Season #: 3, 2, 1
User Score
3.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 2938 Ratings

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User Reviews

  1. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Disgracing Tolkiens legacy, shame on you Amazon. Evil cannot create, it can only corrup what is already good.
  2. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    That's a complete disaster. Better read the books or watch the LotR movies by Jackson
  3. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    It was full of Tolkien references for the ones of us who read the books. Seeing Celebrimbor taking life in other media than the videogame and the books was a pleasure.

    The visuals are astonishing and very powerful. It really resembled the vfx the LOTR trilogy had. The photography direction did a great job and gifted us beautiful scenarios. These are the results of caring for a project
    It was full of Tolkien references for the ones of us who read the books. Seeing Celebrimbor taking life in other media than the videogame and the books was a pleasure.

    The visuals are astonishing and very powerful. It really resembled the vfx the LOTR trilogy had. The photography direction did a great job and gifted us beautiful scenarios. These are the results of caring for a project and doing an effort for bringing up a really good product.

    The actors were, imo, very fond of their roles. Specially Elrond and Galadriel. Aramayo's and Clark's works were sublime.

    Production and Direction: although it was not directed by Peter Jackson, it is good to know that the books ideas were respected.
    Expand
  4. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Overall very disappointing as expected
    This is nowhere near the levels of the films by Peter Jackson
    Sadly this is a trend in theese times
  5. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Terrible writing, boring characters, awful dialogue. This was even worse than I expected. A disgrace to Tolkien. The sooner this is cancelled and memory-holed, the better for all Tolkien fans. AVOID!
  6. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Where this series has come to has completely stunned me. Disgusting cast, disgusting agenda. 0/10
  7. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    It destroyed all story. Really sad that they did it :(
    Hope to foget that I watched
  8. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Loving everything I've seen so far. Amazon does not have the rights to use the Tolkien's texts strictly, so it had to make some adaptations, but the entire universe is consistent with the writer's work and the events reported beyond what is described are believable.
  9. 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.
  10. 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)
  11. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Tragedia, odradzam oglądania, tyle możliwości i pieniędzy a zrobili coś takiego, masakra.
    Mam nadzieję że twórcy stracą na tym jak najwięcej.
  12. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is Tolkien in only name alone, I gave the show a chance, and was met with generic fantasy soap opera garbage.
  13. Sep 2, 2022
    2
    A bitter disappointment for a Tolkien devotee. Strays from Tolkien’s legend. Amateurish direction, poor acting, forced dialogue, little backstory, poor plot development, slow pace, and seemingly disjointed scenes. The Peter Jackson LoTR cinematography and musical scores were much better. Attempts to force feed you strong female characters in a legend where few females played much of aA bitter disappointment for a Tolkien devotee. Strays from Tolkien’s legend. Amateurish direction, poor acting, forced dialogue, little backstory, poor plot development, slow pace, and seemingly disjointed scenes. The Peter Jackson LoTR cinematography and musical scores were much better. Attempts to force feed you strong female characters in a legend where few females played much of a role. Representative casting in keeping with the 21st Century wokism principle of social equity. Bah Humbug! Expand
  14. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    “Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin good forces have invented or made”
  15. Sep 2, 2022
    2
    You can really see that budget in the visuals, but everything else falls flat.
  16. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    I don't know what to say. This series is overloaded with political correctness, with Tolkien only linked to him by names and characters...
  17. 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.
