The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

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Season 1
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
3.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 2938 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 711 out of 2938
  2. Mixed: 141 out of 2938
  3. Negative: 2,086 out of 2938

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User Reviews

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  1. erolsabadosh
    Sep 4, 2022
    2
    Mostly visually stunning and a feast for the eyes, the story and characters on the other hand didn't really grab me so I found myself losing interest between the first act of the first episode and the final scene of the second. The sweeping arial shots, beautiful backdrops and generally solid CGI had me hooked for the first twenty minutes of episode one but after that there's too much ofMostly visually stunning and a feast for the eyes, the story and characters on the other hand didn't really grab me so I found myself losing interest between the first act of the first episode and the final scene of the second. The sweeping arial shots, beautiful backdrops and generally solid CGI had me hooked for the first twenty minutes of episode one but after that there's too much of characters standing still talking to each other in over-lit static scenes for too long (the stylized modern hair cuts are an odd distracting choice). The music is really good, the acting is fine and the dialogue is serviceable but not great, it's really the visuals that kept me watching. I'm not a dedicated Lord of the Rings fan; I've only read part of the book and seen the first trilogy of films when they originally came out so I can't comment on changes for adaptation at this point, but as a casual viewer I think this show has potential and if it can achieve more character/story focus as it goes on it could become essential viewing but it's off to a bit of a slow and rambling start.… Expand
  2. renohata
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Poor character development, specifically the main protagonist, Galadriel, who is really terrible. Feels like I lost hours of my life which will never come back watching this. I give one point due to the special effects. Even the soundtrack is generic.
  3. SebDeTyra
    Oct 3, 2022
    0
    Just sad what they've done to this universe. It seems like it was made by people with no understanding of the books.
  4. tphillips
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This series is a travesty. What I saw was offensive enough that I canceled my Amazon Prime account after seven years. I hate that this series exists and has the right to use the "lord of the rings" name.
  5. Ezio_Morte
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    This is a disgrace. Its even released at Professors death anniversary. I watched the first 2 episodes, its even worse that expected. If you like the works of Tolkien STAY AWAY.
  6. MahbubAli92
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Probably the worst show I've ever seen. It's bad enough to inject modern decadent woke stuff into something like Game of Thrones, which was always pretty nihilistic anyway, but it could not clash more disastrously with Tolkien's world. This is going to be a catastrophe for Amazon (just look at these reviews, NOBODY actually likes this show) and with any luck it teaches them a severeProbably the worst show I've ever seen. It's bad enough to inject modern decadent woke stuff into something like Game of Thrones, which was always pretty nihilistic anyway, but it could not clash more disastrously with Tolkien's world. This is going to be a catastrophe for Amazon (just look at these reviews, NOBODY actually likes this show) and with any luck it teaches them a severe financial lesson about messing around with beloved works of art, since apparently money is all they care about.… Expand
  7. mothes1987
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is disaster in Tolkien world! Absurd, epic fail. Nothing related to original lore.
  8. timingrab
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is a heinous abomination, a desecration of Tolkien's vision, and an insult to his work. Even if one ignores the fact that this show is supposed to be based on Tolkien's Legendarium and judges it as a stand-alone show, it is mediocre at best.
  9. bulteir
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    "Evil cannot create anything new, it can only spoil and destroy what good forces have invented or created." - J.R.R.
  10. Retrostan1
    Sep 2, 2022
    3
    Disappointed that Amazon are gone the way of Netflix and forcing identity politics down our necks.
  11. ChrisWebb
    Sep 2, 2022
    3
    If this weren't meant to be Tolkien (It's not) I would probably rate it 4.

    I didn't really notice the 'Diversity' & a 'Woke' agenda that people complain about, that doesn't bother me, Just don't make it boring. Tell a story. Say something interesting. It's simply a yawn fest - no pace or propulsion of narrative. The lead Character is dull, writing is jaw droopingly bad. Ismael    If this weren't meant to be Tolkien (It's not) I would probably rate it 4.

    I didn't really notice the 'Diversity' & a 'Woke' agenda that people complain about, that doesn't bother me, Just don't make it boring. Tell a story. Say something interesting.

    It's simply a yawn fest - no pace or propulsion of narrative. The lead Character is dull, writing is jaw droopingly bad.

    Ismael Cruz Cordova, I liked him in this and his character (I found him irritating in interviews.)

    Galadriel is a Mary Sue, she's self entitled and makes the most INSANE decisions - who knows, there may be a character arc here - Though I doubt the writers haven't reached that chapter in their book of story telling quite yet.

    And there's so many moments where you think WHAT!?

    Did those two Elves walk from one kingdom to the other, why didn't they ride horses?
    She Jumped off the boat in the middle of the ocean?

    It looks good. But for 60 million an episode (which seems obscene) You'd have to work hard to make it not look good.

