Wheel of Time turns out to be cinema scaled fantasy, evenly paced, with a good cast and fantastic visuals! The fantasy series debuted on Amazon Prime on November 19th. The Wheel of Time novel series started with The Eye of the World (1990) by Robert Jordan. The series begins in darkness, we hear the voice of Moraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike), speaks about the broken world. Pike was in the drama, Gone Girl (2014). She explains that men in the ancient past tried to “cage darkness itself.” Moiraine slips on her shirt, gloves, and her Great Serpent ring, symbol of her status as the Accepted in the Aes Sedai.
Then, she says that the Aes Sedai women helped to restore the world. The Breaking of the World, Moiraine explains, was caused by a man, known as The Dragon. Moiraine walks the halls of the White Tower and notes that the Dragon has been reborn and he has reached the right age. She walks with Lan Mandrogan (Daniel Henney) to the waiting horses to search for the Dragon Reborn. Henney was in the action movie, The Last Stand (2013). The beginning is a very shortened version of the Wheel of Time cycle. The novel has the prologue at Dragonmount, the final days of The Dragon are seen in the "The Dragon Reborn" feature on Amazon Prime, before shifting to Edmond's Field.
We move from mountains to a wheat field. Two tribal men are running chased by women in red robes on horseback! These are the Red Ajah, Aes Sedai responsible for bringing channeling men to the White Tower to be “gentled.” The male half of the One Power is corrupted. A blond woman, Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood), shouts at them to stop. They continue towards a crack in the canyon, they reach out with their powers and the rocks fall sealing off their escape. Aes Sedai usually channel the One Power through Ter’angreal, objects of power, but it seems through the Great Serpent rings here. The women have brought their horses before the man.
The young man, exhausted by the rock slide, pleads for the other’s life. Liandrin says he is alone. She whispers that he is already turning mad. Liandrin dismounts and walks towards him. She mentions that this man is tapping into the One Power, it corrupts men trying to channel, but not women. Liandrin calls on all of her sisters to use their power and the man screams in pain. His agony is echoed to Moiraine and Lan watching above the canyon floor on horseback. She tells Lan that this man isn’t the Dragon and he replies that the prophecy said he was born twenty years ago. Note that no names are said at this point. He helps Moiraine onto her horse and she says they are headed to Two Rivers.
We see the Two Rivers, thick with greenery and rocky spires like towers. A very epic vista. On a grassy field below mountains, a group of village women walk towards a cliff overhanging a river. Nynaeve al’Mera (Zoë Robins), is the Wisdom presiding over a Women’s Circle ceremony braiding the hair of Egwene al’Vere (Madeleine Madden). Robins was in the horror movie, Black Christmas (2019). Madden was in Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019). It is a ceremony to join the Women’s Circle. Nynaeve tells Egwene to be strong as they stand over a river. She throws Egwene into the river.
Egwene screams and tries to survive the rapids. This is a blur of bubbles underwater and an overhead shot of Egwene pulled down the river. Beautiful cinematography by David Moxness. Egwene then relaxes and closes her eyes to drift out of the rapids. She climbs to the rocky shore in her soaked blue dress and tries to catch her breath. Then, we get two travelers, Tam al’Thor (Michael McElhatton) tells his son, Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) that he had carried wool to town before the road. Stradowski is a Dutch actor known for independent productions. They are leading a wagon with a horse. This is the beginning of the novel, but I do like Egwene’s introduction. Rand hears rocks tumbling, draws his bow, and hears wolves howling in the distance.
Then, we get the village of Emond’s Field, this is not identified in the show and website. Tam brings in a casket of apple brandy to the tavern, the Winespring Inn. Mat Cauthon (Barney Harris), bearded and foolish, is presiding over a game of dice with his fellow villagers, but loses. Harris is also known for the drama, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (2016). Rand’s other friend, Perrin Ayabara (Marcus Rutherford) tells him about soldiers gathering for a war. Rutherford was in the dramatic movie, County Lines (2019). Perrin is a massive blacksmith, but quiet.
Mat notes that Perrin is married, this is new, and that Rand is falling for Egwene. The villagers start clapping for the entrance of Egwene. The village women bring Egwene over to celebrate with drinks. Later, the night sky flashes with lightning over Emond’s Field. The tavern door opens, a cloaked stranger, it’s Lan, enters as everyone is silent. Nynaeve confronts him with her dagger at her side. He introduces himself and then Moiraine. The Aes Sedai passes the Wisdom and asks for stables and some rooms. The tavern keeper, Marin al’Vere (Lolita Chakrabarti), recognizes Moiraine Sedai and leads her to the rooms.
Nynaeve tells Perrin to check on his wife, Laila, at the forge. Laila (Helena Westerman) is stoking the forge’s flames when Perrin checks on her. Perrin is never seen at the forge, it looks like Laila does all the work while Perrin is with his friends. The parents of Rand and Egwene start to clean up the tavern. They leave Egwene and Rand who end up kissing. Moiraine is in a large tub when Lan joins her. Lan thinks that one of the villagers could be the Dragon. In the rainy night, another rider appears, his cloaked and his mask only has lips! Morning, a merchant in a wagon, Padan Fain (Johann Myers), arrives for the festival.
Moiraine walks with Lan saying he senses that the Eyeless has been to the village. They are also known as Myrddraal or Fades, leaders of the Dark One’s armies. Think Ringwraiths. The Festival of Bel Tine has people with pyramid lanterns sent down the river in tribute to loved ones. The later festivities are interrupted by a savage attack on the village by Trollocs, bestial, Minotaur-like creatures. Nynaeve tries to heal wounded villagers, but is taken away by the Trollocs. Attacked in his house, Tam reveals a heron-marked sword, but is struck down. Moiraine and Lan try to defend the village, but have to take the four villagers; Rand, Egwene, Mat, and Perrin on a journey to the White Tower! Wheel of Time brilliantly realizes the Robert Jordan constructed world, has its young heroes thrown into a quest, a promising start for an epic fantasy!
Five Ter’angreal out of Five!
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