  18. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Fantastic! Incredible cinematography, scale, and scope. The world feels real with beautiful locations, lore, and world building. Great sense of mystery and wonder in almost every scene. Great casting. The dwarves finally look like dwarves! Perfect casting for Galadriel. She is amazing. Love the map and every place shown so far...including the sense of growing danger! A tour de force andFantastic! Incredible cinematography, scale, and scope. The world feels real with beautiful locations, lore, and world building. Great sense of mystery and wonder in almost every scene. Great casting. The dwarves finally look like dwarves! Perfect casting for Galadriel. She is amazing. Love the map and every place shown so far...including the sense of growing danger! A tour de force and great achievement for all stakeholders. Expand
  19. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Es wirklich sehr gut gemacht, in den ersten beiden Folgen passiert schon mehr als in einer ganzen Game of Thrones Staffel.
  20. 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.
  21. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This is disaster in Tolkien world! Absurd, epic fail. Nothing related to original lore.
  22. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Compared to the Peter Jackson trilogy it's absolutely awful. The CGI is great, which is expected from a billion dollar company, but the characters, the script, the tone of voice and the costumes are a disaster. I have very little hope for the future of LOTR.
  23. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    they approached Tolkien like your everyday action fantasy flick. They race swapped few characters (or better say they added new characters but race swapped these mythological creatures based on european myths that should have been played by white actors with african actors), put in some mary sues, cheesy combat and dull one liners.... if this was your ordinary modern day fun fantasy lorethey approached Tolkien like your everyday action fantasy flick. They race swapped few characters (or better say they added new characters but race swapped these mythological creatures based on european myths that should have been played by white actors with african actors), put in some mary sues, cheesy combat and dull one liners.... if this was your ordinary modern day fun fantasy lore people may get over it.... but this is Tolkien, and you dont f with Tolkien. He is not just father of modern day fantasy but actual intellectual and his books are worth study at Universities... not to mention he was christian and patriot who loved his country and language. Rings of power is just globalist tool of the lowest consumption level with bad casting, dialogues and absolutely generic CGI when the CGI isnt even that good to be honest.
    House of dragon may be meh but this is total disaster and we really dont need this type of adaptations at all...
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  24. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    what happened to the elves? it's not worth encouraging the creators to mock the classics by watching this ****
  25. Sep 2, 2022
    3
    De momento los dos primeros capítulos me parecieron aburridisimos. El casting de personajes muy malo y no me refiero al elfo negro. Pues es el ke mas me pega de elfo ya ke todos los demas son viejos y muy feos. Galadriel insufrible. Tipico protagonista femenino con cara de ajo frustrada y amargada. Es el resuldado de hacer una serie con muchísimo dinero pero sin talento. El hobbit es muchoDe momento los dos primeros capítulos me parecieron aburridisimos. El casting de personajes muy malo y no me refiero al elfo negro. Pues es el ke mas me pega de elfo ya ke todos los demas son viejos y muy feos. Galadriel insufrible. Tipico protagonista femenino con cara de ajo frustrada y amargada. Es el resuldado de hacer una serie con muchísimo dinero pero sin talento. El hobbit es mucho mejor adaptación del mundo de tolkien Expand
  26. 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
  27. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    What an absolute work of art! Immersive, big, cinematic!
    The first 2 episodes took me back to middle earth and the works of Tolkien.
    It delivers depth to the characters presented and leaves us wanting more. Good dialogues, a great explanation of what happened and the motivations (especially Galadriel), and impeccable scenarios, with drama, comedy, action and a bit of horror. Great
    What an absolute work of art! Immersive, big, cinematic!
    The first 2 episodes took me back to middle earth and the works of Tolkien.
    It delivers depth to the characters presented and leaves us wanting more. Good dialogues, a great explanation of what happened and the motivations (especially Galadriel), and impeccable scenarios, with drama, comedy, action and a bit of horror. Great performances! Morfydd, Markella, Ismael and Nazanin, Robert and Owain and all the other cast members did a great job! I'm excited to see the Numenor arc too.
    It's a series to rule them all!