    House of the Dragons (Though I'm still waiting fr the other shoe to drop (Looking at you Season 6/7/8 GOT)

    I won't watch anymore, unless it does a reverse GOT... now that would be a meme.    … Expand
  12. Guilhermevski
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not Tolkien. Better stay with the books. Good CGI and photography. Poor dialogues and storytelling.… Expand
  13. GI_Biochip
    Sep 8, 2022
    0
    We'd been warned that this was going to be garbage. I watched the first eppisode, and it's shockingly bad. The dialogue sounds like it's out of a cop movie, dreadful wire work, I could go on and on about how disappointing this is.
  14. Ivanaika
    Oct 1, 2022
    0
    Boring beyond belief, stupid beyond belief....literally not a single likable character
  15. kabamaru
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Very boring show, notable for its ill pacing and bad acting. Polished trash.
  16. Jesatlas
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This show is very loosely inspired by Tolkien's works. Guess what guys? EVERY fantasy with elves and orcs is inspired by Tolkien! There is no need to call this Lord of the Rings! They crammed in loads of identity politics with VERY on the nose dialogue referencing modern day social issues.
  17. Yavor
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is exceptionally poor storytelling. One of many examples: Elrond and Durin enter a super high-stakes competition which will end in Elrond's banishment if he were to lose. Elrond loses, and literally 30 seconds later, the high stakes are gone, as Elrond gets what he wanted - a conversation with Durin.
  18. EFRAM
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    What was amazon thinking? This mish-mosh ham-fisted retelling of Tolkiens oeuvre through the exploration of the appendices of his books was boring, banal, devoid of action or drama or emotional heft. Besides the overlong totally unnecessary prologue which made the device of exposition into a cudgel, the storytelling, which should have been mesmerizing, and engaging was flat and stale. TheWhat was amazon thinking? This mish-mosh ham-fisted retelling of Tolkiens oeuvre through the exploration of the appendices of his books was boring, banal, devoid of action or drama or emotional heft. Besides the overlong totally unnecessary prologue which made the device of exposition into a cudgel, the storytelling, which should have been mesmerizing, and engaging was flat and stale. The acting was passable at best, but the writing and direction were what really sank the 2 hours I viewed. How the mucky-mucks at Amazon high command allowed this 58 million dollar embarrassment to see the light of day is beyond me. nothing to see here. I yearn for a fantasy drama that really brings a new light on a world that is created with excitement, and emotional meaning and TROP is not that.… Expand
  19. void614
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Disgusting agenda driven garbage and butchery of the professor Tolkiens work. I will never buy another product from Amazon let alone prime after this
  20. Chabster
    Sep 4, 2022
    1
    I don't believe actors, they seem to play themselves. The plot is close to non existing.
  21. Rich87
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    Not a fan of producers and studios who disrespect the lore, the legacy with forced woke ideology and who disregard the source material. Its very pretty ill give it that
  22. LeFontaine
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    A work that disrespect Tolkien in every frame.

    In short:“Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin good forces have invented or made”
  23. Skinwalker
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    I didn’t given it a zero because the production value is actually very high. Unfortunately, that just allows viewers to clearly see and hear how awful this after school program is.. this is not Lord of the Rings by any stretch nor does it even feel like it takes place in the same universe. At best this fan fiction written by a teenage girl with her degree from Starbucks university.
  24. PoopyDoopy
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    The casting in this show is awful, not a single character stands out as being likeable. The story is just plain boring and doesn't leave you with any sense of dying to see the next episode. Lot's of laughable moments as they shoe horn in cringey moments to elevate certain characters at the expense of others. The tone is incredibly unbalanced as well and it's hard to tell who this show isThe casting in this show is awful, not a single character stands out as being likeable. The story is just plain boring and doesn't leave you with any sense of dying to see the next episode. Lot's of laughable moments as they shoe horn in cringey moments to elevate certain characters at the expense of others. The tone is incredibly unbalanced as well and it's hard to tell who this show is even being made for from one moment to the next.… Expand
  25. DidiXtar
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    It looks quite pretty, like really pretty, like those random fantasy wallpapers that you can find online if you google fantasy wallpapers or something like that; but that’s it, there’s nothing else there, it’s generic AF, the writing is awful, there’s no plot whatsoever after 2 hours, the acting is terrible, specially the actress that plays Galadriel. As a longtime LOTR fan (books and PJ’sIt looks quite pretty, like really pretty, like those random fantasy wallpapers that you can find online if you google fantasy wallpapers or something like that; but that’s it, there’s nothing else there, it’s generic AF, the writing is awful, there’s no plot whatsoever after 2 hours, the acting is terrible, specially the actress that plays Galadriel. As a longtime LOTR fan (books and PJ’s films) this doesn’t feel like it’s in any way related to Tolkien’s work, it’s so sad to see the incredible potential of this universe wasted. The uniqueness of the Middle Earth that we can appreciate in the books and that was masterfully captured in PJ’s adaptation is completely lost here. The LOTR trilogy IMO, is both the foundation and pinnacle of fantasy literature, Tolkien’s accomplishments in world building are second to none, one couldn’t ask for a better, richer or more distinctive world to adapt, yet they **** this up, it’s unbelievably bad. I’ve ranted enough, in short, this is a lazy woke piece of fan fiction, it’s more concerned in being “diverse” and in reflecting “the world we live in” than in telling a Middle Earth story.… Expand
  26. Matt13530
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This show is an embarrassment and and insult to Tolkien and the world he created, the writing is terrible, the CGI is awful and the music does not fit. I hope they cancel this series
  27. ButWhy22
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Very, veeery loosely based on Tolkien's work. Just some weird fan fiction, with some decent acting (dwarves) and some less decent to bad acting.
    For someone who doesn't get Tolkien and sees it just as "another franchise", this might be watchable, but if you have love and passion for the Silmarillion, The Hobbit and LotR, you will find this show devoid of heart and soul.
    They get 1 score    Very, veeery loosely based on Tolkien's work. Just some weird fan fiction, with some decent acting (dwarves) and some less decent to bad acting.
    For someone who doesn't get Tolkien and sees it just as "another franchise", this might be watchable, but if you have love and passion for the Silmarillion, The Hobbit and LotR, you will find this show devoid of heart and soul.
    They get 1 score point for clusterfckn this together from only the appendices and making the dwarves/moria part cool, but that's the end of the line.    … Expand
  28. 230MAYK
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    “Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin good forces have invented or made”
  29. vitalii2101
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Not Tolkien, not Lord of the Rings. I'm disappointed.
    Don't waste your time on this show. Read books people)
  30. Austeezy
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    What they have done to this legendary series by Tolkien is nothing short of a disgusting tragedy. Doesn’t matter how much you spend on effects and cgi the entire story is cringey and feels forced
  31. SH00TINPUTIN187
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Awful acting. Ismael Cordova's acting is just trash and he's so out of place. Apparently he saw th movies and felt like he was entitled to take this role. He's one of the worst things about this Bezos show though. Mordydd Clarke, the far left activist playing Galadriel is even worse. She's unconvincing as Galadriel and comes across as fake, like her fake English accent and her fake blondeAwful acting. Ismael Cordova's acting is just trash and he's so out of place. Apparently he saw th movies and felt like he was entitled to take this role. He's one of the worst things about this Bezos show though. Mordydd Clarke, the far left activist playing Galadriel is even worse. She's unconvincing as Galadriel and comes across as fake, like her fake English accent and her fake blonde dye job. That this show was made by sneering, self-righteous Mormons doesn't surprise me at all. This show is basically Twitter grade dross filled with identity politics and 10/10 review brigaded by shills and anti white activists.… Expand
  32. Nerdlife
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is not based on Tolkien's work. They changed so much from source material. The series took a sexist turn for the worst and instead of presenting us with the beautiful story Tolkien wrote about Galadriel, they decided that the only way for her to be powerful was to show her behaving like a stereotypical fantasy male.

