If all we have to do is decide what to do with the time we have, Rings of Power Season 2 is a good choice; something that can’t be said about its overly busy opening.
“Much of man’s misery is his own fault,” says a character in Season 2 of Rings of Power. This sentiment rings true for the most demanding Lord of the Rings fans: sour-faced purists and film fans who can’t stand deviations from the (saturated, often contradictory) source material. Hold on to your old books and stick with the original trilogy. This isn’t for you.
Apart from the unruly spectators, it had large Problems in the opening block: undeniably dazzling imagery inspired by Peter Jackson without his dynamism, a rigid facsimile of greatness; a crowded, far-sighted story built on the observable chemistry of some characters (Elrond and Durin!) before coming to a halt with each plot jump; and a melodramatic writing style that dubiously imitates the poetry of Tolkien’s storytelling, while throwing in tricks and shrugging moments.
It’s certainly not the “great story of our time” (that honor goes to House of the Dragon), but after walking through freezing rain for the first time, the skies have calmed and the sun has revealed itself; and in the light “all darkness must flee.” I will go there and back again.
Rings of Power S2 shows a path into the (un)known
After a brilliantly suspenseful and slimy opening featuring Old Sauron (Jack Lowden in a standout guest role), Adar (Sam Hazeldine, effortlessly outshining Joseph Mawle with the kind of sensitive, surprisingly poignant performance you’d find in Westeros) and his children, Season 2 picks up fittingly after the titular rings of power have been forged by Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards).
The tides of fate are flowing, but not in the way the elves hope: Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Gil-Galad (Benjamin Walker) believe in the “power of the rings over the flesh,” but Elrond (Robert Aramayo) believes they are blind to Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) secret manipulation. And that’s before we get to Galadriel inadvertently paving the way for the Dark Lord’s return – oops, I guess.
While Sauron invents a new form to get to Eregion, the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) and Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh) embark on an adventure to Rhûn. No spoilers, but they are watched by a mysterious dark wizard (Ciarán Hinds) and meet one of Tolkien’s most mysterious characters on screen for the first time: Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear, arguably the star of the entire season).
Prime VideoOh, and then there’s everything that’s going down in Númenor – sorry, I just had to yawn – with Elendil (Lloyd Owen), Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle), not to mention Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) and Isildur (Maxim Baldry). My heart sank every time the series turned to its opulent shores; mortals are boring, their petty, selfish squabbles pale next to the eternal battle between light and darkness, and the sooner that side of the world goes down, the better off we’ll be.
The problem is not the inevitability of the Ring. After all, we know that Sauron will forge the One Ring, that Isildur will eventually cut it from his hand, and that many years later a young hobbit from the Shire will hurl it to its inevitable end in the fires of Mount Doom. But the season fails to convey the gravity of the developments in Númenor in the context of the suffering of Middle-earth, and its characters are mostly written stiffly or banally.
Rhythm and dynamics
Otherwise, the show is (mostly) a delight. The Stranger and Nori’s quest – a mystical, dangerous fable about the true nature of the self – is entertaining and winds through Rhûn’s sandlands, full of mischief and milestones. Don’t expect too much from the dark wizard, but look forward to Bombadil, a “wanderer, not a warrior” who speaks in homely phrases and exudes the warmth of the Shire; through Kinnear’s portrayal, he’s basically Hagrid from The Lord of the Rings.
Galadriel’s fear and grief over Halbrand’s villainous turn is a compelling thread; how such a formidable commander can be so weakened by a mistake that anyone could fall victim to. Clark is (once again) excellent in her role; a soft-spoken, verbose, ethereal swashbuckler. Her supporting cast also delivers excellent performances, but one newcomer deserves special praise: Círdan, played by Ben Daniels, who has exceptional charisma.
Prime VideoI haven’t even mentioned the plight of the dwarves of Khazad-dûm (their stuff is great and it’s the most haunting set in the show…that’s all I can say), but the strength of the season lies in the insidious, tragic relationship between Sauron and Celebrimbor; a god of disgusting hubris appealing to an elf’s ego. Vickers is on diabolical form, while Edwards keeps finding compassion when his self-assurance begins to wane.
Unlike the first season, there is synergy and rhythm in the episodes; each sequence complements the next, either by setting up an exciting scene (Galadriel and co. versus the Barrow-Wights, the stranger wielding his magical powers) or by providing small, poignant moments of character development to ponder. By the end of the season, it feels like a closed chapter; a rich and exciting reward after slogging through the first few pages.
The action is a television miracle… especially
It’s no secret that Season 2 climaxes with the Siege of Eregion, a battle that spans several episodes and involves elves, orcs, and Sauron. It’s here that the series’ reported billion-dollar budget shows its fiery, bloody, and epic glory, rivaling the best battles on Game of Thrones, with crisp choreography (apart from some lackluster sword fights between…) certainly characters) and medieval warfare with catapults and rams.
There’s a problem, though: While the camerawork does a stunning job of imitating the wide-angle shots of Middle-earth landscapes from Jackson’s films, with sunburnt silhouettes riding over hills and elves climbing over mountainous terrain, it’s woefully uninspiring in terms of action.
Prime VideoSuddenly the direction and framing become feeble and stiff; if you compare anything in Rings of Power to Aragorn arriving to fight the Uruk-Hai in Fellowship of the Ring, it seems a little worse. The camera should be whizzing and wild; the images should be full of dramatic shadows and stronger contrasts. At its worst, it feels like television when it should really be capturing its cinematic heritage. The CGI is generally good, but there’s a nagging feeling that none of the sets are inhabited; almost every location feels artificial, like a studio tour of Middle Earth rather than the real thing.
At least the music is brilliant (even if it can’t compete with Howard Shore’s eternal scores). A closing track – “The Last Ballad of Dimrod” – mixes the thunderous style of Bear McCreary with the vocal talents of Meshuggah’s Jens Kidman and gets the pulse racing. JD Payne and Patrick McKay have found a narrow path through the chaos of the first season – with a few minor tweaks, this could be exceptional television. For now, it’s just really good.
Rating of Rings of Power Season 2: 4/5
Will the second season of Rings of Power bring lasting peace to Lord of the Rings fans? Not at all. The series boldly and often grippingly forges its own path through the chaos and deception of the Second Age, with stunning production values and – thank the Valar – a satisfying story that leaves you wanting more.
Contrary to what the Ents say, this time it won’t take forever to forgive.
Ahead of the premiere, catch up on the release of Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 1, and check out our guides to Morgoth’s origins and powers, Rings of Power filming locations, and our interview with Morfydd Clark.