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  28. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This series is the total corruption of Tolkien's universe, it feels like Sauron made this show instead the ring of power, a tv show to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
  29. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Beautiful outside, hollow inside
    I liked the Durin and Gil Galad. But that's pretty much it.
    I won't mention lore accuracy here, since the show for the most part is completly lore inaccurate. Galadriel is awful as the elves are generally. They are more or less eternal beings and e.g. Galadriel is 1000s of years old, but still they behave like not fully grown up humans. Also the Elves
    Beautiful outside, hollow inside
    I liked the Durin and Gil Galad. But that's pretty much it.
    I won't mention lore accuracy here, since the show for the most part is completly lore inaccurate.
    Galadriel is awful as the elves are generally. They are more or less eternal beings and e.g. Galadriel is 1000s of years old, but still they behave like not fully grown up humans. Also the Elves world/court seems to be kind of a modern politicians, don't like that.
    Landscape shots are fine, but often too much editing/CGI. The music isn't bad, but does not feel like a consistent piece, more like different themes mixed together. Also it often is to overpowered and kinda in your face.
    Well I kind of did accept the black elf and all, but the mixture of different ethnicities really stands out negatively. It just doesn't work like that. It would be quite easy to have all skin colors and ethnicities represented in the show but each as their own people. But they do it the lazy / bad way and it is not even like they got many ethnicities covered, only black/latino so weird way of "representing everyone".
    In terms of what happens, well not much in the first two episodes. But Galadriel swimming thousands of miles from Valinor to middle earth is really ridiculous.
    Hobbits (or not actually Hobbits, but Harfoots :/) are a bit annoying. They try to replicate the charme of the shire and very shortly it gives a bit of the warm feeling. But they spend too little time with it. Also why on earth (or rather on Arda) should they look like Hobos who rolled themselves in mud?
    The dialog often isn't very good. Often it feels like they tried, but often the result is poetry without substance, nice words but not wisdom in it.
    So yeah not great not at all. As a generic fantasy series it could be something average, but clearly it isn't what they aimed for and for Tolkien anything short of Great isn't good enough.
    Episode 1 feels like a beautiful but hollow shell, just not much substance. And in episode 2 the shell starts to break apart.
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  30. Sep 2, 2022
    7
    I'm not a big fan of fiction. But i know a little bit about the LOTR from video game and story teller channel on YT. Overall I like it. Amazing visual work, looking forward to the next episode.
  31. Sep 2, 2022
    3
    Disappointed that Amazon are gone the way of Netflix and forcing identity politics down our necks.
  32. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Basically a lie. This has nothing to do with Tolkien and has nothing to do with the spirit of Tolkien. When they didn't get the rights to the books they should have quit. Even without the insult to Tolkien the whole thing is terribly written and acted and is unimaginably awful.
  33. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    A complete disgrace to Tolkiens legacy. Awful. Pathetic. Without any respect to Tolkien. Worst hours I've spent in my whole life. I'll keep all my thoughts silent as I will be surelly banned here on MC for even mentioning such things..you know what I'm talking about for a 100%. Welcome to the Resident Evil/Batwoman camp. Waiting for the news about cancelation of this total garbage,A complete disgrace to Tolkiens legacy. Awful. Pathetic. Without any respect to Tolkien. Worst hours I've spent in my whole life. I'll keep all my thoughts silent as I will be surelly banned here on MC for even mentioning such things..you know what I'm talking about for a 100%. Welcome to the Resident Evil/Batwoman camp. Waiting for the news about cancelation of this total garbage, paraditing on the great LoTR universe. Expand
  34. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Tolkien is turning in his grave right now with this mess of show. What an abomination they created with this woke trash
  35. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Clickbait. It has nothing to do with Lord of the rings. I am sad for the great work of all actors and CGI artists. The show could be great if al the scenea didn't feel like they were shot for sharing the ideologicak views of the makers.
  36. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    I will give this show the greatest insult you can give after suffering through episode 1. I will be ignoring it entirely.

