Rings of Power Season 2 review: Amazon’s LOTR epic redeems itself

If all we have to decide is what to do with the time that’s given to us, Rings of Power Season 2 is a worthy choice; something that couldn’t be said for its congested beginnings.

“Much of the misery of men is their own making,” says one character in Rings of Power Season 2, a sentiment true of Lord of the Rings’ most entitled fans; sour-faced purists and movie devotees who can’t stomach deviations from the (gap-trodden, often contradictory) source material. Clutch your foosty books, stick to the OG trilogy; this isn’t for you. 

Obstinent viewers aside, it had big problems in its opening block: undeniably dazzling visuals inspired by Peter Jackson without his dynamism, a rigid facsimile of greatness; an overcrowded, far-sighted story that coasted on the watchable chemistry of some characters (Elrond and Durin!), before grinding to a halt with every arc-hop; and melodramatic writing that iffily mimicked the poetry in Tolkien’s storytelling, sprinkling in contrivances and shrug-worthy moments along the way. 

It’s most certainly not the “great tale of our age” (that honor goes to House of the Dragon), but after walking in bitter rain the first time around, its skies have steadied, and its sun has been unveiled; and in light, “all dark must flee.” I will go there and back again. 

Rings of Power S2 charts a path into the (un)known

After a brilliantly tense, slimy opening with alt-Sauron (Jack Lowden in a standout guest capacity), Adar (Sam Hazeldine, easily eclipsing Joseph Mawle with the sort of delicate, surprisingly poignant performance you’d find in Westeros), and his children, Season 2 aptly picks up after its titular rings of power were forged by Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards). 

The tides of fate are flowing, but not in the way the Elves hope: Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Gil-Galad (Benjamin Walker) believe in the rings’ “power over flesh”, but Elrond (Robert Aramayo) believes they’re blind to Sauron’s (Charlie Vickers) covert manipulation. And that’s before we get to Galadriel accidentally paving the way for the Dark Lord’s return – oops, I guess. 

While Sauron figures out a new guise to get into Eregion, the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) and Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh) set off on an adventure to Rhûn. No spoilers, but they’re observed by a mysterious Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds), and they bump into one of Tolkien’s most mysterious characters on-screen for the first time: Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear, arguably the standout of the entire season). 

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Oh, and then there’s everything going down at Númenor – sorry, just needed to yawn – with Elendil (Lloyd Owen), Miriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), and Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle), not to mention Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) and Isildur (Maxim Baldry). My heart sank any time the series pivoted to its opulent shores; mortal men are boring, their petty, selfish squabbles pale next to the eternal battle of light and dark, and the faster that side of the world sinks the better off we’ll be. 

It isn’t its inevitability that’s the problem; after all, we know that Sauron will forge the One Ring, that Isildur will eventually cut it from his hand, and many years down the line, a young hobbit from the Shire will fling it into the inescapable end of Mount Doom’s fire. But the season fails to convey the gravity of Númenor’s developments in the context of Middle-earth’s woes, and its characters are mostly stiff or tritely written. 

Rhythm and momentum 

Elsewhere, the show is a pleasure to watch (mostly). The Stranger and Nori’s quest – a mystical, dangerous fable about the very nature of selfhood – is joyous, careening through Rhûn’s sandy lands with mischief and milestones. Don’t expect much from the Dark Wizard, but get excited for Bombadil, a “wanderer, not a warrior” who speaks in cozy adages and emanates the warmth of the Shire; through Kinnear’s performance, he’s basically LOTR’s Hagrid. 

Galadriel’s anxiety and grief over Halbrand’s villainous turn is a compelling through line; how such a formidable commander can be so diminished by a mistake anyone could fall victim to. Clark is (once again) superb in her role; a soft-spoken, verbose, ethereal badass. Her supporting cast turn in excellent performances too, but a newcomer deserves particular praise: Círdan, played by Ben Daniels, who possesses extraordinary charisma. 

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I haven’t even mentioned the plight of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm (their stuff is great, and it’s the most immersive set in the show… that’s about as much as I can say), but the season’s strength lies between Sauron and Celebrimbor’s insidious, tragic relationship; a god of putrid hubris appealing to an elf’s ego. Vickers is on diabolical form, while Edwards never fails to find empathy as his assuredness starts to slip. 

Unlike the first season, there’s a synergy and rhythm through the episodes; each sequence compliments the next, either teeing up an exciting set piece (Galadriel and co. vs the Barrow-wights, The Stranger exercising his magical abilities) or allowing slight, affecting moments of character development to ruminate. By the time the season ends, it feels like a complete chapter; a rich and thrilling reward after slugging through the opening pages. 

The action is a televisual marvel… mostly 

It’s no secret that Season 2 culminates in the Siege of Eregion, a multi-episode battle involving Elves, Orcs, and Sauron. This is where the show’s purported $1 billion budget reveals its fiery, bloody, and epic sheen, rivaling Game of Thrones’ best battles with crunching choreography (bar some lackluster swordplay between… certain characters) and catapulting, battering-ramming medieval warfare. 

However, there is one problem: the cinematography, while breathtakingly aping the wide-shot landscapes of Middle-earth you’d see in Jackson’s films, with sun-scorched silhouettes riding over hills and Elves clambering across mountainous terrain, is direly uninspiring when it comes to action.

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Suddenly, the direction and framing become unenergetic and steadfast; compare anything in Rings of Power to Aragorn arriving to fight the Uruk-Hai in Fellowship of the Ring, and it’ll seem a bit worse. The camera should be swooping and ferocious; the visuals should be full of dramatic shadows and higher contrasts. At its worst, it seems like TV, when it should capture its big-screen legacy. The CGI is generally good, but there is a nagging feeling that none of its sets are lived in; almost every location feels artificial, like a studio tour of Middle-earth rather than the real thing. 

At least the music is brilliant (though nothing on the Howard Shore’s eternal scores), with one exit track – ‘The Last Ballad of Dimrod’ – pulse-racingly mixing Bear McCreary’s thunderous style with the vocal talents of Meshuggah’s Jens Kidman. JD Payne and Patrick McKay found a narrow way through the mess of Season 1 – with a few small improvements, this could be extraordinary television. Right now, it’s just really good. 

Rings of Power Season 2 review score: 4/5

Will Rings of Power Season 2 create a lasting peace among Lord of the Rings fans? Absolutely not. It bravely, and often grippingly, charts its own path through the chaos and deceit of the Second Age, with dazzling production values and – thank the Valar – a satisfying story that’ll leave you eager for more. 

Unlike what the Ents say, on this occasion, forgiveness doesn’t take an age. 

Before it premieres, make sure you know when Rings of Power Season 2 Episode 1 is coming out, and check out our guides on Morgoth’s origins and powers, Rings of Power’s filming locations, and our interview with Morfydd Clark.