    The dialogue is awful, the pacing atrocious. The series feel rushed. While there are lots of eye candy it feels empty as an parking lot at 3 am.

    They tried to hide their awful plot and dialogue with tons of fan service but it was not enough.

    It's a really sad day to see Tolkien's work being bastardized this way.    … Expand
  33. madnedy
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    “Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin good forces have invented or made"

    J. R. R. Tolkien
  34. Iserlohn14
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Key things to remember:

    - this is not Tolkien material, this is a fake story that Amazon completely made up based on like 2 offhand sentences in LotR. So it is not a true reflection of real LotR, it's just silly modernist deconstruction by people who would hate Tolkien if they met him in real life. - They initially planned to release the show on the anniversary of Tolkien's death. No    Key things to remember:

    - this is not Tolkien material, this is a fake story that Amazon completely made up based on like 2 offhand sentences in LotR. So it is not a true reflection of real LotR, it's just silly modernist deconstruction by people who would hate Tolkien if they met him in real life.

    - They initially planned to release the show on the anniversary of Tolkien's death. No way was this an accident

    - This show only got made because Tolkien's son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien died in 2020 and was no longer around to protect the books from predatory corporations looking to subvert them (he was disgusted with the results of the Hobbit movies and didn't want to let any more of that crap get made)

    It's not just bad on the merits of acting, scripting, and plot, it's actively an insult to Tolkien's memory. Amazon should be ashamed of what they've done.    … Expand
  35. canarius
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This show has nothing to do with Tolkien or Lord of the Rings. I can't even call this abomination 'fanfiction' because it is not made by fans but by activist who want to shove their stupid political ideas all over entertainment. Amazon messed with the wrong fanbase. They are now an enemy of the people and we will fight them until the end of time.
  36. BarronOfDune
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Tolkien was a devout Catholic who loved the simplicity and camaraderie of pastoral English life. There is literally no institution in modern history more directly opposed to his values than Amazon dot com, and it shows in every second of this godawful show. The whole point of "orcs" is that they're former men/elves cut off from spiritual transcendence and reduced to rank materialism andTolkien was a devout Catholic who loved the simplicity and camaraderie of pastoral English life. There is literally no institution in modern history more directly opposed to his values than Amazon dot com, and it shows in every second of this godawful show. The whole point of "orcs" is that they're former men/elves cut off from spiritual transcendence and reduced to rank materialism and raw appetite. That is what Amazon is, and what it tries to turn people into. This is unworthy of association with Tolkien in every way.… Expand
  37. HardcoreFans
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Don't waste your time on this show. It's like creating music with the best sound quality ever, but the melody is just awful.
  38. Siyric
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    I feel compelled to give it a point because the cinematography is top-tier, but unfortunately, everything else is a disaster. The dialogue is abhorrent, and the overall story is nowhere near what Tolkein had written about regarding the events of the Second Age. I genuinely felt lost because the characters were in places they've never been, doing things they never did with people thatI feel compelled to give it a point because the cinematography is top-tier, but unfortunately, everything else is a disaster. The dialogue is abhorrent, and the overall story is nowhere near what Tolkein had written about regarding the events of the Second Age. I genuinely felt lost because the characters were in places they've never been, doing things they never did with people that either never existed (like the Harfoots) or shouldn't be there at all (looking at you Mr. Wizard who toooootally isn't Gandalf). To me, it seems like they're trying to create their own "Fellowship" and are doing so by completely rewriting the events of the Second Age so that these characters they've shown have to join together to unite the realms of Middle Earth as the actual Fellowship did. And the only thing I have to say to that is.......why? If the showrunners wanted to tell their own made-up story within the world of Middle Earth.........why didn't they just do that? The world of Middle Earth and the surrounding continents is massive with so many different cultures and peoples and stories that could be explored. Making an original story within that would probably be so easy because there's so much to work with, yet instead, they chose just to rewrite the Second Age. If they wanted to tell a story with their own unique ideas, great; go do that, I genuinely think that's fine, but make it an original story within Middle Earth, and leave the actual events that Tolkien wrote as they are. That way, you don't have to work with these restrictions and you can do whatever you like, but that attitude doesn't work here. All it's done is upset the fans who were looking forward to seeing the work of Tolkien come alive again.… Expand
