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This film captured my heart with its integrity and deep respect for Tolkien's universe. It's clear that everyone involved-the writers, directors, and cast-genuinely cared about this project, and their effort shines through. Helm Hammerhand and his sons are portrayed as fully fleshed-out characters, complete with flaws and strengths, making them compelling and relatable. Here herself reminds me of Éowyn, and while powerful, she's no more overpowered than someone like Aragorn or other iconic Tolkien heroes.

The story expands on the history of Helm's Deep beautifully, while also introducing us to fascinating interpretations of Tolkien's creatures and lore, including the Eagles, the Mûmakil, and the Watcher in the Water. The music is absolutely stellar, evoking the grandeur of Howard Shore's compositions from Peter Jackson's films, and the animation-reminiscent of Attack on Titan-was visually striking and engaging throughout.

On a more personal note, I feel compelled to address the negativity surrounding this film. As someone who has been a Tolkien fan for over 40 years, having first read The Fellowship of the Ring at 15, I find much of the criticism disheartening. Many seem fixated on political grievances, deriding the film for featuring a female protagonist and tossing around terms like "Mary Sue" or "girl boss" without substance. Worse yet, a large portion of this backlash appears to come from people who haven't even watched the film.

Complaints about the film being "unnecessary" are equally flimsy. If Rogue One, a beloved Star Wars film, could spring from a single line in A New Hope, why can't we have an equally enriching exploration of Helm Hammerhand's story? And as for criticisms about the runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes-it's baffling, considering how many of us happily binge 8 to 10 hours of a streaming series in one sitting.

In summary, this film is a labor of love and a welcome addition to Tolkien's world. It enriches the lore, delivers compelling characters, and offers stunning visuals and music.

I read the awe-struck reviews claiming that this is the greatest science fiction film of all time. Well, it's not. I hardly classify it as science fiction either, although I suppose it qualifies technically. A better genre would be 'slow existential art-house'.

A film may be frozen in time but still needs to appeal to an audience that currently exists.

Classics can do this, but this film definitely does not. Few will have the patience for this film with its self-indulgent, ages-long shots, terribly mismatched sound effects and long and boring scenes without plot or character development.

Having said that, connoisseurs of truly obscure projects from Eastern bloc countries decades ago may find some value in learning about what niche audiences once may have put up with.

This is a brilliant superhero show.

I have been following comics for all my life and this is the perfect rendition of Supergirl. She is a lighter-weight hero and yet this show has managed to both capture that aspect perfectly and still embrace some deeper themes.

Kara struggles to co-exist in the same world as Superman, in the same way as we today struggle to cope with icons like Shakespeare. He appears as just a blur. It's brilliant.

The episode where she lost her powers and talks a gunman down could show the NRA madmen a thing or two. That was the most profound moment to come out of USA television that I've seen for a long, long time.

The haters seem somehow skewed. I don't know why. Supergirl is meant to be naive and young and a bit like the wildest girlfriend you've ever had. Melissa nails it. This is great TV. I enjoy it as much as Game of Thrones.