‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Series Review - All Hail Dark Lord

Now that the first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has concluded, we can safely pass the verdict that it's out and out designed to dazzle with visual effects. The real heroes of The Rings of Power are those who worked on the VFX. Only after praising them can we move on and appreciate the actors. If this spectacle sometimes manages to show signs of being touched by humans, that's because the thespians perform with conviction. They attempt to give soul to this production that otherwise refuses to let in any trace of emotions.

Don't be surprised then if you find yourself unmoved during Sadoc's last moments. The characters sit down and embrace the light of the sun, but the moment is devoid of warmth, and your eyes do not mist over with sadness. But since the eighth episode concludes the first season, The Rings of Power derives strength from some shocking twists and turns and revelations. The major one is that Halbrand is Sauron. Remember Nori's friend, The Stranger? The mystics refer to him as Istar. Yes, he is a wizard.

As far as Númenor is concerned, the old king has died. Before taking his last breath, he mistakes Eärien for Míriel and sends her into a secret passage. Míriel, on the other hand, has become blind and does not immediately register the tragic state of her kingdom. What else? Oh, Galadriel and Elrond meet each other at Eregion. It's here where Halbrand is treated (he was severely injured after the eruption of Mount Doom). When he gets better, he presents a solution to Celebrimbor regarding the maximum usage of a small amount of mithril. Galadriel begins to suspect Halbrand and orders one of her men to carry out an investigation. After looking into old records, she finds out that the last King of Southlands died thousands of years ago, and he left no heirs. When Galadriel confronts Halbrand, he reveals to her that he is Sauron. Moreover, he tries to manipulate her into taking his side, but she rejects his advances.

Sauron escapes to Mordor, and Celebrimbor creates three new rings for the elves to use as a weapon. I admit, The Rings of Power ends on an intriguing note. I want to know more, but I also wish the second season would fix the flaws of the first season. The series has the skill to look gorgeous. What it needs is a beating heart. Remember how the seventh episode opened with the shot of an eye because a character eventually loses her eyesight? Well, the writers could use some of this "cleverness" to make their characters more appealing and their show more emotive. Let's cross our fingers and hope for a good or at least a better second season.

  
Final Score – [6/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times