“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is a visually stunning series with a remarkable score by Bear McCreary and a well-chosen cast that brings the world of Middle-Earth to life. The show’s high production value is evident, reflecting its massive budget. However, despite these strengths, the series struggles with a convoluted and inconsistent storyline that detracts from the overall experience.
Creators Patrick McKay and John D. Payne have transformed J.R.R. Tolkien‘s original narrative into something almost unrecognizable. While the series excels in its production, the writing leaves much to be desired, raising concerns about its long-term appeal.
A Masterclass in Production, Music and Casting Excellence
The quality of production on “The Rings of Power” is exceptional. The series excels when it comes to the score, casting and production, but when it comes to the actual writing of the show, “The Rings of Power” falls flat.
McCreary did a phenomenal job creating a score that captivates audiences but also keeps the plot moving. The music is so perfectly tailored to the action and dialogue of the show. It almost feels like a character in itself with standout songs like “Old Tom Bombadil” and “Sandstorm at the Well”, which both feel very Tolkienesque.
In addition to the incredible score, “The Rings of Power” also employs an incredible cast. With Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, Robert Aramayo as Elrond and Sophia Nomvete as Disa, it is clear to see how much thought casting director Theo Park put into the casting. All things considered, the series has a very strong sense of quality. With a budget of over $1 billion, it’s unsurprising that the show achieved such a high level of production quality.
A Storyline Struggling to Find Its Way
While “The Rings of Power” has a strong production value, the writing is messy at its best moments and incoherent at its worst.
McKay and Payne have taken Tolkien’s original story and muddled it into an almost unrecognizable form. It seems that they have taken bits and pieces from the original framework of Middle-Earth and spun them into something entirely of their own. This makes “The Rings of Power” feel distinctly different from other “The Lord of the Rings” installments.
There are also too many different plots going on at the same time that it can be hard to distinguish one from the other. Despite the confusing entanglement of plot lines, none of them seem consequential to the central plot, which not only makes for a confusing storyline but also exhausts the audience to the point that they ask themselves, “What’s the point?”
Overall, McKay and Payne have created a very dense show with a stellar cast and brilliant score, however, “The Rings of Power” stumbles when it comes to the plot. It seems that Payne and McKay have taken on a little more than they could handle with this project, and it shows. Based on the first three episodes, it seems that the writers don’t know exactly where to take it.