  39. swissloki
    Sep 2, 2022
    3
    Personajes con la personalidad de una bolsa de patatas, diálogos planos y sin substancia, ambientación más que mejorable en el universo Tolkien... Es un horror. Lo único salvable es la música y el estilo de dirección (se nota la mano de Bayona). Todo lo demás es un abusurdo sin sentido.
  40. ArchaonEver
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Not Tolkien, not Lord of the Rings, should have used an own name and it would have been ok as a random fantasy story.
  41. Trunkis
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    The Rings of Power takes us back to the time when Amazon announced that it would be making a prequel to the Lord of the Rings, or about 3,000 years ago. Worry not, however, as you will feel right at home in these ancient times. Amazon shows some pretty pessimistic views on the creative talent of the people of Middle Earth, where apparently absolutely nothing had changed during those 3,000The Rings of Power takes us back to the time when Amazon announced that it would be making a prequel to the Lord of the Rings, or about 3,000 years ago. Worry not, however, as you will feel right at home in these ancient times. Amazon shows some pretty pessimistic views on the creative talent of the people of Middle Earth, where apparently absolutely nothing had changed during those 3,000 years. Same architecture, same attires, same cultures, same values then as 3,000 years later. It is a cruel comparison to watch Rings of Power side by side with House of Dragons, where so much care has been put into subtly adjusting the show's world to the fact that it takes place two centuries before Game of Thrones. The difference is that the mission of Rings of Power, you see, is not to invent new worlds or develop a new saga. Its sad mission is just to reproduce the trilogy from twenty years ago, with the commercial intent to capture viewership with the least amount of risk.
    Who better to fulfill this ungrateful task than JA Bayona, the Catalan director who almost killed the entire Jurassic Park franchise single-handedly with the deplorable Fallen Kingdom? Unabashed, Bayona dives head first into his master's request for plagiarism, reproducing entire shots, sets of the original trilogy, even in its cheesiest manifestations, and even doubling down on dialogues that consistently sound like a seventh grade re-interpretation of Shakespeare. Only difference with the original: some welcome peppered-in diversity that unfortunately feels mandated by the marketing department rather than authentic. Other reviews have mentioned that characters in the Rings of Power never really take hold. But frankly, how could they with that backdrop? It seems like the show surrendered its creativity before it even started principal photography, and the actors and crew seem to carry with them the guilt of their commercial prostitution in every shot.
    What's left, at least this far in the show, is the data point of it being the most expensive TV show in history, a pretty dubious honor truth be told. And the feeling of watching a powerpoint slideshow of pictures downloaded from Fantasy Screensavers (a viable alternative to paying for a Prime subscription to watch this). Pretty sure that was not the legacy JRR Tolkien was shooting for.    … Expand
  42. Tornan
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    What they did to Galadriel was disturbing. Acting was very very poor. Cast choices for characters were inaccurate. I watched only the first episode and I won't watch the second.
  43. first-life-
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    Hilarious disrespect of Tolkien fans, one billion to spit on them, I hope it was worth the propaganda
  44. Ir0n
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    don't know what to say, really bad story writing.
    doesn't feel like a story from tolkin's world but more like Hollywood
  45. prayformojo33
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Lamentable que se llegué a esto de tomar un producto de calidad y destrozar la idea original del autor.
  46. BloodySonic
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    FFS just another ruined show with political correctional miscasted actors. How can you hire a screenwriter who didn't even bother to read Tolkien's lore.
    So tired of this sh*t.
  47. ErrantShrew
    Sep 2, 2022
    3
    I’m doing my best to be an adult here, by giving this show a 3 instead of a 1. Mostly because there are a few great shots. A shame, it’s clear where the budget went. I don’t know about anyone else, but watching multi-thousand year old beings argue in every other scene… well, it was a little jarring.

