The rollout of the Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power TV series has re-energized Middle-earth fandom, and one thing is clear, we all love to get together, online, at conventions, and at the theater and talk Tolkien.
Reading The Hobbit during the Baggins Birthday Bash
The Baggins Birthday Bash, coming to Los Angeles at 11:30am on September 24 at Griffith Park’s Mineral Wells picnic area is the perfect way for SoCal Tolkien fans to gather and party like Hobbits. There will be games, there will be food, there will be plenty of Tolkien discussion going on, and I’m sure we can fit some fun in there somewhere.
Regarding food, in the before times it was a big buffet, and last year, we decided to ask everyone to just bring enough food and drink for their own party. This year, it will probably end up being a bit of a hybrid. Some will just bring what they want to eat, and a few will bring shareable dishes, and we’ll let the food and drink sort itself out. It would be nice if some folks bring extra picnic plates and cups, maybe some paper towels, and of course, everyone should bring a portable chair or blanket and a popup if you have it.
We would like to bring back the Cake or Cupcake contest for the best Middle-earth designed desserts. We’ve had some really creative and beautiful designs in the past, so start contemplating now on how to wow your fellow fans this year. Costumes are welcome, as usual, especially any new 2nd Age costumes. If we do trivia, there is a decent chance it will include some references to the Rings of Power show, since the 5th episode will have screened just 2 days before the picnic.
Please do RSVP on our Facebook Event page, located at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1271178800320132/ and read through the About Details, including selecting ‘see more’ to access the directions for those driving from different sections of Southern California in order to get to Griffith Park and the Mineral Wells section of the park.
The review embargo for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was lifted today and reviews are now coming in fast. The reviews have been generally positive, praising the epic feel and production, with a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%.
Here’s a growing list of reviews (and spoilers):
Many predicted Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ prequel would be a disaster. It isn’t.
Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a unique take, telling something of its own story using a distant time period of the lore that Tolkien mostly laid out in broad strokes. It’s a bold approach, and here fortune has favored it. The two-episode premiere marks a strong start, with breathtaking cinematography, excellent acting, and a story that – after a somewhat labored set-up – shows some serious promise and intrigue.
There are ways to do a prequel, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power does them all wrong. It takes six or seven things everyone remembers from the famous movie trilogy, adds a water tank, makes nobody fun, teases mysteries that aren’t mysteries, and sends the best character on a pointless detour.
This is TV that is made for big screens, although surely destined to be watched on smaller ones. It is so cinematic and grand that it makes House of the Dragon look as if it has been cobbled together on Minecraft.
Amazon’s long-awaited ‘Lord of the Rings’ prequel series slots well into the cinematic universe of Peter Jackson’s films, while establishing itself on its own terms.
For a television series, the production values are staggering. The sets feel huge and lived-in, the costumes are beautiful and intricate, and the digital effects are sharper than most movies.
It’s technically impressive, reasonably ambitious, packed with Easter eggs that I’m certain I’m not versed enough to get and, with my interest in different plotlines already varying wildly, it could fall off a precarious cliff at any moment.
I came to this series a skeptic, but after watching the first two episodes, I walk away a believer. What showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne have created is something simply staggering in scope and scale, in raw beauty and magnificence. It is nothing short of a masterpiece—and a welcome return to Tolkien’s legenderium.
Having invested hundreds of millions in mounting a series version of “The Lord of the Rings,” Amazon has gotten its money’s worth in production values but not storytelling, with a handsome prequel that could leave all but the most devoted Hobbits feeling more bored than lord.
Rings of Power is not just good, it’s great: a gorgeously immersive and grandly ambitious spectacle packed with stunning imagery and compelling plot threads. Most importantly, it captures the same sense of awe we felt while watching the Lord of the Rings movies — one we don’t often get to experience on the small screen.
It’s a series that wants dearly to set itself apart as a fresh take on the material, right down to setting itself an entire age before the adventures of Frodo Baggins and his Fellowship. But it also does everything it can to stir our nostalgia for the Jackson films, from costume to music to overall design, which can occasionally make it like a store-brand version of the same.
