The first Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power reactions are in – and it’s a "cinematic masterpiece"

gamesradar.com:

The first reactions to Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power are here, and they’re overwhelmingly positive. Members of the press have been given the chance to watch the first two episodes of Amazon Prime Video’s journey to Middle-earth – and are praising the cinematic spectacle, the scope of the series, and its early character work.

Collider’s Steven Weintraub said (opens in new tab), "Prepare to be blown away by the scale and scope of #TheRingsofPower. I don’t know how they managed to pull this off, but they made a ‘Lord of the Rings’ show that feels like ‘Lord of the Rings.’"

TV Guide’s Kat Moon wrote on Twitter (opens in new tab), "It’s grand, bold, and ambitious, and I absolutely loved it. The shots of Middle-earth were stunning and I wish everyone could see it on the big screen."

Journalist Rodrigo Salem also heaped praise (opens in new tab) on The Rings of Power: "It's pure Tolkien and yet feels very connected to Peter Jackson's movies. The FX are brilliant, the acting is superb and the PROLOGUE itself will destroy any awful feeling you had."

The Rings of Power "is a CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE!" said another (opens in new tab). "The visionary team behind it has produced an epic that dives into its roots and delivers a story like no other. Its production is beyond comparison, masterfully orchestrating a mythology that fans have been waiting for."

New York Post’s Lauren Sarner, like many, had been skeptical but ended up being "very pleasantly surprised."

Sarner continued (opens in new tab): "It is actually good! Very good! Visuals & tone are just right. IMO, a great addition to the Tolkien world." Another added (opens in new tab), "The massive budget just bleeds off the screen, and it *feels* like something that would fit