    I suggest the rest of you do the same, preferably before attempting to watch it. Especially if you enjoyed the books or even the first three peter jackson movies.
  37. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Roteiro catastrófico, ritmo cansativo, atuações ruins. CGI top. Duas horas de show sem nada demais. Não senti vontade de ver mais. Não sei se consideraria uma fanfic de Tolkien, pois para isso os escritores precisariam ser ao menos fans, o que fica claro que eles não se importam com a obra do Professor.
  38. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    A complete disgrace to Tolkiens legacy. The people in charge should be ashamed for tainting a great mans work like this.
  39. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Это не канон, всегд бляха эльфы были белыми какого черта их сделали темнокожими, вы на приколе Expand
  40. Sep 2, 2022
    2
    DO NOT WATCH! 2/10 PURELY FOR THE VISUALS

    It's just another generic fantasy series. No connection to any characters and no plot. Don't waste your time it's clear this isn't Tolkien's work. Amazon have literally thrown 500 million straight into the fires of Mt Doom.
  41. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Bold and dazzling - the risk pays off. What a wonder in today's world. Can't wait to watch the other 48 hours!
  42. Sep 2, 2022
    2
    I can't express how truly disappointed I am. Not just with Amazon, but also the Tolkien Estate itself for selling the rights to a company that clearly had zero interest or intent on remaining faithful to the source material. This is not Tolkien's vision of Middle-earth... it's bloated fan fiction at its absolute worst.
  43. 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
  44. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Just bad. No respect for the lore, a disrespect for the original source. Bad acting and directing.
  45. 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
  46. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    I am pretty sure that first time in my life I've felt pain in my heart while watching something. Grew up with Lord of the Ring and had hopes for this one but its 100% pure woke garbage.
    No consistency, Galadriel acts like toxic feminist ignoring all good advices, story is boring and everything looks like generic fantasy
    Few point for nice scense
  47. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    100% Garbage. Pirate it if you MUST watch it. Not worth a cent. A complete wokefest with every woke trope you can think off. It all comes off so cringe that even their target demographic won't like it despite being initially baited into watching for their shallow reasons.
  48. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    The nicest thing one could say is that it might just be incompetence that drove the creators to make this silly woke millennial fanfiction, but I think it's much more likely malice. They may not realize this themselevs but they hate everything Tolkien stood for (Christianity, the simple life, stable organic community, courage and faith in the face of powerful forces seeking to manipulateThe nicest thing one could say is that it might just be incompetence that drove the creators to make this silly woke millennial fanfiction, but I think it's much more likely malice. They may not realize this themselevs but they hate everything Tolkien stood for (Christianity, the simple life, stable organic community, courage and faith in the face of powerful forces seeking to manipulate and dominate others). Oh well, "evil cannot create, it can only corrupt what others have made" Expand
  49. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Я с детства люблю вселенную властелина колец, много раз пересматривал все фильмы, играл во многие игры. Грустно что повесточка в очередной раз испортила хорошую задумку. Когда я услышал про сериал, то очень обрадовался, но по трейлеру стало понятно, что сериал сделан для пропаганды. Впрочем и сам сериал из-за этого вызывал у меня смешанные чувства. Это полнейшее неуважение к фанатам. Жалко эльфов, ситуация похожа на нильфгардцев из Ведьмака. 0 из 10 Expand
  50. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Beautiful but cold and meaningless and sad
    Tolkien gave us an incredible universe worth of material but it was disassembled, combed for famous names, and glued back together into a formulaic blockbuster style plot with no substance and no depth.
    The silmarillion is history. In the lord of the rings universe it is fact, and it is what happened. They've ignored that entire lifetime of
    Beautiful but cold and meaningless and sad
    Tolkien gave us an incredible universe worth of material but it was disassembled, combed for famous names, and glued back together into a formulaic blockbuster style plot with no substance and no depth.
    The silmarillion is history. In the lord of the rings universe it is fact, and it is what happened. They've ignored that entire lifetime of meticulous work and cherry picked a few characters and vaguely familiar plot points and mixed them up with some fight sequences and absurdly high budget visuals to make money.
    I couldn't get through the first episode. This show makes me deeply sad and is the antithesis of everything Tolkien believed in and stood for. I hate this.
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  51. Sep 2, 2022
    2
    “Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin good forces have invented or made” - J.R.R. Tolkien

    Elves don't look like LoTR elves, female dwarves didn't have beards, Galadriel is not likeable in any way (even by the other elves), Elrond is bland and the only being that puts up with Galadriel, and the harfoots seem out of place in the world. I did like the set designs.
    “Evil cannot create anything new, they can only corrupt and ruin good forces have invented or made” - J.R.R. Tolkien

    Elves don't look like LoTR elves, female dwarves didn't have beards, Galadriel is not likeable in any way (even by the other elves), Elrond is bland and the only being that puts up with Galadriel, and the harfoots seem out of place in the world.

    I did like the set designs. Thats about it.
    Expand
  52. Sep 2, 2022
    5
    Visuals are amazing but there are some annoying choices like short hair elves

    Soundtrack is great Writers and dialogue pull down the show heavily With the first lines and scenes the writers show they do not understand Tolkien or LOTR as there is a strict diversion of Good/Evil. Gald Is poorly written as the vengeful, "can't get over it" warrior and feels far more like a Mary
    Visuals are amazing but there are some annoying choices like short hair elves

    Soundtrack is great

    Writers and dialogue pull down the show heavily

    With the first lines and scenes the writers show they do not understand Tolkien or LOTR as there is a strict diversion of Good/Evil. Gald Is poorly written as the vengeful, "can't get over it" warrior and feels far more like a Mary sue/Karen critics are talking about.
    Writers annoyingly devote significant screen time to awkward racism against the black elf and interracial relations as a statement about race in US again shows lack of interest in writing a LOTR story and priority of sending a message rather then making a good show. Half foot Frodo copy n pasta is unnecessary but I will say I enjoy the chief shaman one.