Though the eight-part debut season portends an imminent war between Elves and orcs — with Dwarves, humans and a precursor to the Hobbit race called the Harfoots in the mix — the copious and choppily edited action in the first two episodes (those screened for critics) is bloodless and computer-effects-driven.
By now you may be wanting to know what The Rings of Power is about. In a way, I feel the same. The first two episodes of the show are full of exposition, unhurried table setting and character introductions but not much else.
On the one hand, The Rings of Power’s unwavering focus on its heroes allows the show to truly spotlight several of its strongest cast members. Clark shines as a version of Galadriel who is more battle-hardened and outwardly headstrong than the older, wiser, and more ethereal iteration Cate Blanchett famously played in Peter Jackson’s movies. Owain Arthur nearly steals the show with his likable, charismatic turn as Durin IV, the dwarven prince of Khazad-dûm.
On the other hand, the lack of a major antagonist in The Rings of Power’s opening installments creates an unfortunate sense of waywardness. At times, the show’s disparate storylines feel like they are only connected by the vague notion that evil may be just around the corner. Consequently, there are moments — especially in The Rings of Power’s second episode — when the series’ continent-spanning structure feels frustratingly unwieldy.
This first quarter of the season is almost entirely setup for what is to follow, so it’s hard to render much of a verdict on the series from relatively unknown showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, who have contributed to movies including “Star Trek Beyond” and “Jungle Cruise.” Through two hours — both nicely directed by the talented J.A. Bayona (“The Impossible,” “A Monster Calls”) — “The Rings of Power” is intriguing but not quite engrossing.
The Fellowship of the Ring is a big influence here, and the characters go off on quests to investigate strange occurrences in the land while dark rumors from the previous war start to circulate again. The episodes do a commendable job of not only showing the enormity of the world and its history, but also giving the feeling of dread weighing down as the clues begin to be revealed.
Adjectives like “bold” and “ambitious” are par for the course when it comes to this franchise, and they absolutely apply to what we’ve seen so far of the show.
Two episodes in, the world-building is just as stunning and intricate as you could hope for. It’s the kind of show that deserves to be seen on the big screen instead of your phone, but that’s not going to stop fans from visiting Middle-earth via a six-inch display
…first-time showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay are content to take their time establishing the characters and laying the groundwork for what’s to come in a measured and deliberate way instead of giving viewers a taste of something and then jumping ahead years into the future by the next episode.
There are great performances throughout, including Clark as a Galadriel, who dances much closer to the darkness than one might expect from the future Lady of Lorien. There’s strong chemistry between Clark and Robert Aramayo as Galadriel’s friend Elrond, who at this point is but an ambitious young politician. However, the dwarves — Owain Arthur as Durin and Sohpie Nomvete as Disa — make the strongest impression.
From the tempestuous Sundering Seas to the glorious halls of the dwarven kings, each location is richly created. It’s clear how much of the budget went into making these places look as magical as imagined. On top of that, composer Bear McCreary’s soundtrack plays off the familiar tunes of Howard Shore’s iconic soundtrack and instantly tugs at the heartstrings of anyone who would find themselves affected by the music of Middle-earth.
TORn Tuesday’s co-host Justin flew around the world — at his own expense — to experience the first showings of Prime Video’s huge The Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power with fellow fans in NYC and London. Now having seen it twice, after years of the most spoileriffic leaks, here is his review of the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime.
Producers Lindsey Weber, JD Payne and Patrick McKay introducing themselves to fans in NYC
Back in 2002, I sat down in a theater full of fellow Ringers at midnight as an unknown jovial British man with a deep voice walked out to introduce The Two Towers. Andy Serkis had come at the invite of TheOneRing.net to opening night. Nobody knew who he was other than the IMDb credit and 3 seconds of trailer time — and this guy looked & sounded nothing like Gollum. There was also a lot of chatter leading up to the release of The Two Towers that book lovers were terrified of — that the elves had been reassigned from the books to honor the last alliance at Helm’s Deep (ruining Tolkien’s greatest battlefield reunion in The Return of the King). Leaked set pics showed Arwen fighting at Helm’s deep. Jar Jar Binks all-CGI characterization had “ruined” Star Wars, and all-CGI Gollum was ready to ruin Tolkien.
