(may contain spoilers)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Douban rating: 6.7/7.3
Director: Wayne Che Yip, J.A. Bayona, Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri, Louise Hooper
Starring: Morfydd Clark, Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo
Douban Comments: “Overall, this show presents a worldview that covers almost all the races of Middle-earth. In terms of storytelling, it introduces five main forces. The first is the story of the Elves and the Rings, which is the main plot. The second is the story of Nori and the mysterious wizard, creatively continuing the tradition of interactions between Hobbits and wizards from the original works. The other three groups are the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, the Humans of Númenor, and the Orcs of Mordor. The story is vast, complex, and very complete, and the show does a good job of staying true to the world of Middle-earth. This is definitely something to be praised.
Additionally, the special effects, sets, and costumes are all very well done. Whether it’s the Elves’ castles, the Dwarves’ underground palaces, or the actors’ makeup, everything fits my idea of Western fantasy. The villain is also portrayed successfully. The depiction of Sauron’s cunning personality is vivid and convincing. Unlike typical flat villains, Sauron’s clever schemes are the focus, not just his power, which makes him memorable. The show’s downside is that it lacks the epic feel of the movies. The plot feels a bit like a straightforward sequence of events, lacking ups and downs in pace and emotional engagement for the audience.”
“I don’t understand why the ratings are a bit low across the Internet. Isn’t it clearly a prequel to The Lord of the Rings? It has the budget, amazing scenes, special effects, a strong female lead, costumes, and makeup. Everything that should be there is there. I felt so excited watching the alliance between humans and elves fighting against darkness in Middle-earth, and I was deeply moved by the friendship between elves and dwarves. So, are the people giving low ratings expecting this to be a sci-fi show? Doesn’t such an epic scale deserve five stars?”
“From the very beginning of the project, the show’s potential was limited. Beyond the ‘beautiful’ costumes and set design, what’s really missing is the charm of the characters. In this regard, it’s clear that actors today are not as good as those from previous generations, and this seems to be a global trend. As for the epic feel – forget about it, that’s too much to hope for.”
“What a surprise! The visuals were stunning, as expected, but what really blew me away was how much it felt like Peter Jackson’s movies. The connection to the Elves and the rise of Sauron sets the stage for an even bigger story. Even though I already knew how it would end, I still got super excited.
I saw someone say this show makes House of the Dragon look amateur – and after watching it myself, I totally agree. I was late getting into Middle-earth, and I only have one thing to say: this is awesome!”
