From “it’s a disaster” to “a great sight” – Rings of Power divided moviegoers and critics, as well as experts among themselves.
Amazone’s Prime streaming company has released the first episodes of the long-awaited series The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power. The nominal prequel to the cult film trilogy The Lord of the Rings became the most expensive series in history. But critics and moviegoers differ greatly in their assessment of the early episodes. Correspondent.net telling the details.
Not exactly a Lord of the Rings prequel
Based on the epic fantasy novel by writer John Ronald Tolkien and the cult film trilogy The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson, the series premiere took place on September 2, 2022.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series takes place thousands of years before the main Tolkien story and The Hobbit trilogy. The plot covers all the main events of the universe: the creation of the rings of power, the rise of Sauron, the history of Numenor and the final alliance of elves and men.
“At the center of the series is a group of characters who stand against the resurgence of evil in Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains and the majestic forests of the Elven capital of Lindon, to the stunning island kingdom of Numenor and the farthest corners of the map, these realms and characters will leave a legacy that lives on.” for a long time to come,” sums up Amazon Prime.
The series was created based on notes, appendices to Lord of the Rings and other works of Tolkien. Numenor was a very specific colonial kingdom that Tolkien didn’t talk about much.
The television rights to Tolkien’s universe, also claimed by series giants HBO and Netflix, have been bought by Amazon for nearly $250 million.
The project will be developed for at least five periods. Each of them will have eight to ten episodes. The season will include eight episodes in total – the last one will air on October 14th.
The showrunners and executive producers of the series are Patrick McKay and John D. Payne (Star Trek: Infinity). The production is directed by Juan Antonio Baiona (Jurassic World 2, Shelter).
Filming took place in New Zealand, as did the Jackson trilogy. The showrunners explained their choice not only by wanting to be connected to the territory in previous film adaptations, but also by wanting to bring to life the pristine beauty of Middle-earth’s Second Age.
The project became the most expensive series in history: the first season alone cost Amazon half a billion dollars, while the first season of Game of Thrones cost about 100 million.
Such costs are explained by the visual part of the series, which is as close as possible to the cinema, says film expert Daniil Rotshtein.
“The series is not a full prequel to the films of Peter Jackson, that is, it is a prequel to the story of The Lord of the Rings, the most separate thing, although visually, I emphasize, it uses more of Jackson’s Middle-earth style. It’s a complex thing – it has its own style, grander, while brighter and more positive,” he said.
Feedback from critics and viewers about Rings of Power
The critical response to the first two episodes of Rings of Power was quite positive. Authors praised the visuals and the atmosphere, but not everyone appreciated the dialogues and the overall story.
Users of the IMDb portal gave the series 6.2 points out of 10. In total, the aggregator collected 14 thousand ratings from viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, the user rating of the series is significantly lower than that of film critics – 37 percent to 84 percent.
“This show is so bad that I feel I owe it to all Tolkien fans for doubting them. Tolkien fans, I sincerely apologize, your fears are more than justified . world to forever forget this intersex-feminist statement, which authors and corrupt critics call “a tribute to Tolkien. To everyone who wants to see it, I say: good luck,” one viewer wrote.
The audience did not appreciate Rings of Power
Hollywood Reporter: “While watching, there’s nothing to do but focus on the combination of practical effects, graphics and Bear McCreary’s incredible soundtrack. The music is captivating and action-packed, making the show big no matter how big the screen you’re watching.”
Washington Post: “The performance is passable, but unremarkable, and the dialogue is especially banal and artless, too many tone monologues about the search for “light” or the eternally foggy nature of evil. The fate of many worlds hangs in the balance, but the boring pomp on the screen only projects images of bills going up in smoke. Rarely does danger seem boring.”
Guardian: “Let’s just say from the first shot to the last shot of Rings of Power is unlike any show I’ve seen before. The scale and ambition is there in every scene; the costumes, sets and props are magnificent.
IndieWire: “The real chemistry between the characters sometimes ignites both humor and heartbreak. In the biggest scenes, you see truly epic battles. Although the scale of what is shown sometimes seems overwhelming: all the this camera flight over amazing cities and colorful landscapes turn into The show has to deal with a major problem that plagues many many other sequels, prequels and spin-offs of the streaming era – an all-too-familiar sight that lacks authenticity.”
Time: “His shimmering wonder certainly provides a welcome alternative to the gore, rape and body-horror that has spawned many fantasy series since Thrones – as does his clear, deliberately slow storytelling that avoids the eternal confusion in a large part of the drama.”
Collider: “Taking inspiration from folklore and using his skills as a linguist, Tolkien created a rich world that inspired much of modern high fantasy. Tolkien connoisseurs who have studied all volumes of The Lord of the Rings can rely on it.
Variety: “Amazon’s long-awaited The Lord of the Rings prequel series fits into the cinematic universe of Peter Jackson’s films”;
Rolling Stone: “Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power is a fantasy series that can rule it all.”
Entertainment Weekly: “Middle-earth-hungry audiences can enjoy anything, and I think you could argue that Rings of Power isn’t any worse than all the other high-priced adventures that have come out in the streaming era. But this series is a particular disaster of wasted potential.” , a victim of the limitless possibilities of a wonderful universe, at the altar of tried and tested blockbuster despair.”
Los Angeles Times: “Rings of Power is neither a disaster nor a success, but a clearly loved show that inspires fragments. The project looks good, it has some charismatic characters that bribe, and in general it’s worth watching. From the minuses – even predictable in tense parts of the plot, sometimes exciting and sometimes boring.”
Verdict: “The first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power are visually gorgeous, full of life and breathtaking at times. There is a big problem, however. The show could have had a strong start, but its plot is overloaded with so many moving parts and distant characters that it’s easy to see how the story ends.
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Source: korrespondent
