Amazon LotR Rings of Power trailer

[elengil]

[kzer_za]

I can’t quite put my finger on it but something about it just feels generic to me. I did like the brief shot of Númenor and there’s not really enough material here to make a strong judgment one way or the other.

[elengil]

it just feels generic to me.

That's exactly my thought, too. Absolutely nothing about it tells me this is Middle-earth. This is generic-fantasy-land with generic-fantasy-creatures in generic-fantasy-situations.

There was not one thing I saw in this that made me go "Oh! oh!! That's ---"

Very. Very generic.

[Alatar]

Agreed. Disappointing.

[Alatar]

Also, looks like Meteor Man is real...

[kzer_za]

Well here’s vanity fair breaking down the trailer:
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/20 ... ler-amazon

Yep, meteor man is real. On the other hand, looks like the Helcaraxë is not - rumors might have gotten that mixed with Forodwaith. It sounds like Galadriel’s early storyline might be to pursue her corrupted dark elf brother through Forodwaith?

[Alatar]

Tolkien fans watching the Rings of Power teaser...

Gandalf.jpg (51.42 KiB) Viewed 4669 times

[kzer_za]

I've seen a variety of reactions, but probably averaging out to moderately negative.

However there isn't enough here to know anything for sure. With the public information so far I am pessimistic, but cautiously so.

[Alatar]

Yeah, I wouldn't say negative, more.... nonplussed?

[kzer_za]

Yeah, not overwhelmingly negative but "unimpressed" might be the right word to use.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I still haven't watched. I suppose I should.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

"It's even worse than it appears, but, it's all right." - Robert Hunter

[kzer_za]

The general vibe I get from Vanity Fair and the trailer is that they're going for a remix of LotR in tone and themes, wrapped in loose-fitting Second Age clothing.

Which...isn't very Second Age at all.

All caveats that we don't know that much yet and early marketing is marketing apply.

[Anduril]

It's kind of frustrating, this is bland or safe enough to pique my interest but the deviations just take me out of it. Even if it will only be loosely faithful, the liberties they didn't need to take just feel more egregious or something. And given the mindset of the people behind it as shown in articles, this feels less than... sincere? Honest? Sure the sets are shiny but you would expect a polished product with its budget. Can't honestly say this feels like a labor of true love.

And I don't think the trilogy was either.

[Inanna]

I saw it today. So random.

[Alatar]

Some thoughtful responses over on TORN.

https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2022/0 ... hoped-for/

[Eldy]

I'm thinking about the comments in Al's link, specifically the person who wondered what era of Númenor we saw. I think it's clearly not the Sauronian era, but the mention of the Temple made me go back and check the Appendices, and ... sure enough, it's not mentioned there. So unless it's true that Amazon can use posthumously-published material on a case-by-case basis (and has asked for and received permission in this case), I'm not sure we'll see the Melkorian Temple in Armenelos at all? That's gonna be weird.

[kzer_za]

From the showrunners’ comments and the time compression I expect Númenor’s corruption to be blamed almost entirely on Pharazon and his cronies. When Númenor was already bad for some time and he should be its culmination rather than its cause.

[Alatar]

I can live with that. Makes sense for TV

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Depends on how it is done. I understand why they are compressing the time, but it makes me uneasy.