'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Premiere Review: Amazon's ode to Middle-Earth is a cinematic marvel
When Amazon announced they were working on a new project focusing on the Middle-Earth, everyone was excited. However, some toxic fans continued to bring the project down by saying negative things. Even when most of the people hailed the first look and the trailers for ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’, there were some who continued trashing the series. However, after seeing the first two episodes of one of the most expensive series of all time, I can safely say that people saying negative things about the series are WRONG.
While tackling such a gigantic project, makers need to have a vision and the amazing team behind ‘The Rings of Power’ has put all their heart into the show and mixed it with the impeccable writing of JRR Tolkien to take us on an EPIC journey that is truly once in a lifetime opportunity. Set thousands of years before ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’, the Amazon series primarily focuses on the Second Age of middle-earth that was relatively peaceful. However, an Elven warrior named Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) was still on a journey to find the dark lord, Sauron, who killed her brother. She believes that Sauron will return to the Middle-Earth very soon and wreak havoc. But everyone believes that Sauron is gone and won’t return.
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This is what the first two episodes of ‘TROP’ are all about and it’s Galadriel’s quest to finish the evil that makes the show so compelling. From the very first shot, you realize how gorgeous this show is. Whether they are wide shots or tight sequences, the makers have done a phenomenal job of showing the true beauty of the Middle-Earth. Another thing that was brilliant in the first episodes was the storytelling. ‘LOTR’ is the kind of literature where you can’t just introduce action sequences without giving a perfect backstory and that’s what the premiere does phenomenally. Yes, there are some action sequences during the premiere, but the first two episodes are all about establishing the characters and their stories. The writing team has done a brilliant job in handling numerous characters and giving them ample screen time so that we become a part of their journey.
The show introduced most of the major characters during the two-episode premiere. From the Elves to the Dwarves and even the Harfoots, we have gotten to know how they are living and how their lives will be impacted if Sauron returns.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel is the soul of this series and whenever she is on the screen, she makes sure that something phenomenal happens. Her character is torn between avenging her brother’s death and finding the Dark Lord who is ready to spread darkness all over the middle earth. However, she is strong and won’t back down. Clark owns the screen whenever she is in a scene.
Meanwhile, Robert Aramyo as Elrond is the definition of calmness in the series. Whatever the situation is, he remains calm and never loses his temper. He is completely the opposite of Galadriel and that’s why he is her best friend as well.
All in all, the first two episodes of ‘The Rings of Power’ are nothing short of a cinematic experience. Half of the time, you will be amazed at how Amazon achieved this, and half of the time you’ll be applauding the storytelling. People expecting flashy action sequences from the very first episode will be disappointed, but if they are real fans of ‘Lord of the Rings’, they’ll know how important it is to tell the riveting story before the action begins.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ is a cinematic achievement that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. It’s pure Tolkien and feels very connected with Peter Jackson’s ‘LOTR’ trilogy as well. It felt good stepping into the Middle-Earth again and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead. Highly recommended!
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on September 1.