Fantasy prequel details Middle-earth history, has violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Many scenes/moments of peril and suspense. Violence in battle, including swordplay and brutal hand-to-hand combat against orcs and other scary-looking creatures. Monsters are stabbed in the face. Fiery dragon battles. Aftermath of war includes piles of dead bodies.
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Based on a series of books. Merchandise available for purchase.
Positive Messages
some
It's OK to go your own way. Sometimes you have to sacrifice. Caring for others is important.
Positive Role Models
some
Characters are true to themselves and their own convictions.
Diverse Representations
some
Unlike previous iterations of Tolkien stories, this series is somewhat diverse. Characters are White, Black, and biracial, including Arondir, a character created for the series, who's the first Black elf. Women have agency and power.
Parents need to know that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a fantasy drama based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the series presents a history of Middle-earth's Second Age. Expect many scenes of suspense and peril, as well as strong fantasy violence, including scary orcs similar to those shown in the films. Warring creatures use swordplay and brutal, bloody hand-to-hand combat. Monsters are stabbed in the face, there are fiery dragon battles, and the aftermath of war includes piles of dead bodies. One storyline includes a romance; language is mild ("sod it"). Families who enjoyed the films will find this entertaining series a great addition to Tolkien's world on screen.
First impression: feels like it's made up by a mediocre Tolkien fan.
(spoiler alert) This review is based on the first two episodes. [ The Good ]: Visuals, costume design and landscapes are stunning and it's easy to see a ridiculous amount of money was spent on eye candy. [ The Bad ]: Underneath the stunning visuals you mostly find hollow characters with recognizable names. For example most elves behave like humans with elf costumes and pointy ears. In my opinion the whole mysterious and dreamy atmosphere of the elf kind is missing. Already from the start we see very human-like behavior from some elf children bullying Galadriel, while you wouldn't expect this to happen to one of the greatest of the elves in all of Middle-earth (even in her childhood). And her only magical power is to make funky paper boats, really? Also she is convinced she could swim a thousand miles back to land somehow? The only personal thing about her so far is the fact that she hates Sauron and everyone else thinks she is only hunting a ghost (pun intended). Also there is a strong lack of amazing journeys. Characters suddenly appear in different places without any image of their travels. Other than that I dislike how the main Harfoot character Nori is completely fearless while finding the meteor-man. She reminds me of the curiosity of Bilbo and Frodo, but even they were far from being this reckless when looking for adventure. [ The Ugly ]: It's clear to see the producers are aiming for a modern version of a Tolkien series riddled with political correctness. The original LotR and The Hobbit films don't feel like they were made in modern times, because Peter Jackson aimed to portray the fantasy world of Tolkien as accurately as possible. As soon as you change or add something to the original work of Tolkien it's like adding extra color to a famous old painting. And maybe Tolkien did write about elf males with short hair, but it's so different from what we're used to. For me personally it breaks the identity of elves quite a bit and on top of that I can't help but feel the actors don't fully understand how to express true elfness. Overall two stars for eye candy and generic entertainment value.
Very boring. Buy the audiobooks instead - despite audiobooks not having visuals, at least they have: plots, likeable characters, are interesting, are read by someone who cares about middle Earth.
What's the Story?
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWERis a fantasy drama based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the series presents a history of Middle-earth's Second Age. Following the journeys of elves Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), Elrond (Robert Aramayo), and Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova), as well as those of other humans and creatures, the series depicts a number of notable moments, including the creation of the Rings of Power and the rise of the evil wizard Sauron. Galadriel's goal: Find Sauron and avenge her brother. However, with a disbelieving community and many dangers along the way, she will face many challenges.
Fans of the original trilogy of movies will be thrilled to see their legacy continued in this visually stunning and adventure-filled fantasy series. Each storyline in The Rings of Power is equally compelling, and newly created characters fit in naturally to Tolkien's world. Bouncing seamlessly from dark drama to light comedy, the series brings together elves, dwarves, Harfoots, humans, and others to fight an evil force that fans are already familiar with: Sauron. The themes are timeless, and the lands of Middle-earth detailed and delightful, and LOTR lovers won't be disappointed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the lasting power of Tolkien's stories. Why do people keep wanting to hear more? What do you think people like about fantasy?
Many of the main characters in this story choose their own path. Have you ever had a crossroads in your life? What helped you choose your way?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