The lights dimmed. The screen showed the familiar landscapes. Then the camera dived INTO the mountain to replay one of the greatest scenes of Fellowship (natch, film history). Oh great, I thought, another film that does “when we last left our heroes” recap. And then the camera follows Gandalf as he falls into battle with Durin’s Bane, as an epic choral music laments their fall into the great chasm. I lept out of my seat! I couldn’t believe a movie had just shown me things I had never seen before, never expected, and a style of storytelling I didn’t think possible. The Two Towers changed my movie going life, and it is still my favorite of the trilogy.
My Rings of Power take after seeing the pilot episodes twice and really diving into the visual details:
Prime Video’s The Rings of Power brings back that feeling of discovery. It changes what television is capable of. It redefines multi-storyline TV. It completely immerses you in Middle-earth from the start, and delivers an incredible storytelling experience that stays true to the tone of Tolkien while necessarily charting a new path.
The Rings of Power finally delivers on Gimli’s promise to the Fellowship that his kin would provide a warm welcome in Moria. We finally see dwarven culture at its pinnacle — a fully realized society that is well-fed, well-worked, and well-machined. These dwarves will feel familiar to Hobbit trilogy fans, with great-looking, practical makeup FX (allegedly supported by Weta Workshop), but it’s the characterizations that really take this culture beyond the comedy of the movies. Fans of deep lore will rewatch the dwarven scenes to spot the many Easter eggs of items lost to time in the books.
All the other lands and races are equally fully realized, even the orc culture. We are all aware of the amount of effort needed to accomplish creative at this level thanks to Peter Jackson’s Appendices. It’s obvious hundreds of top creative talent are collaborating on this show. There is a visible sense of pride in the work from all the details both visual and narratively. This is a billion dollar TV show and it shows. It takes that much support to realize Tolkien’s vast imagination — which is larger in the Second Age than the Third Age seen in the films. The Second Age just has more of everything. More societies. More cities. More arid lands. More areas to explore. More destruction. My biggest fear now is that future seasons of The Rings of Power may not get the same generous budget, knowing what enormous cataclysms are to come.
Writing on the show is peak television at its pinnacle. Prime has assembled an all-star fellowship of writers from the best shows on TV — Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Hannibal, Game of Thrones, and more. Absolutely no characters from the vast collective on this show feel cardboard, short changed, nor one-dimensional. Everyone quickly has motivations created and their place in society established. TV has never seen a character break as bad as Sauron, the lord of all the rings, and the pilot episodes set up the stakes for Middle-earth.
J.A Bayona was absolutely the right director to establish the look and feel of this show. From his water work with The Impossible to the dark tones of Penny Dreadful, Bayona captures the existential dread that Middle-earth may not know is coming. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are living our collective fan dream overseeing this massive project. Their imaginations are reaching for the same great heights that JRR Tolkien famously attempted, yet still under the guardrails and guidelines he established. Tolkien envisioned filmmakers expanding his Legendarium with his “other minds and hands, wielding paint and music & drama” and these guys are up to the task. Having chatted with them many times over the last six months it’s clear that these other and hands are the right ones to continuing shaping the history of Middle-earth.
Fans may forget that Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings was full of no-name actors. It was Orlando Bloom’s first work, Billy Boyd’s first movie, and the biggest job for the hundreds of longtime kiwi actors. Rings of Power continues that tradition of unveiling top talent on the global stage. These folks are future stars. All the recent discourse of how they look and talk — also things fans also complained about in 2001 — is put to rest the minute the show starts. There is no wink at the camera or in-your-face notice me going on. These performances live in Middle-earth, period. Tolkien’s source text allow for a very expansive visual canon which the filmmakers are developing with the highest of standards. All the fears fans have of this “looking like television” are proven invalid. Better than other space and superhero TV shows, this is Middle-earth looking exactly like it should: the proper continuation of a $6 billion franchise and most-awarded film series of all time.
