on. It is amazing to see characters of color who make an impact on the narrative instead of just being villains and henchmen. I hope this is a growing trend in the genre, even if this series isn’t the best.
The biggest issue I have with this series is its pacing. It was too slow to be released weekly. I wouldn’t mind if this series was slow because it was carefully developing its lore. Instead, this series is bogged down by its excessive use of metaphor. The Rings of Power is desperate to sound poetic and it is off-putting. It is safe to say that the writing for this series isn’t great, and at times it sounds like a cheap attempt at emulating Tolkien. It wasn’t bad enough to make me stop watching, but it made it difficult to finish it.
The rest of the series was fine, but I wouldn’t have finished it if it wasn’t for this review. It looks pretty. The CGI cities look cool, the action is decent, and the costumes are great. They even have a fantastic villain, but at its core, this series is just average at best.
I don’t think this series is for everyone. If you aren’t a fan of fantasy, watch the movies instead. This series is a slow burn that barely pays off. The Rings of Power only works as a supplement for those casual Lord of the Rings fans who want more stories in the universe but don’t want to read the books. This isn’t a series I’d rush through, and I definitely recommend you skip around. You can stream it all on Amazon if you have a Prime membership.
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I liked this series well enough, although it isn’t exactly “The Silmarillion” (to which Amazon did not have the rights). I really like the girl they have playing young Galadriel and most of the other characters are fine, except for young Elrond, who in my opinion is badly miscast. He reminds me of Doogie Howser, if Doogie Howser were an elf. But maybe that’s just me … Anyway I thought Amazon’s “Paper Girls” was much better than “Rings of Power” but of course they canceled “Paper Girls” after one season. Boo, Amazon!
A good review! Sadly, I was underwhelmed by the series and I had really wanted to love it so much.
I was there with you. I love the Hobbit movies and the first episode had me hopeful, but it was short lived. Thanks for reading!
You are very welcome! Hopefully, if all the rights’ issues get sorted out, someone will edit the series into two punchier movies! 😉
This would have been a way better movie. Oh well, we can only hope!
Thanks for this review. I am a huge LOTR fan so I looked forward to this series. I was only able to get through one episode. I thought it was boring. Fight. Fight. Fight. Friends told me that it got better but according to you it did not.
I am barely a LOTR fan, I loved the Hobbit though. It doesn’t get any better even if you skip around. I think you are safer reading the books or re-watching the movies. I had so much hope for this too, oh well. Thanks for reading!