The Rings of Power S2 Review: LotR Series Learns From Past Mistakes to Deliver a Stronger 2nd Season

The Lord of the Rings – The Rings of Power Season 2 Review: The new season of Lord of the Rings’ much talked about series, The Rings of Power has kicked off. Streaming on Prime Video, the series dropped three new episodes and it is much, much better than the first season. It truly feels like show creators JD Payne and Patrick McKay heard all the criticism and feedback from fans and critics, and decided to change gears to make a stronger season two. If the first three episodes are anything to go by, it seems like the new season will compensate for the weak opening season.

What Is The Rings of Power Season 2’s Plot?

As the trailers have already revealed, The Rings of Power season 2 focuses on Souran (Charlie Vickers) and Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) as they make rings for the Dwarves. As JRR Tolkien’s work has already revealed, Souran manipulates Celebrimbor into making seven rings for the Dwarves. The new season follows the same journey seen in the books and lore. Amid this, The Stranger is also trying to discover himself and could pose a threat to Souran.

Is The Rings of Power Season 2 Better Than Season 1? 

Creators JD Payne and  Patrick McKay as well as the directors of the show have evidently shifted the tone of the second season from the first season of the Prime Video series. The makers have opted for a ‘no mercy’ tone, showing that they are going to get their hands dirty and not going to play safe with their approach to the lore anymore. The writing is crisper, although a little more tightening would have helped. The character development and arc seem to be in the spotlight this time around, giving the show a lot more depth.

The Rings of Power Season 2 Still Has a Few Issues:

However, the pace continues to be an issue. The series spends extra time in places that don’t necessarily need to be explored. But the cinematography makes up for it. The camera work is outstanding, especially in the scenes involving gore.

Best Part of The Rings of Power Season 2 So Far:

What also works for The Rings of Power is the performances, better writing, and cinematography (an element that was bang on even in the first season). It goes without a doubt that the second season will be a Charlie Vickers show. He looks perfect for the role. Even Charles Edwards, who plays the Lord of the Rings, shines in the first three episodes. Another actor who holds the screen effortlessly is Robert Aramayo, who plays the role of Elrond. Sophia Nomvete also stands out as Disa in the opening episodes. It is to see how things turn in the coming episodes.

The series does keep the sense of drama in place, with the layering of suspense in each episode. However, it doesn’t go overboard. When it comes to the visualisation, two scenes that stood out in the second season so far were: 1. Souran’s death at the hands of Orc Leader, Adar, and 2. The Stranger’s powers go out of control in the desert. Souran’s death scene is poetic and well-shot. The lighting of the scene could easily put Game of Thrones to shame. The scenes from the desert, on the other hand, slowly lure you in and you find yourself immersed in the scene by the time it comes to an end.

While the series does a better job than its past season, it still hasn’t shown standout moments yet. The Rings of Power truly needs to deliver some jaw-dropping moments this season to truly have the fandom of the lore hooked and get talking.

Bottomline: Overall, the creators of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 made a smart decision to shift the tone of the series and it works in their favour. So far, the second season looks and feels like it’s going to be an interesting weekly watch but it still needs a few banger moments to stand out in the sea of content available.