    Another potential good show ruined by writers who just want use a IP and "correct" it as their new chief Tolkien expert says after they fired the other one who disagreed with their choices. Also as an extra I will say do not positive or negative review bomb as this obliviously isn't a 0 or a 10
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  53. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    why was this made? 1 is just for the visuals but this is so bad on every other terms!
  54. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This insult to LotR cannot stand. Make sure you watch just hte first 5 minutes of the show and then turn it off, that shows up as a huge red flag in their statistics and will force them to conclude the show is a failure. Even better, cancel your Prime for a while after watching. Send a strong message that this isn't just a bad show, it's a slap in the face to a beloved story, done withThis insult to LotR cannot stand. Make sure you watch just hte first 5 minutes of the show and then turn it off, that shows up as a huge red flag in their statistics and will force them to conclude the show is a failure. Even better, cancel your Prime for a while after watching. Send a strong message that this isn't just a bad show, it's a slap in the face to a beloved story, done with intentional malice and disrespect. Expand
  55. 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
  56. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    NEGRY PIDORASY!!!!Fu nahyi kak eto smotret, tolkyen naverno seichas v grobu ohuevaet i krugi krutit!!!
  57. Sep 2, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Galadriel trying to swim across the ocean? Are you serious ? So this doesn't seem strange to anyone? I mean screenwriters. It's really a pity. Expand
  58. 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.
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  59. 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.
  60. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Even worse than I thought it would be, with a laughably bad script, wooden acting and outright disrespectful casting. Tolkien is nowhere to be found in this Bezos fiasco nor is any of the reverence and attention to detail seen in the Peter Jackson trilogy. So then what are you left with? Nothing and that's what I give it - nothing.
  61. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Absolute woke disaster. Lazy script, empty characters that have nothing to do with the original Tolkien.
  62. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    As Tolkien said, and many have quoted while speaking of this show, "Evil is unable to create anything of its own, it can only twist and corrupt what the Good has created". It's important to understand that this is not at all an "adaptation" of Tolkien. This is all fanfiction material that Amazon created out of whole cloth, badly, to deliberately inject their own brand of politics andAs Tolkien said, and many have quoted while speaking of this show, "Evil is unable to create anything of its own, it can only twist and corrupt what the Good has created". It's important to understand that this is not at all an "adaptation" of Tolkien. This is all fanfiction material that Amazon created out of whole cloth, badly, to deliberately inject their own brand of politics and values in a world originally built on Christianity and the power of friendship, community, and faith. Amazon by its very nature will always be the enemy of people like Tolkien and everything he stood for. Expand
  63. Sep 2, 2022
    2
    A level VFX meets a bad BBC miniseries. Not worth the time really. Lacks a soul too.
  64. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Great start , great Screen, best scenarios and cast, waiting foir next episodies, its only the beginning
  65. 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
  66. Sep 2, 2022
    9
    Playing with timelines a bit has paid off hugely for New Line and Amazon. The series is fantastic and everything fans of the films will want it to be
  67. 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
  68. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Tralasciando i nomi dei personaggi che appaiono nei testi di Tolkien il resto è tutto stravolto, altro che ispirarsi a...potevano semplicemente inventarsi anche i nomi (tanto non rispecchiano la personalità delle controparti cartacee) e chiamarlo in un altro modo. Bhè in quel caso sarebbe stato un inizio molto noioso e poco appassionante di una serie fantasy che appare mediocre. E suppongoTralasciando i nomi dei personaggi che appaiono nei testi di Tolkien il resto è tutto stravolto, altro che ispirarsi a...potevano semplicemente inventarsi anche i nomi (tanto non rispecchiano la personalità delle controparti cartacee) e chiamarlo in un altro modo. Bhè in quel caso sarebbe stato un inizio molto noioso e poco appassionante di una serie fantasy che appare mediocre. E suppongo che i primi due episodi siano anche i migliori, figuriamoci gli altri. Per fortuna è gratis. Expand
  69. 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!
  70. 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
  71. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    The show is rich and epic. The mythology is very complex so the beginning needs to set the stage and can't move that fast.
  72. 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.
  73. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Atrocious. Insulting. Grotesque. There aren't enough adjectives to describe just how disgusting Amazon's cheesy fanfiction is. This has nothing to do with anything Tolkien wrote (very much the opposite) and everything to do with modern ideological hatred of classical, transcendent beauty and values. "Evil cannot create, it can only corrupt what Good has made".
  74. 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”
  75. 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
  76. 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.
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  77. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Bad casting, bad acting, bad CGI, bad writing, and not faithful to the source material.
    The fight scene with the troll was actually comical in its absurdity. 20 slashes in 35 seconds, Slingshotting Galadriel with a sword and her facing away from the troll for most of it. Horrible cable stunts, very obviously she is suspended by cables and her facial expressions convey no discernable
