‘The Lord of the Rings’ delivers spectacle but lacks the dramatic power to rule them all
(CNN) 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. “The Rings of Power” should be a source of considerable curiosity, but amid an onslaught of big-budget streaming fare, this seems undeserving to rule them all.
Indeed, some of “The Rings of Power’s” shortcomings echo those of HBO’s lavish “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon,” which burns brighter by comparison. Based on the initial episodes, the gap between the characters audiences got to know in Peter Jackson’s trilogy and their ancestral counterparts feels even more pronounced.
The series format — episodes will drop weekly after the two-part premiere — also tends to invite some bad habits versus even Jackson’s notoriously long movies, with plodding interludes and a second episode that unfolds on multiple fronts without feeling as if a whole lot is happening, relatively speaking.
Enthusiasts of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ornate world will no doubt be tempted to luxuriate in the centuries-spanning approach to this tale, which picks up with an extended prologue regarding a vast and costly battle with the forces of Sauron, and his subsequent disappearance. While some hope for lingering peace, the revenge-minded Elvish warrior Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) remains vigilant, convinced that, as she puts it, “Evil does not sleep. It waits.”
Like “House of the Dragon,” “The Ring of Power” has sought to feature women and people of color more prominently, while capitalizing on the ageless qualities of the Elves, among other things, to provide connections despite the gaping time lapse between this series and the movies.
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