    Nothing made sense. Nothing grabbed my interest. To anyone who has read and loved    I’m doing my best to be an adult here, by giving this show a 3 instead of a 1. Mostly because there are a few great shots. A shame, it’s clear where the budget went. I don’t know about anyone else, but watching multi-thousand year old beings argue in every other scene… well, it was a little jarring.

    Nothing made sense. Nothing grabbed my interest. To anyone who has read and loved Tolkien’s works, it was clear this was not a good faith effort to pay homage to his work. This is fan fiction at absolute best. Fan fiction with some nice cinematography.

    Thanks for destroying the fond memories of my childhood with this dreck, Bezos!    … Expand
  48. terrapong
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Yikes...bad show all around. Galadriel is horribly cast. Every scene looks like she is about to have a nervous breakdown and start crying. She comes across as completely unlikeable and cringe. The show looks cheap as well. I don't know where that billion dollars went but to me it looks like it was filmed at my local park, and the action scenes were on par with Charlies Angels. Jumping offYikes...bad show all around. Galadriel is horribly cast. Every scene looks like she is about to have a nervous breakdown and start crying. She comes across as completely unlikeable and cringe. The show looks cheap as well. I don't know where that billion dollars went but to me it looks like it was filmed at my local park, and the action scenes were on par with Charlies Angels. Jumping off of swords, really?… Expand
  49. Marcus084
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    The acting is very bad, my kid could do a beter job playing galadriel, its realy awfull. Also this show has nothing to do with tolkien it just uses his name to make money
  50. FarineLUa
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    My eyes, why i watch this, after Jackson films this is really terrible. Beautiful graphic nothing more.
  51. Ninepaces
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    - Music was alright, but not LOTR trilogy quality 6/10.
    - Writing 0/10. A joke.
    - Acting 1/10. Galadriel's actor is insufferable and lacks the gravitas and presence to play the character. See Matt Smith in HOTD or Henry Cavill in the Witcher to see what a main character should be in terms of acting chops. - Set 5/10. Some places were nice to see, some were disappointing. Costumes were    - Music was alright, but not LOTR trilogy quality 6/10.
    - Writing 0/10. A joke.
    - Acting 1/10. Galadriel's actor is insufferable and lacks the gravitas and presence to play the character. See Matt Smith in HOTD or Henry Cavill in the Witcher to see what a main character should be in terms of acting chops.
    - Set 5/10. Some places were nice to see, some were disappointing. Costumes were completely off and seemed fake or impractical.
    - Spirit of Tolkien/Lore Adherence - 0/10. Missed the point of the entire body of work. See NY Times Article on the subject.    … Expand
  52. Hildifons
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Show looks like a generic fantasy, doesn't look like Middle-earth at all. The main character, Galadriel is unlikable and it's hard to root for her. The scenery is nice, but costumes look fake and the writing is poor. There are also some ridiculous choices, like Galadriel jumping in the middle of the ocean in an attempt to swim back hundreds of miles to the nearest shore. Overall, aShow looks like a generic fantasy, doesn't look like Middle-earth at all. The main character, Galadriel is unlikable and it's hard to root for her. The scenery is nice, but costumes look fake and the writing is poor. There are also some ridiculous choices, like Galadriel jumping in the middle of the ocean in an attempt to swim back hundreds of miles to the nearest shore. Overall, a forgettable experience.… Expand
  53. Sleepyguy7452
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    It looks nice. That's about it. Bland dialogue, limited acting performance and questionable choices for direction and casting, especially about Galadriel. Can we just hire writers that are actually good please?
  54. Inknskin
    Sep 3, 2022
    1
    A very poor attempt to mimic the LOTR and Hobbit movies. Character dialogue was badly written and actors were delivering lines that were so cringy and basic. Some wardrobes, especially the harfoots were like from some Low budget tv show. And the elves dialogue/acting was like nails on a chalkboard. Galadriels character was so not likeable and I couldn’t wait for her to stop talking. At oneA very poor attempt to mimic the LOTR and Hobbit movies. Character dialogue was badly written and actors were delivering lines that were so cringy and basic. Some wardrobes, especially the harfoots were like from some Low budget tv show. And the elves dialogue/acting was like nails on a chalkboard. Galadriels character was so not likeable and I couldn’t wait for her to stop talking. At one point I was literally yawning as she delivered some passionate words. This really is made for tv. There is no way this could work on the big screen. Only certain bits were watchable and they were directly copied from the LOTR movies. Like the CGI and backdrops/ landscapes. As a fan I am truly saddened by the lack of respect to the Tolkien lore. It’s is so diluted that I do not think that it will be a success. I believe this is the start of the death of the Tolkien franchises. And it will because of mainstream and political agendas taking centrestage instead of a real honest to god storyline. I totally do not recommend this tv show to any fan of Tolkien or the LOTR franchise. You will be sorely disappointed. May god forgive Amazon and the showrunners for what they have done.… Expand
  55. Da_Ocsta
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    A bastardisation of Tolkien's work, laced with dire mis characterization and horrendous acting. Good visuals, but that's about it. A trainwreck for the ages.
  56. santiagaraga
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    What did I just watch, the sequel to The Wheel of Time? This is an absolute abomination. Rings of Power is a masterclass in sanitized corporate writing, reflected in every ounce of dialogue it pushes out of its utterly uninspiring anus.
  57. Albar
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    If they are going to make up stories and characters, why are they relating this show to Tolkien instead of creating a new franchise?
  58. JPSond
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Except for visuals and music, this series an epic fail. Galadrial worst character - nothing more to say. If your main character is broken, your show is broken.
