The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power review: A visually appealing series that needs to pick up pace

Amazon Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power releases on September 2 and as fans await the royalty that the creators have managed to build here, we watched the first two episodes and here’s what we thought about it.

We see Middle-earth in its Second Age, with glimpses of how Tolkien’s legendary and beloved characters will come together against all odds and across great distances to guard against the feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. Fates collide and disparate characters are tested in the face of impending evil.

The first episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power does manage to get you talking about what we left off in the trilogy earlier. Galadriel takes us back and reminisces Peter Jackson, making sure that the viewers do not feel a sense of discomfort here.

The visuals that this series have to offer are absolutely amazing. While we expect nothing less from the makers, it is also visually appealing to the point that watching the remaining episodes on the small screen now feels like a miss. We watched 2 episodes at the Asia Pacific premiere and it was absolutely the best, nothing less. If you like to watch grandeur, this sure is it.

Meanwhile, the ensemble cast seems to be an almost perfect fit for every character. Owain Arthur as Durin IV is one of my most favourite, purely cause of the comic timing that he boasts of. And of course, his equation with Robert Armayo’s Elrond is one thing that stands out equally well. As for the others in the primary cast, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel is a treat to watch. She might not always speak a lot but there’s something about the on-screen presence that she boasts of, it speaks just enough for her. Isamel Cruz Cordova as Arondir is also one character and actor to watch out for, for multiple reasons.

Markella Kavenagh as Nori is another of the standout performances and one of those characters that has full potential to become one of the all time favourites. Nazanin Boniadi’s Bronwyn is yet another character that might have various shades to it, making it an intriguing watch and how. And of course, there’s Cruz Cordova’s Arondir and the love angle that’ll brew, making things a tad bit more interesting.

While the show has great performances, amazing visuals, and a world that most definitely has so much to offer, one things that is a worry is how the pace of the series is not very fit for the OTT platform. Would I find myself forwarding the scenes here and there? Well, I might. While we get that the makers are simply taking their own time to develop the world of middle-earth, Numenor, and everything in between, one does need to have some kind of patience to pull through in the initial episodes.