    Bad casting, bad acting, bad CGI, bad writing, and not faithful to the source material.
    The fight scene with the troll was actually comical in its absurdity. 20 slashes in 35 seconds, Slingshotting Galadriel with a sword and her facing away from the troll for most of it. Horrible cable stunts, very obviously she is suspended by cables and her facial expressions convey no discernable emotion or acting ability.
    Not worth your time
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  78. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    A complete disgrace to Tolkiens legacy. The people in charge should be ashamed for tainting a great mans work like this.
  79. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    that's a disaster, I can't believe the people really can watch this........
  80. 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
  81. 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.
  82. 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
  83. 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.
  84. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Hollow plastic. It’s pretty, mostly, but has no soul. If they had called this Amazon’s dull fantasy story instead of lying about it being Tolkien, then it might be tolerable. But making a mockery of Tolkien’s work is unforgivable. Galadriel is one of my favorite characters from the books and what they have done to her is criminal. Guy-ladriel bears no resemblance to the character TolkienHollow plastic. It’s pretty, mostly, but has no soul. If they had called this Amazon’s dull fantasy story instead of lying about it being Tolkien, then it might be tolerable. But making a mockery of Tolkien’s work is unforgivable. Galadriel is one of my favorite characters from the books and what they have done to her is criminal. Guy-ladriel bears no resemblance to the character Tolkien wrote and was wonderfully portrayed by Cate Blanchett in the Jackson movies. This “version” is as snotty as the entitled white bread little girl playing the character. No acting going on. And the Elmer Fudd guy with pointy ears is pathetic. The scenes between Guy-ladriel and Elmer Fudd are a joke. The writing, characters and acting in this show are atrocious. The “hobbits” are stupid and obnoxious. The show would have been better without them. Most of the dialogue in the show is pathetic. It’s like something written for a high school freshmen dull writing class. To think thousands of Amazon workers had to piss in bottles so this travesty could be made. The show should not exist. It’s a waste of time and resources. Amazon could have done some good in the world with all the money they wasted on this puss filled pile of moldy garbage. Expand
  85. Sep 2, 2022
    6
    Amazing VFX , Costumes , Soundtrack and Cinematography Can't say much about the story yet and since it's adapted from an appendix that is more of an overview of the history of a Fantasy world than a story it could go both ways. Is it more engaging and well made than Netflix's Witcher Yes it is it's on a completely other level of production design.
    But a series can not rely on production
    Amazing VFX , Costumes , Soundtrack and Cinematography Can't say much about the story yet and since it's adapted from an appendix that is more of an overview of the history of a Fantasy world than a story it could go both ways. Is it more engaging and well made than Netflix's Witcher Yes it is it's on a completely other level of production design.
    But a series can not rely on production value alone the future will tell what it ends up being.
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  86. 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.
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  87. 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.
  88. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    Balance for orcs comments :)
    It's not Tolkien, not Jakson, but steel good 1st series which have a spirit of middle earth
  89. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    uwe boll was not so bad.this series can be considered a crime against all mankind
  90. 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.
  91. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I hate this **** so much that I stopped everything to create this account just to give a negative rating I hate this **** Expand
  92. 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.
  93. 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.
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  94. Sep 2, 2022
    1
    Show is woke fan fiction. The new characters are trash and Guyladriel is cringe.
  95. 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.
  96. 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.
  97. Sep 2, 2022
    2
    This is basically Tolkien's worst nightmare. A man who during his lifetime fought desperately to protect his works from **** adaptation during his lifetime. Read the actual books. Cause the creators sure as **** didnt follow or get the source material. The silmarillion (the source material) is one of the most amazing collections of stories ever, there NEVER was any need to rewrite or redoThis is basically Tolkien's worst nightmare. A man who during his lifetime fought desperately to protect his works from **** adaptation during his lifetime. Read the actual books. Cause the creators sure as **** didnt follow or get the source material. The silmarillion (the source material) is one of the most amazing collections of stories ever, there NEVER was any need to rewrite or redo or change ANYTHING. It is the absolute height of stupidity and vanity to presume that a couple of noobs with nothing of note to their name could change and improve upon one of the most beloved works ever. Expand
  98. 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.
  99. Sep 2, 2022
    0
    Чернокожие гномы, сильные и умные женщины, тупоролые мужики истерички, всё это вы найдете в этом сериале.
  100. Sep 2, 2022
    9
    Way better than I expected it to be. Great visuals and cinematography. Although the story makes some glaring changes from the original source material, it isn't enough to take away from the pretty decent plot they have going on.
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 40
  2. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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]