Even if it’s not a continuation. We have covered the rights situation numerous times over the last 4 years on this site and on YouTube. Testament to loyalty to JRR Tolkien is the involvement of Simon Tolkien (the current elder family stateman) in the production of the show, and no less that 11 living Tolkien relatives showing up to the London premiere. It’s a privilege to have Royd Tolkien a longtime friend of TORn, but to have his family there at The Rings of Power premiere unlocked a feeling I didn’t know this franchise needed: full support of the sub-creator’s legacy, and a proper continuation of his life’s work. There’s a trust in the show there, now, that I didn’t know was missing.
Royd Tolkien & Justin at the London ScreeningTolkien Professor Dr. Corey Olsen, Clifford Broadway and Nerd of the Rings debate lore of the TV show in NYC
I’m looking forward to the many debates fans will have, and we will have at TheOneRing.net, over the choices made by the filmmakers. I’m reminded of the TORn staff that walked out of The Two Towers theatrical opening, disgusted that Frodo and Sam were at Osgiliath with an unrecognizable Faramir. My favorite film of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings has its detractors and I respect their perspectives, and The Rings Of Power will undoubtedly generate similar debates that can only strengthen our love of Middle-earth. Maybe we should bring back RINGER REVIEWS so all us fans can share our assessment of each of the 50 episodes to come.
As I walked out of that first screening, and now a second one in London, my one word review of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power two-part pilot remains:
PERFECTION. No Notes.
Huge thanks to all the teams at Prime Video that have supported the fans throughout this journey of creation, for inviting hundreds of fans to these free screenings around the world, for all the support at Comic-Con and DragonCon, and for all the friendly (sometimes intense) conversations as we shared the excitement for this show. Fans are happy to be seen, and will be very happy with the finished product.
Tune in every Tuesday at 8pm ET for TORn Tuesday LIVE with Clifford & Justin, and chat anytime on the TORn Discord at https://discord.gg/theonering
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 30: General atmosphere at “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Prime Video)
Prime Video Hosts J.R.R. Tolkien Homecoming in London’s Leicester Square for theWorld Premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Ahead of the September 2 Premiere
The highly anticipated Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power honoured J.R.R. Tolkien by ending its epic global tour in the United Kingdom with its world premiere in London’s Leicester Square. Prime Video brought nearly 2,000 people—including cast, producers, and fans—into Middle-earth in advance of the series’ September 2 debut.
Members of the Tolkien family attend “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Prime Video)
The London premiere represented the final stop in the series’ five-city world tour that started in Los Angeles and included Mexico City, Mumbai, and New York City before culminating in Tuesday’s historic Leicester Square premiere.
Our lovely greendragon at “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Prime Video)
A fully immersive, Ring-shaped carpet took cast, crew, and guests on a narrative journey through five realms of Middle-earth, as they interacted with media and fans on their way into the Odeon Luxe and Cineworld in Leicester Square. The center of the 2,000-foot-long circular carpet was anchored by an exquisitely hand-crafted 40-foot-tall structure representing the five realms depicted in the series: The Elf capital of Lindon; the Dwarven realm of Khazad-dûm; the island kingdom of Númenor; the Southlands, the world of Man; and the Wilderlands, the home of the Harfoots. Five customized lanterns representing the five realms lit the way for cast down the carpet, each with different light sources: Fire and coal for the Dwarves, the Harfoots’ fireflies, Númenor’s oil lamps, the Southlanders’ caged candles, and Elven glow.
A living environment was created with a multitude of plants, grass, moss, vines, and 100 large-scale trees. A multilevel environment, mimicking the mountainous and hilly topography of the world, was created with various levels and vantage points, with greenery that will be repurposed or recycled following the event for future use.
Attending the global premiere were all 22 of the series’ cast regulars: Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.