  59. Specifique
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Basically, it's a bad, generic fantasy series with mangled Tolkien lore mixed in.
  60. genken
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    Great visuals. The idd made a great job. as a fantasy it can stand alone. but as a Lotr there is nothing of Tolkin's work there.
  61. Nam3sAr3Tak3n
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    You can't even call this fan fiction, even if the costumes so far look like cosplay, no fan of Tolkien's work would do such a disservice to his stories and characters. My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined.
  62. Lakatus
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    Was really hard to continue watching after seeing an elf with a modern haircut, but kept going. The acting is weak but watchable. What`s really bad is the script.
  63. movteX
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    the worst of the worst, Ive legit never seen anything that is so bad. It blows my mind how you can invest so much into a show and it come out like pure ...
  64. N1ghtwing
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Tolkien would have been furious at this adaptation and what they have done to his work. He was notoriously protective of his writing.
    "I would ask them to make an effort of imagination sufficient to understand the irritation (and on occasion the resentment) of an author, who finds, increasingly as he proceeds, his work treated as it would seem carelessly in general, in places recklessly,    Tolkien would have been furious at this adaptation and what they have done to his work. He was notoriously protective of his writing.
    "I would ask them to make an effort of imagination sufficient to understand the irritation (and on occasion the resentment) of an author, who finds, increasingly as he proceeds, his work treated as it would seem carelessly in general, in places recklessly, and with no evident signs of any appreciation of what it is all about. [...] The canons of narrative an in any medium cannot be wholly different ; and the failure of poor films is often precisely in exaggeration, and in the intrusion of unwarranted matter owing to not perceiving where the core of the original lies." - Tolkien The dialogue in this show is the most offensive part of all. Please go read the books and try to imagine anyone in Tolkien's works speaking the way they do in the show.    … Expand
  65. hjmaier
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    It was disappointing. Great visuals, but has nothing to do with Tolkien or Middle-Earth beside some name droppings. It could be a nice generic fantasy show, but it did not deliver the Tolkien vibes it had promised.
  66. NTM900
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Disregards all lore in such a way that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in an adaptation ever, changes are expected but this… this is destruction. Karen Galadriel is sooooo insufferable nothing like the true strong female character she is meant to be. Nothing in the language feels like Tolkien. The writers are perhaps the most incompetent I’ve ever seen, you have so much grand lore in yourDisregards all lore in such a way that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in an adaptation ever, changes are expected but this… this is destruction. Karen Galadriel is sooooo insufferable nothing like the true strong female character she is meant to be. Nothing in the language feels like Tolkien. The writers are perhaps the most incompetent I’ve ever seen, you have so much grand lore in your grasp as well as people like Tom Shipey to help interpret it yet you vomit up this load of **** lmao I’d hate to see them ever come up with an original story and world build for it… Expand
  67. andressupssa
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Just bad. No respect for the lore, a disrespect for the original source. Bad acting and directing.
  68. Taronss
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Awful. I hope 2 season won't announced.
    I don't think Amazon should have taken on this project. The creators absolutely do not understand how the universe of Arda should look like. Terrible cast, the appearance of the characters, their motives. Tolkien wanted to show with his work that revenge is destructive, destroys the fate of both the avenger and those around him. But the creators    Awful. I hope 2 season won't announced.
    I don't think Amazon should have taken on this project. The creators absolutely do not understand how the universe of Arda should look like. Terrible cast, the appearance of the characters, their motives. Tolkien wanted to show with his work that revenge is destructive, destroys the fate of both the avenger and those around him. But the creators think otherwise    … Expand
  69. JFRiley
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Cancel this before it causes more damage. As well all know this is NOT Tolkien, they just stole the name and pasted **** writing and characters over his legacy
  70. VentruexXx2808
    Sep 2, 2022
    3
    Look, for lay people who haven't even watched the old movies, they may like it but those who read the books will see that it has nothing to do with each other, they're just using the name and characters, big tech like Amazon has no interest in respect any work, they have already chosen the second era for that. Ps:A hug to the cast and backstage who were arrogant with the fans
  71. Frostedblakers
    Sep 2, 2022
    3
    I went in with no expectations and I'm glad I didn't. This show looks amazing, but the writing is a complete mess. Honestly if this wasn't Tolkien I would give this show a pass. Sadly, I'm a chump and will watch every episode!
  72. BellaSwan1992
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Pretty landscapes, video-game-quality CGI, a bunch of nobody actors in ridiculous costumes that look more like cosplayers than elves or dwarves. Galadriel in armor is utterly pathetic and hilarious and Tolkien would have shaken his head in disgust (at that , and at everything else). There is not one person working for Amazon who is at all in touch with Tolkien's philosophy of life (if theyPretty landscapes, video-game-quality CGI, a bunch of nobody actors in ridiculous costumes that look more like cosplayers than elves or dwarves. Galadriel in armor is utterly pathetic and hilarious and Tolkien would have shaken his head in disgust (at that , and at everything else). There is not one person working for Amazon who is at all in touch with Tolkien's philosophy of life (if they were they wouldn't be working for such a soulless mega-corp that exists to sell cheap Chinese crap and promote rampant consumerism).… Expand
