A Spectacular Beginning to an Epic Adventure

Amazon Studios reportedly spent $715 million dollars producing season one of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Fandom will be overjoyed to finally see their substantial efforts. The return to Middle-earth is absolutely epic on all fronts. The series premiere, “Shadow of the Past”, is a gorgeous combination of introductory exposition, spectacular visual effects, and fascinating characters. Middle-earth is both familiar and excitedly different. Elves, men, orcs, trolls, and the diminutive harfoots are brought to life with a diverse cast. We learn the origin story of Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), why she became a fearsome warrior, and her unstoppable determination to fight evil. The battle of light against darkness begins on banner footing.

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The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit. Shadow of the Past opens with a voice-over from Galadriel. We see her playing as a young elf in Valinor, the undying Land across the Sea. The elves basked in immortality. They never thought their light would fade or could be extinguished. Pleasures and happiness surely last forever. The elves were wrong. The Dark Lord Morgoth, also known as Melkor in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and appendices, brings death and destruction with his fierce orc army. The mentor and lieutenant of Sauron forces elves to cross the Sundering Seas to war. The conflict lasts hundreds of years with devastating losses.

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Centuries after their victory, elves scour Middle-earth for signs of Sauron. Galadriel, Commander of the Northern Armies, finds a disturbing clue in the frozen Forodwaith. She races back to Lindon, capital of the High Elves, demanding to speak with King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker). Elrond (Robert Aramayo) warns Galadriel that her obsession with finding Sauron is misplaced. Orcs are but a memory. Meanwhile, in the Southlands, ominous signs are brewing. A young harfoot, Elanor Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), notices a strange track on the ground. At the same time, an elven soldier, Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova), and human healer, Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi), are brought a sick cow with a disturbing ailment. King Gil-galad believes that Galadriel has earned her right to return home. It’s a prestigious honor, but Galadriel just can’t shake the feeling that something awful is coming.

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The Rings of Power Premiere Gets Down to Business

Shadow of the Past gets down to business quickly. Director J.A. Bayona (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) doesn’t waste time meandering. Galadriel explains the tyranny of Morgoth, what happened during the war, and why she’s convinced Sauron hasn’t been defeated in a swift first act. This isn’t a series with hobbits and dwarves walking around for ages. Galadriel is hell-bent on following up on her found clue. The secondary characters also dive into the plot after being succinctly introduced. Bayona takes a page from how Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon director Miguel Sapochnik handles complex plotting. Say your piece, move on, and only linger if dramatic effect is needed. Shadow of the Past speeds by in a little over an hour. I watched it three times to make sure no detail was missed. There are nods that die-hard fans will notice, but everything is told in a brisk, straightforward manner.

You’ll be glued to the screen for every second of the premiere. It’s amazing to watch fantasy done right. The production values are stratospheric. Every part of the show looks real and has an absorbing quality. The action scenes are rivaled by whimsical, and dare I say, adorable moments with the harfoots. Elanor Brandyfoot will steal your heart with her curiosity. The most important element is Galadriel. Morfydd Clark nails the character in her initial outing. There should be no Cate Blanchett comparisons here. Clark portrays a much different, younger and bold Galadriel with deft aplomb. She smells smoke when no else realizes there’s a fire. I was also fortunate enough to see the superb second episode. Raise your already high expectations.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a production of Amazon Studios, Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Trust, HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema. The series premieres September 2nd on Prime Video.

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