Also attending the premiere were showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay; executive producers Lindsey Weber and Callum Greene; directors Wayne Che Yip and Charlotte Brändström; writer and executive producer Justin Doble; series composer Bear McCreary; production designer Ramsey Avery; concept artist John Howe; supervising dialect coach Leith Mcpherson; and casting director Theo Park.
Amazon executives in attendance included Jeff Bezos, Founder & Executive Chairman; Jeff Blackburn, SVP Media & Entertainment; Mike Hopkins, SVP, Prime Video, MGM and Amazon Studios; Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios; Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television, Amazon Studios; Albert Cheng, COO of Amazon Studios, among others.
The first two episodes of the multi-season drama will launch on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on Friday, September 2, with new episodes available weekly.
Tying in with the upcoming release of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tv series, Amazon Books has launched a new Lord of the Rings Book Club.
The Book Club will be starting in September with The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers will follow in October and finishing in November with The Return of the King. To take part visit www.amazon.com/lotrbookclub.
Press Release
On August 25th Amazon Books launched its newest Top Book Club, this one centered around The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy and hosted by the Amazon Book Review’s Managing Editor, Marcus Mann. The LOTR Book Club will start in September and continue monthly, covering: The Fellowship of the Rings (September), TheTwo Towers, (October), and The Return of the King(November).
A beloved franchise, LOTR has always had a passionate and engaged reading fan base, and with all of the reader excitement for Prime Video’s ‘Rings of Power,’ Marcus will be reacting and discussing the various connections between the books and the show as the series airs. He will host an interactive club where members can celebrate a shared love of the series and live video discussions.
“Reading The Lord of the Rings has been one of my favourite escapes since I was a child, when the series first captured my imagination,” said Marcus. “I’m thrilled to be able to take this journey through Middle-earth again with readers around the world in our new Amazon Book Club. I can’t wait to share the experience and learn from the perspective of old fans and new alike!“
Amazon Book Clubs is a free service where readers join book clubs of all genres or create their own. To join the LOTR Book Club and start discussing with fellow Tolkien fans, visit www.amazon.com/lotrbookclub.
The embargo on social media first impressions has lifted. So, without further ado, here’s what various media folk are saying about the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Social media embargo is up for #LordofTheRings#TheRingsofPower#LOTR, so: I’ve seen the first 2 episodes. I had been skeptical…but I was very pleasantly surprised. It is actually good! Very good! Visuals & tone are just right. IMO, a great addition to the Tolkien world
#TheRingsofPower is CINEMATIC EXCELLENCE. The scale of this story has never been done before, making each moment EPIC & BREATHTAKING. The marriage between practical and computer generated effects will set the standard for everything that follows. @LOTRonPrime@PrimeVideoCApic.twitter.com/Grt3wsUUtC
#TheRingsOfPower is a CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE! The visionary team behind it has produced an epic that dives into its roots and delivers a story like no other. Its production is beyond comparison, masterfully orchestrating a mythology that fans have been waiting for. Bravo! pic.twitter.com/nvebQkdEx7
Have seen the first 2 episodes of the @primevideo's #LordOfTheRings series. Prepare to be blown away by the scale and scope of #TheRingsofPower. I don’t know how they managed to pull this off, but they made a ‘Lord of the Rings’ show that feels like ‘Lord of the Rings.’ ½ pic.twitter.com/OTZjH41WTS
— Daniel Baptista – The Movie Podcast (@dbapz) August 24, 2022
Definetly watch it on the largest screen you can. The world is breathtaking #TheRingsofPower
— Brock MyLaughlin Romance (@brockmclaughlin) August 24, 2022
#TheRingsOfPower is truly an impressive feat. All the money is on the screen thru its impeccable production design, costumes & FX. Manages to wield the power of Tolkien’s fantastic world building while making unique & stunning touches of its own. Wonderful character work, too! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RS2zbWl8kA
The Lord of the Rings: #TheRingsOfPower instantly captured my imagination w/ captivating stories & characters in a Middle Earth that's both familiar & new.
