I think we are just going to have to accept that Peter Jackson’s original The Lord Of The Rings trilogy will simply never be equalled.
Certainly not by The Rings Of Power.
Season three of the show was a slight retooling, pushing it five years via a time jump and bringing things into a much more recognisable series of events in Middle Earth.
The reviews have now landed, and they remain as mixed as ever.
The new series begins with a war raging, and Sauron hunting for the secret to forming the One Ring, as Khazad-dûm, Númenor, and the elven realms of Lindon and Rivendell begin to mobilise against the stronghold of Barad-dûr.
Here’s what the summary pages say:
“If you accept its flaws, you can find some moments to love. It’s not going to change the world like Jackson’s films, but it might be enough for those who long for more of Middle-earth’s magic, even if it’s just fleeting glimpses of it.”
Samantha Nelson, Polygon
“Rings of Power season 3 holds a mirror up to itself, the struggles for power reflecting the struggle for priority in a season that is, overall, leaner, meaner, and much more gratifying than any of its predecessors.
Graeme Guttman, Screen Rant
“Where levity would really help, instead we’re bombarded by grandiloquence, purple prose and Tolkienesque affectations. The script is just as turgid and sententious as it ever was, weighed down by its unearned gravitas.”
Erik Kain, Forbes
“The season gets enough fresh energy from new characters — original and canonical — and intriguing narrative innovations that the show still remains one of the most engrossing fantasy epics on TV right now.”
Hoai-Tran Bui, Inverse
“Its third instalment delivers a tighter and more interesting narrative, with key moments from Tolkien’s writing being balanced with original storylines that add layers to the lore.”
Louise Griffin, Radio Times
“While ‘The Rings of Power”s third season is made with love—no one could craft a world that looks this close to Tolkien’s descriptions otherwise—it also no longer feels confident about what it’s trying to say.”
Lacy Baugher, RogerEbert.com
“The Lord of the Rings may engender enough goodwill to give The Rings of Power a little leeway, but a full season lacking in evident ingenuity and attentive investment is enough to strip away the nostalgic sheen.”
Ben Travers, Indiewire
The first four episodes of the new season arrive on Amazon Prime tomorrow.
