Much has been said about the upcomingThe Lord of the Rings; The RIngs of Powerprequel, but now that some sources are getting early access to the series, it looks like Amazon’s take on the world of J.R.R. Tolkien has won the favor of critics.
TheLord of the Ringsseries won’t actually be released to the public until August in select theaters and September on Amazon Prime Video, but the press’ reception has been largely positive after seeing the series’ first couple of episodes. For example, despite admitting the pacing is slow at first, Gizmodo’sGermain LussiersaidRings of Power“instantly captured my imagination w/ captivating stories & characters in a Middle Earth that’s both familiar & new." Similarly, Collider’sSteven Weintraubclaims viewers will be blown away by how massive this Middle-earth feel, saying, “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."
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Also from Collider,Carly Lane-Perrypraised the show’s “Stunning visuals, compelling characters, and a magnetic lead in Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel.” This is an opinion that seems to echo the general feeling thatRings of Power’s enormous billion-dollar budget was spent in all the right places.Trent Moorewrites, “The massive budget just bleeds off the screen," claiming theRings of Powerwould not be out of place if put up next toPeter Jackson’s glorified trilogy, especially when it comes to visual effects and scenery, which is crucial to this kind of fantasy setting.
The New York Post’sLauren Sarnerchanneled some of the serious doubtsLord of the Ringsfans had expressed about the prequel. She recognized that she was “very pleasantly surprised. It is actually good! Very good! Visuals & tone are just right” for what she considers a fitting addition to the Tolkien library. Overall, these first two episodes seem to have convinced critics thatRings of Poweris, at least, well worth watching for fans of the franchise, some of whom have voiced their skepticism with a flurry ofdislikes falling upon everyRings of Powertrailerleading up to the premiere.
Rodrigo Salemfrom Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo says “the PROLOGUE itself will destroy any awful feeling you had” in response to that sense of wariness that appears to govern the fandom right now, noting howRings of Powerwould certainly benefit from a movie theaters experience for better enjoyment. Suffice to say, whatever critics say should be taken with a grain of salt, as productions likeThor: Love and ThunderandThe Terminal Listhave shown there’s a clear divide between audience scores and journalists, so perhaps it’s better for everyone to make up their own opinion.
Nevertheless,Game of Thronesspin-offThe House of The Dragonenjoyed similar fanfare from critics and audiences, which might just signal that HBO and Amazon are about to go head to head with two fantasy series of gigantic scale. It’s certainly a good time to be a fan then, just askThe Sandman’s Neil Gaiman.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerwill premiere on Amazon Prime Video, starting June 03, 2025.
