SPOILER LotR - The Rings of Power

I have to say I really like the depiction of the Orcs. IMO the Orcs were never as creepy as in this show. Furthermore it's nice to learn more about their culture and their believes, but they still stay very evil. That's the right approach IMO.

 

THIS! ^^^^

Funny thing, when I first learned that Amazon was going to do a series on the Second Age, I was intrigued --- but also a little skeptical. I was expecting a "Game of Throne"-ish show featuring high borne elves like Galadriel and men.

While we've gotten some of that, I've been really caught off guard (for some reason) with the dwarves and the harfoots (harfeet?) storylines. While the 'expected' stuff has been impressive, the 'unexpected' stuff is what has really set it apart from all of the other Tolkien wanna-be fantasies.

Well said. The showrunners could have considered the orcs of the second age a liability given their reaction to sunlight. But as NinjaRen pointed out, they've fully embraced that angle and, as a result, have made the orcs creepier and added a whole new dimension to them by introducing the whole underground tunneling business.

 

Another really good episode!

So far, the scene of Arondir and Theo running through the woods from the orcs is probably my favorite scene in the show. It's just so different than anything we've seen before in LOTR- almost like the Nazgul chase to the Ford I guess, but it felt so much more dramatic and desperate. I not only thought it was possible a character might die... I was surprised (and relieved) when it didn't happen!

Really like the orcs sun weakness, too. You'd think that it would make them seem less scary, but I think it's a really intelligent creature design to adapt. Sure, it gives us a false sense of security in the light (which I expect will also be exploited) but now the darkness truly belongs to the orcs.

 

Glad you brought this scene up. You are so right! That scene was perfect in every possible way from the choregraphy, to the cinematography, to the music. I particularly loved the ending when Arondir, Theo and Theo's Mom scramble to the clearing just as the sun is rising.

 

I didn't like the unnecessary use of slow motion though. In general this show likes to use slow mo during its action scenes. The show already got only a few action pieces (which isn't a bad thing), so it's kinda confusing why they choose to make the action even less "action-like" by the help of slow motion. Furtermore if they use slow mo in every single action scene, it kinda loses its uniqueness. It feels more like what people would do in a fan film.

Don't get me wrong, this show has alot of great stuff and I like it alot, but the action is one of the few weak points I found so far, at least for me.

 

Yeah, Jackson also used quite some slow motion shots, but they were used to enhance key moments. Furthermore it was more of a low frame rate slow mo. In the case of TRoP it feels more like Zack Snyder badassery. Yes, it looks epic, but if it's overused, then it's just boring.

 

That's my feeling as well. I've viewed the use of slo-mo -- as well as other directorial things like sweeping camera shots -- as the series' way of paying homage to Peter Jackson's films. By doing so, it also helps the TV audience feel like they are back in Middle-Earth, albeit in an earlier age.

 

I'd argue that it was no more unnecessary that most any slo-mo scene, though.

In this case, I really liked it, though. I think it lent a lot of weight to the situation. Showing orcs and humans just running at regular speed could've been one way to film it, but with how still everyone was, this was like a snapshot of the chase, almost like a painting. Dreamlike, almost. It was certainly an artistic choice, over showing a more conventional chase scene.

I appreciate your differing viewpoint, but to me the slow motion actually very much enhanced the scene.

 

Well said. The use of slo-mo -- particularly in the case of PJ's LOTR films -- is all about creating drama.

When I watched the chase scene in last week's episode, for some reason I was reminded of the breaking of the fellowship / Boromir's death scene from TFOTR. THAT scene --- and the dawn charge of Gandalf and the Rohirrim at Helm's Deep --- are (IMHO) among The Most Effective Uses of Slo-Mo in the history of filmmaking.

 

My initial reaction to Episode 5:

Another THUMB'S UP! While I continue to be gob-smacked by the sheer beauty of Numenor and the amazing costuming there which gives the Galadriel storyline such a rich texture, I'm most fond of the Harfoots and the Dwarves. In many ways, this was a 'set-up' episode but since it featured my favs, Nori, Prince Durin, and Elrond, I enjoyed it.

The watchtower storyline kind of gives me 'Helm's Deep' vibes. And with the Numenor and Galadriel sailing to Middle-Earth, it looks to me like the stage is being set for all-out war.

 

I thought the same thing last episode.

I haven't watched a lot of the promotional material, but I've heard there are some bigger battles this season. I feel like this tower will be a big action setpiece in the final episodes.

 

We're past the halfway point of the season now. This really feels like it's set up for a lot of seasons the way this is moving. There's still no Sauron and at this point I don't even thing they've introduced him unless it's the stranger which really doesn't make much sense. It kind of seems like this season sets up for a battle to rescue the humans and perhaps Sauron is captured and brought back to Numenor? Lots of great stuff they've set up so far.

 

I've read a theory which makes much more sense than having him revealed as Gandalf.

The Stranger is an original character whick combines two LOTR characters:
1) The man in the moon who feel onto the earth like a meteor (check)
2) Tilion, who was a Maia (godlike creature with powers of fire and ice) and the guardian of the moon.

In the latest episode we saw the Stranger reaching out for the moon and using ice powers while talking about fire.

The only thing what doesn't make sense- we saw Hallbrand struggling with himself while no one was present. Why should Sauron struggle, when he's just hidding. Unless he doesn't know he's Sauron.

 

Since both Rings of Power and House of the Dragon abused the same trope this week, I gotta air some beef...

I really dislike the trope of "Experienced swordsman 'educates' newbies by absolutely destroying them in a duel". It's just... that's not how learning happens. I get that it's film shorthand for showing swordsmen training, but it always kinda makes the teacher look like an arrogant jerk, while teaching absolutely nothing.

Like, I really like Galadriel in this, and I have no doubt that she's capable of fighting these sailors and more (which, predictably, a different side of the internet did have an issue with). And technically, it was Elendil's idea anyway, so really I'd say the blame is with him. But I don't know, it just kinda bothers me how common this trope is, when it really doesn't make much sense anyway.

 

I'm not completely sure about Halbrand but I will be shocked if the Stranger turns out to be someone other than Gandalf.