  73. louielouie51
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Show is woke fan fiction. The new characters are trash and Guyladriel is cringe.
  74. valrond
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    If this was called a generic medieval fantasy, it would be just a mediocre, not very talented, boring, poorly written and acted show. It would deserve a 4-5
    But it bears the name of The Lord of the Rings. There is nothing here that reminds me of Tolkien, except for the names. The looks are wrong, the few "real" characters are wrong, and the story is a complete invention.
    Nothing to see here.
  75. JonathanSidwell
    Sep 4, 2022
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I can't decide whether it's meant for kids or adults; the writing is childish, the action scenes are violent, the characters don't make sense and it all just seems to be a massive "f u" to Tolkien fans with its pervasive yet shallow "interpretation" of the books.… Expand
  76. rockwithedog
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Bad Show, Bad Witring, Bad actors, a esse of time, a disperespect of original souce.
  77. GodGoose
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    NEGRY PIDORASY!!!!Fu nahyi kak eto smotret, tolkyen naverno seichas v grobu ohuevaet i krugi krutit!!!
  78. agusporti
    Sep 27, 2022
    0
    Totally dissapointing!! Nothing to do with Tolkien and Middle Earth. Galadriel spent a whole age with Melian and learnt nothing.
  79. Chancewi
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    This is not Tolkien, if this was just some generic fantasy maybe. Please stop ruining IP (s) that you don't even care about. This show is what is wrong with Hollywood. You wrecked Wheel of Time, season 7 and 8 of GOT, Star Wars, Halo and now this. Just stop already!
  80. JennyKat570
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is a disgusting show and like spitting on Tolkien's grave. He believed in the power of small, ordinary people to change the world through faith and courage. Amazon is all about using its huge wealth and power over the economy to dominate, manipulate, and control. If there's any justice this expensive show will be a huge failure and sink their whole streaming division (just as the OneThis is a disgusting show and like spitting on Tolkien's grave. He believed in the power of small, ordinary people to change the world through faith and courage. Amazon is all about using its huge wealth and power over the economy to dominate, manipulate, and control. If there's any justice this expensive show will be a huge failure and sink their whole streaming division (just as the One Ring was Sauron's one weak point).… Expand
  81. BasedBaj
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    The dialogue kills the show very early on and the acting is very bad to mediocre. Do not watch, if you do make sure you have LOTR trilogy on standby to use as eye bleach.
  82. enut_butter
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Terrible writing. Terrible cast. Fan fiction-tier plot. Terrible direction. This was worst than I ever anticipated.
  83. Ciccone29
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Que fanfic tan malo, van solo dos capítulos y es más que evidente él enorme cambio en la historia de la serie y sabiendo eso no me quiero imaginar que más se inventarán.… Expand
  84. stupidnewlotr
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Just awful. Feels like it was made to intentionally tarnish one of Europe's great cultural treasures. Who would want to do a thing like that? Who? Qui?… Expand
  85. edwardkenway121
    Sep 4, 2022
    0
    Woke garbage , Cringy characters . seems like it was written by a kid , worst characters i have seen in a long while
  86. theOUTCAST
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Do i really need to explain myself? Just gonna say that this isnt a tolkien story, or in his style, or anything even close to that. Just a randon series with people trying to make it popular using his name. Its looks more like a hate towards tolkien's work and stories.
  87. Erfaron
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Pretty, but empty, boring and uninspired. If you want to see some pretty special effects - that's your kind of TV show. If you want a good interesting story, talented charismatic actors, meaningful dialogs - better don't watch it, the show is not for you. The main heroine is annoying and predictable, all others are boring or unremarkable, in case of Celebrimbor- just doesn't look the part.Pretty, but empty, boring and uninspired. If you want to see some pretty special effects - that's your kind of TV show. If you want a good interesting story, talented charismatic actors, meaningful dialogs - better don't watch it, the show is not for you. The main heroine is annoying and predictable, all others are boring or unremarkable, in case of Celebrimbor- just doesn't look the part. The writing is full of clichés, lazy and uninspired. Tolkien/LOTR only by name. And whoever worked on the costumes, especially on armor, please try to do a much better job in the future projects. Music is ok though.… Expand
  88. OceanNights
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    A level VFX meets a bad BBC miniseries. Not worth the time really. Lacks a soul too.
  89. Jbwing
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    The most disappointing adaptation I have ever seen. It seems as if the show runners intentionally undermined Tolkien's work just to force their identity politics down the viewers throat. I just wish we could enjoy entertainment media without all this nonsense, especially when your job is to adapt an all time great writers work. Shame on you Amazon.
  90. Anomalicious
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    First Jeff Bezos forced millions of Americans to live on food stamps while working fulltime in his company, made them **** in bags, humiliated them in every way possible with no way to ever advance their lot in life. But then he saw them go home and enjoy their entertainment and fond memories of the past. So he went for that. This is a wholesale assault on your childhood, yourFirst Jeff Bezos forced millions of Americans to live on food stamps while working fulltime in his company, made them **** in bags, humiliated them in every way possible with no way to ever advance their lot in life. But then he saw them go home and enjoy their entertainment and fond memories of the past. So he went for that. This is a wholesale assault on your childhood, your entertainment, your time away from this demonic entity. Jeff Bezos will stop at nothing and ruin everything in existence until you are as hollow and empty as his soul.

