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There may be hints of an answer in the way Tolkien fitted the balrog into the story.

At one point, he had the Moria balrog under Sauron's direct control; sent from Orodruin to Moria specifically. The way this changed - and the description of the balrog as being a terror of the first age (i.e  .ancient times) - serves to distance it from the current tide of events and brings a somewhat deeper shadow into the story, with echoes of Morgoth and ancient evils always resurfacing (in parallel to Sauron rather than in step with Sauron).

The balrog awaits Morgoth's return and Dagor Dagorath. The other thing regarding the balrogs' power is that (like the earlier descriptions of Morgoth) they suffer from the remnants of a simpler storyline.

After The Lord of the Rings had clarified things, Tolkien has to rework the primitive notions of the first age. Melkor must be made a great deal more powerful and the balrogs become primeval fire demons; much more limited in number, but vastly greater in power.

It is this demonic aspect that I feel the film (and most other depictions) miss. They were not supposed to have been beasts: even fiery beasts with horns. They are the kind of thing which should simply not have existed by the time of the third age: great demonic spirits totally removed from the physical plane, save by foul and forbidden rites to summon them forth.

There may be hints of an answer in the way Tolkien fitted the balrog into the story.

At one point, he had the Moria balrog under Sauron's direct control; sent from Orodruin to Moria specifically. The way this changed - and the description of the balrog as being a terror of the First Age (i.e. ancient times) - serves to distance it from the current tide of events and brings a somewhat deeper shadow into the story, with echoes of Morgoth and ancient evils always resurfacing (in parallel to Sauron rather than in step with Sauron).

The balrog awaits Morgoth's return and Dagor Dagorath. The other thing regarding the balrogs' power is that (like the earlier descriptions of Morgoth) they suffer from the remnants of a simpler storyline.

After The Lord of the Rings had clarified things, Tolkien has to rework the primitive notions of the First Age. Melkor must be made a great deal more powerful and the balrogs become primeval fire demons; much more limited in number, but vastly greater in power.

It is this demonic aspect that I feel the film (and most other depictions) miss. They were not supposed to have been beasts: even fiery beasts with horns. They are the kind of thing which should simply not have existed by the time of the Third Age: great demonic spirits totally removed from the physical plane, save by foul and forbidden rites to summon them forth.

There may be hints of an answer in the way Tolkien fitted the balrog into the story.

At one point, he had the Moria balrog under Sauron's direct control; sent from Orodruin to Moria specifically. The way this changed - and the description of the balrog as being a terror of the first age (i.e .ancient times) - serves to distance it from the current tide of events and brings a somewhat deeper shadow into the story, with echoes of Morgoth and ancient evils always resurfacing (in parallel to Sauron rather than in step with Sauron).

The balrog awaits Morgoth's return and Dagor Dagorath. The other thing regarding the balrogs' power is that (like the earlier descriptions of Morgoth) they suffer from the remnants of a simpler storyline.

After LOTR had clarified things, Tolkien has to rework the primitive notions of the first age. Melkor must be made a great deal more powerful and the balrogs become primeval fire demons; much more limited in number, but vastly greater in power.

It is this demonic aspect that I feel the film (and most other depictions) miss. They were not supposed to have been beasts: even fiery beasts with horns. They are the kind of thing which should simply not have existed by the time of the third age: great demonic spirits totally removed from the physical plane, save by foul and forbidden rites to summon them forth.

There may be hints of an answer in the way Tolkien fitted the balrog into the story.

At one point, he had the Moria balrog under Sauron's direct control; sent from Orodruin to Moria specifically. The way this changed - and the description of the balrog as being a terror of the first age (i.e .ancient times) - serves to distance it from the current tide of events and brings a somewhat deeper shadow into the story, with echoes of Morgoth and ancient evils always resurfacing (in parallel to Sauron rather than in step with Sauron).

The balrog awaits Morgoth's return and Dagor Dagorath. The other thing regarding the balrogs' power is that (like the earlier descriptions of Morgoth) they suffer from the remnants of a simpler storyline.

After The Lord of the Rings had clarified things, Tolkien has to rework the primitive notions of the first age. Melkor must be made a great deal more powerful and the balrogs become primeval fire demons; much more limited in number, but vastly greater in power.

It is this demonic aspect that I feel the film (and most other depictions) miss. They were not supposed to have been beasts: even fiery beasts with horns. They are the kind of thing which should simply not have existed by the time of the third age: great demonic spirits totally removed from the physical plane, save by foul and forbidden rites to summon them forth.

eThere may be hints of an answer in the way Tolkien fitted the balrog into the story. At one point he had the Moria balrog under Sauron's direct control; sent from Orodruin to Moria specifically. The way this changed - and the description of the balrog as being a terror of the first age (ie ancient times) - serves to distance it from the current tide of events and brings a somewhat deeper shadow into the story, with echoes of Morgoth and ancient evils always resurfacing (in parallel to Sauron rather than in step with Sauron). The balrog awaits Morgoth's return and Dagor Dagorath. The other thing re. balrogs' power is that (like the earlier descriptions of Morgoth) they suffer from the remnants of a simpler storyline. After LOTR had clarified things Tolkien has to rework the primitive notions of the first age. Melkor must be made a great deal more powerful and the balrogs become primeval fire demons; much more limited in number, but vastly greater in power. It is this demonic aspect that I feel the film (and most other depictions) miss. They were not supposed to have been beasts: even fiery beasts with horns. They are the kind of thing which should simply not have existed by the time of the third age: great demonic spirits totally removed from the physical plane, save by foul and forbidden rites to summon them forth.

There may be hints of an answer in the way Tolkien fitted the balrog into the story. 

At one point, he had the Moria balrog under Sauron's direct control; sent from Orodruin to Moria specifically. The way this changed - and the description of the balrog as being a terror of the first age (i.e .ancient times) - serves to distance it from the current tide of events and brings a somewhat deeper shadow into the story, with echoes of Morgoth and ancient evils always resurfacing (in parallel to Sauron rather than in step with Sauron). 

The balrog awaits Morgoth's return and Dagor Dagorath. The other thing regarding the balrogs' power is that (like the earlier descriptions of Morgoth) they suffer from the remnants of a simpler storyline. 

After LOTR had clarified things, Tolkien has to rework the primitive notions of the first age. Melkor must be made a great deal more powerful and the balrogs become primeval fire demons; much more limited in number, but vastly greater in power. 

It is this demonic aspect that I feel the film (and most other depictions) miss. They were not supposed to have been beasts: even fiery beasts with horns. They are the kind of thing which should simply not have existed by the time of the third age: great demonic spirits totally removed from the physical plane, save by foul and forbidden rites to summon them forth.