The story/setup is so dense, however, the pacing in EPs 1 & 2 is rather slow, but it definitely leaves you wanting more. pic.twitter.com/nJJSHFMaLo
I've seen the first 2 episodes of #LordOfTheRings#TheRingsOfPower. It is stunningly gorgeous to look at, and the score is beautiful. It also takes a while to get going, and there's a LOT going on. But for fans of the movies, it'll take you right back at points once it's rolling.
The first 2 eps of #TheRingsOfPower are… so far, very great. The trailers have already shown the show’s brilliant visual spectacle the seeds are planted for a rich & intriguing story that left me wanting more.
@brockmclaughlin checked out #TheLordoftheRings#RingsofPower in LA: "From what we've seen so far, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, is a much different beast than other fantasy shows out there in both presentation and story. It's bright, bold and full of hope" pic.twitter.com/56WHP5PXnn
I watched the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: it’s grand, bold, and ambitious, and I absolutely loved it. The shots of Middle-earth were stunning and I wish everyone could see it on the big screen pic.twitter.com/agmGn3PrbZ
I've seen #RingsofPower and I can say for certain you're in for a treat. Big, bold, and beautiful to behold. TBD if it'll sit alongside Jackson's films or deserve Tolkien's name, but for now it's all the maximalist pizazz one might expect from a historically expensive production. pic.twitter.com/Fgwh5L8eYC
I can now say that the first 2 episodes of #TheRingsOfPower are as cinematic as fantasy can be on TV. Feels made especially for Tolkien fans and is as *epic* as LOTR should be.
JA Bayona and cinematographer Óscar Faura continue to make magic together, a real dream duo. pic.twitter.com/YsBRrpf6Mb
this is just to say that i have seen the first two episodes of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER and am battening down the hatches to prepare for my old-and-yet-also-new hyperfixation
Amazon’s new #LordOfTheRings series #TheRingsOfPower is impressive. The massive budget just bleeds off the screen, and it *feels* like something that would fit alongside Jackson’s films. But even with such a huge world, it’s never overwhelming and keeps it’s focus.
“#TheRingsOfPower é uma obra-prima cinemática! A equipe visionária produziu um épico que mergulha em suas raízes e oferece uma história como nenhuma outra. Sua produção é incomparável, orquestrando com maestria uma mitologia que os fãs esperavam. Bravo!” @AJJetsetpic.twitter.com/KUwItXuKUd
Having seen the first two episodes of #RingsOfPower, I have to admit I was surprised how much I liked it. The lush and expansive series very much breathes new life into the franchise. And it’s a show that I think people will enjoy once they allow themselves to be sucked into it.
Here’s something you probably didn’t expect to hear. I thought #TheRingsOfPower was pretty great. Interesting new characters. Unusual locations. The looming threat of Sauron and some spectacular visual imagery. I devoured the episodes, and am excited to watch more. pic.twitter.com/uCTsjnLZpZ
I’ve seen the first bit of ‘Rings of Power’ and am immediately transfixed. It’s like being pulled back into Jackson’s trilogy, but this prequel is a stunning adventure that’s totally different. I cannot wait to see more. pic.twitter.com/OPqcvgbY96
Two episodes of #TheRingsOfPower in and … so far, so good! The production value is pretty remarkable. One breathtaking visual after the next, and the level of detail in the costume and production design is something else. As for the story/characters … pic.twitter.com/n2HeKHdKPM
I watched the first two episodes of #TheRingsOfPower and I was blown away. I was always more of a casual fan, with no great attachment to the source material, so I expected this to be too much for me. At times it is, but it's still engaging enough all I wanted was to know more.
RINGS OF POWER: I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen thus far — it’s often hard to tell where the VFXs end and the sets begin, Morfydd Clark is a damn star and the world is so well rendered — but it feels like the whole thing is a tightrope act that could still go either way.