    This show is an attack on human dignity.    … Expand
  91. liamshort
    Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Not a big fan of this… Given the money Amazon has thrown at it and the source material, I was expecting more. Not great.

    I’ve followed the controversy of this show, upon viewing we now know it was warranted!
  92. gkjones013
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    It's hard to find a place to start with this.
    Firstly, the interviews with the showrunners and cast were telling. They were more focused on diversity and modernizing a timeless fantasy tale than they were on crafting a great story and characters.
    Galadriel (now Guyladriel) was reduced from an Elven Enchantress titled The Lady of the Lorien, she's now some kind of armor-wearing elven    It's hard to find a place to start with this.
    Firstly, the interviews with the showrunners and cast were telling. They were more focused on diversity and modernizing a timeless fantasy tale than they were on crafting a great story and characters.
    Galadriel (now Guyladriel) was reduced from an Elven Enchantress titled The Lady of the Lorien, she's now some kind of armor-wearing elven warrior. Sauron (now Soyron) is some weird abomination that's supposed to be intimidating.
    The story is disjointed and lost as if it's being told to you by someone with dementia and they're trying to recall it. It's slow-paced and doesn't give you much to hold onto to stay interested.
    Many original characters from the Silmarillion were cut, and new original characters from Amazon were inserted.
    What had the potential to be a great timeless fantasy story based on European folklore from Tolkien, is weighed down by modern politics and poor story writing. Avoid and rewatch the LoTR or Hobbit movies, or better yet read the books, to get your fantasy fix.    … Expand
  93. thegrouch666
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Shame this is fan fiction. The locations look good, unfortunately they have ruined the story.
  94. tarandyd23
    Sep 2, 2022
    2
    Underwhelmed by the first episodes. Characters are not likable AT ALL (especially Galadriel, who comes of as a selfish brat). Lots of talk that sounds like it should be fancy and full of meaning is really just saying nothing. Elves really don't appear as higher beings in any way; just regular folks with pointy ears. Only saving grace is the look / CGI, which looks quite nice.
  95. Garrgrim
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    It seems the team had only one task - to make another woke show. Nobody, literally nobody cared about plot, characters, dialogues or atmosphere. It's just bad, it's just dull, predictable and generic. It doesn't have a story to tell.
  96. Fatmandu
    Sep 4, 2022
    0
    It's just another dull boring generic fantasy that may as well not have any association with Tolkien.
  97. TeddyLMacQ
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Really looking forward to this series. but it turned out to be a complete lack of respect for the author and the audience. The series is in the trash.
  98. BobFloss
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Lacklustre and miscast stars, few stand out, makes you want for an Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen or Elijah Wood. None of the actors sell the performance and its hard to get immersed with the dull characters and poor performances. Overuse of CGI reminiscent more of a video game than the practical effects of the original trilogy that used CGI sparingly but to good effect.
  99. KendraMorgan
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Passable and over used CGI. The characters are not recognizable from books I love so dearly. Bad writing and cringy dialog. Costume that stand out and looks cheap. This isn't Tolkien. It more like a generic fantasy then Tolkien high fantasy. There is so much lore breaking. If your a Tolkien fan. This isn't worth your time and you just end up angry
  100. Asmenol
    Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is NOT a Lord of the Rings, this is NOT a Tolkien - this is NOT of anything good at all. **** for idiots. Read books people XD
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Most Discussed TV Season of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Jo Livingstone
    Sep 16, 2022
    80
    Adar’s début drips with signifiers. ... When Adar informs Arondir in Episode 4 that he has been told many lies, some that “run so deep even the rocks and roads now believe them,” it is still a thrill. Tolkien succeeded in creating a mythic world, one that has now grown vast enough through acts of typological repetition and imitation to conquer television, too.
    Read full review
  2. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Chris Barsanti
    Sep 16, 2022
    63
    With war brewing and the forging of the rings seemingly still far off, the first half of The Rings of Power’s first season constitutes little more than stage-setting for the struggle to come. Given the lack of quests and central commanding figures, it often makes for less-than-gripping drama. However, given that there are four more seasons already planned, and potentially dozens of new characters to be introduced, the slow and throat-clearing build is possibly a good sign.
    Read full review
  3. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Sep 9, 2022
    90
    The Rings of Power is a reminder of what drew many of us to epic fantasy in the first place: wonder. ... This series set in an ancient realm displays one dazzling and painterly landscape after another. Power also doesn't skimp on action. [12 - 25 Sep 2022, p.10]
    Read full review
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