This show feels nothing like LotR, neither the book trilogy, nor Jackson's adaptation. If anything, this show more closely resembles all those epic fantasy copycats that started coming out in the 80s which were LotR fanfic in all but name with only a few elements changed around and renamed. Had you told me that what I was watching was Amazon's Wheel of Time rather than Lord of the Rings, I wouldn't have been surprised - the tone of this show is much closer to that and other poor, uninteresting boomer series like it.
Anyway, this isn't very good, however, the blame is not evenly distributed. The writing is, BY FAR, the worst part about it. Not only is the script weak in how little it accomplishes given the runtime and how long it takes to set stuff up, but the scene-to-scene dialogue is excruciating. The lines meaningless drivel most of the time - they're stupid, borderline incoherent. Not to mention that this sounds like it was written by a person that has no idea what the kind of old-sounding English language should be like, so it comes across as unnatural, similar to when you watch a movie about the military written by someone that has no idea how soldiers talk to one another either in private or formal settings.
Many of the things the characters said made me have to pause and go back to make sure I hadn't misheard. There's also some incredibly awkward use of language, like an en elvish king at one point saying: "... washing away the last remnants of our enemy like a spring rain over the.bones of a spoiled carcass." I don't know what it is about this line that crystallizes to me just how little these writers understand either elves or just writing in general. In what formal setting would a leader start talking about carcasses? And this is not just any king, but an elven king of old, a race that's known for their songs, their poetry, their love of beauty - do you seriously he'd use such a crude example filled with grim imagery to illustrate his point? That would be a fine line for a dwarf, maybe, but not for an elf. But the writers lack the sensibility to see how this would be a problem. This isn't even about being a fan of LotR, it's about having a certain level of artistry and common sense. If you can't imagine a president or a minister saying something, there's a very strong chance a king would never say that either, especially not an elf.
I will concede that the show looks beautiful at times, but in a fake, plastic sort of way. You can tell it's the product of CGI artists and not a talented photographer finding the right place for a breathtaking shot, and in that sense it feels incredibly soulless. Another problem is that a lot of these beautiful shots feel unearned. If a character braves a dank mine and emerges on the other end to glimpse a heavenly valley, that makes for a satisfying scene. But here the grandiose scenery seems to be used without any rhyme or reason and isn't meant to further the storytelling, I think the point is to wow the viewer. But ultimately all you're being offered is a glorified desktop background with a couple of actors in greenscreen talking in front of it. Hardly the type of stuff to get your heart pumping.
Most disappointing of all might be the score, for which I have no explanation. Bear McReary is a very talented artist. Whether it's Battlestar Galactica, God of War, Black Sails, or even smaller series like Da Vinci's Demons, he always delivers. Here, the music is just... so bad. If you told me it came out of some early 2000s RPG and was made by a teenager without real musical training I would've believed you. I cannot fathom what happened between him and the showrunners. Granted, I wouldn't have thought of Bear McReary's style as a great fit for LotR, but still... How can it be this generic and off? Just how much time did Amazon give the man to work on it? Because given their history, if I have to lay blame on either party, there's no way I'm going to assume it's Bear that screwed up rather than Amazon. Disastrous outcome.
Ultimately, this show is a huge wasted opportunity. I think everyone that loved the movies and books was dreaming of the day the Silmarillion would get an adaptation. And nobody could've even hoped it would come from the most powerful company and wealthiest man in the world. And what did we end up with? Some subpar show that barely even feels related to the source material, based on the appendices, written by a group of people that quite frankly shouldn't even qualify as professionals in their field. I'd be amazed if these guys can write good YA novels, let alone fantasy epics. Given the results, it feels like a lot of the people that worked on this were: a) totally unqualified b) a very bad fit for this IP, or C) soured on the project long before it aired. You can't be handed over what's almost infinite money and come up with something this insultingly mediocre and inauthentic. It just shouldn't be possible. Some of the outfits these characters wear look more like they were ordered off of Amazon for a cosplay. That they don't fit Jackson's LotR is acceptable; but that they feel like they're made of plastic and wouldn't be worn by any normal human being in real life is not. These showrunners seem to think that grittiness doesn't in any way connect to authenticity, and that the way you make some gripping and realistic is by slapping lairs of makeup made to look like grime and dirt on actors' faces. That's simply not the case, and any look at the behind the scenes of LotR or any quality, longlasting movie would've taught you this simple lesson.
Do I recommend this? No, I don't. It's just not worth your time, and if it ever does become good, social media will let you know. I think it might appeal to younger teenagers that have no vested interest in the LotR movies, but that's about it. No adult would find these characters believable or engaging, and there's nowhere near enough action where you can just watch this for the spectacle and turn your brain off. So far, it doesn't even feel like the show has a plot, it's just a series of barely connected vignettes.
A billion dollars on this. Wow.