"Rings of Power" is a cinematic experience. In a perfect world, we would watch it on a big screen. It's pure Tolkien and yet feels very connected to Peter Jackson's movies. The FX are brilliant, the acting is superb and the PROLOGUE itself will destroy any awful feeling you had. pic.twitter.com/OQujU0qOYP
#RingsOfPower are very much in the vein of the #LordOfTheRings films than the Hobbit. It is good stuff. You can see the budget at work. Acting is great. @LOTRonPrime
Watched the first 2 episodes of #TheRingsOfPower and it's a powerhouse of storytelling that reaffirms why I love LOTR and the kind of world building that empowers and inspires. Also, badass women. Can't forget about them! ❤️ @LOTRonPrime@PrimeVideopic.twitter.com/8ss0ixNb3n
I can finally publicly admit I've seen the first two episodes of #RingsOfPower and it is spectacular. I'm not enough of a #LOTR superfan, so I'm reacting to what I see on the screen. Which is a spectacular, complex worldview that rivals the Peter Jackson films.
"Os Anéis de Poder" não é a melhor coisa que vi na TV neste ano.
Foi a melhor coisa que vi neste ano.
PONTO.
Os dois primeiros episódios são puro suco de Tolkien (diálogos, diálogos!) ao mesmo tempo em que se conectam visualmente com os filmes de Peter Jackson. pic.twitter.com/7CLfk56V7t
I’ve seen the first two episodes of Rings of Power!
I really, really dig it so far. It’s slower, and I’m savouring all the build up. Beyond a couple of cheeky nods, it’s not trying to be Jackson’s trilogy, it’s standing apart on its own, and I am so excited to see where it goes
I've seen the first 2 eps of #TheRingsOfPower. Yes, it's as visually stunning as the trailer promises.
It also sets the stage well for the clearly epic tale heading our way. I liked some characters/storylines more than others, but I'm hooked & ready for more#TheLordOfTheRings
Just got out of the NYC premiere of Rings of Power, it was absolutely incredible. I’m so excited for everyone to see it because it was well worth the wait pic.twitter.com/DByGeJaVWw
I have seen the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and they are a total joy. Watching it feels like stepping back into Middle-earth. I cannot wait to see where this story goes.
Really, really fun. I remember buying the Silmarillion as a schoolboy when it was published and it very much not being the prequel I was hoping for. This is the sort of thing I wanted to experience back then. I'll watch the whole series when it drops, with enthusiasm. https://t.co/eEcGJvCOjk
The embargo is over and it's now safe to say I've been in Middle Earth! Saw the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power at a preview screening. Look forward to more #LOTRROP! In theaters 8/31 before 9/2 streaming on@PrimeVideo#jrrtolkien#LordOfTheRingspic.twitter.com/h6Dpla4m8h
After seeing the first two episodes of the series, many of my fears about the show have been assuaged and I’m looking forward to watching these stories unfold this fall. 2/2 #PrimeVideoCreator#TheRingsOfPower@LOTRonPrime@PrimeVideo
— Dana (Store Name) #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) August 24, 2022
Gotta admit I wasn’t overly excited about #TheRingsofPower Then I watched the first 2 episodes & I’m fully converted. The production is beautiful w/ excellent blend of physical & VFX. Great cast who pull you into the various plots. It’s now on my ‘most excited to see more’ list pic.twitter.com/yxZbay2uXp
We're allowed to talk (a little) about #TheRingsOfPower now and the show is absolutely gorgeous. It's not a franchise I'm wildly familiar with, but it was still engaging and I'm curious to see more.
Yup, I’ve seen the first two episodes of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER. So far, it’s incredibly fun and promising, but moreover, gorgeous. Watch on the biggest screen you can. My only caveat is I can easily see how the plot could fall apart beyond Ep 2 or totally rule pic.twitter.com/c6pwFej8nC
Had the pleasure of joining a theater full of Tolkien fans in watching the first 2 episodes of #TheRingsOfPower . Can’t wait to say more, but there were more things for deep lore fans than I expected, and I walked away excited for what’s to come. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/f0T8IYJLuc
It looks like I had more of a mixed reaction to #TheLordOfTheRings#TheRingsOfPower than many of my peers 🤷🏻♂️ I’ll be unpacking what did and didn’t work for me about the show’s first two episodes over at @Polygon next week, so watch this space! pic.twitter.com/sSkSrQhWEW
