From “Rouge One” to “The Last Jedi” to the animated “Visions”
and “Andor,” the franchise finds the path by taking risks and focusing on
original stories that just happen to be set in a galaxy far, far away. Proma Khosla said in her review, “With the middling quality of so many other Star
Wars offshoots since Disney+ launched in 2019, Leslye Headland‘s “The Acolyte”
finds company, mercifully, in the former category, with an intriguing crime
thriller set further back than any other live-action entry.”
“The Acolyte,” which came out in June, takes place further
back in the franchise’s history, during the High Republic Era that’s even before
young Anakin Skywalker in “The Phantom Menace.” It’s a time of peace, as the
opening text says (no title crawl), but like all peaceful times in Star Wars,
that gets interrupted. A violent crime is brought to the attention of the Jedi
council, making Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) to investigate and confront a
person from his past (Amandla Stenberg).
Khosla said, “The first two episodes premiered on June
4, but even then Disney is tight-lipped about spoilers. Without getting into
plot details, backstory, or the pilot twist, it’s fair to say that “The
Acolyte” draws on crime procedural and murder mystery shows, two wildly popular
genres that thrive in a world of mystical powers, shrouded history, and
strained relationships.” Stenberg’s character is connected not only to Sol, but
to Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), Torbin (Dean Charles Chapman), and Kelpacca
(Joonas Suotamo). Headland directed the first two episodes, the third and
seventh directed by Kogonada, the fourth and fifth by Alex Garcia Lopez, and
the sixth and eighth by Hanelle Culpepper.
Khosla said, “And here we honor the spoiler embargoes,
for withholding their secrets gives us more time to praise Lee for an
outstanding performance in his first ever English speaking role. In just a few
scenes as Sol he delivers some of the finest acting ever seen in Star Wars, a
mesmerizing array of nuanced emotion that still toes the line of Jedi
detachment.” He pairs skillfully with Moss, with Charlie Barnett, with Dafne
Keen, and Elizabeth Henderson (who remind everyone that fantasy hair and makeup
don’t have to inhibit performance), Stenberg, and pretty much anyone. The performances
overall are more active, the writing more engaging than usual for Disney+,
which keeps the series from uninteresting like the previous ones.
Khosla said, ““The Acolyte” seems notably more
interested than any live-action Star Wars in interrogating the Jedi Council’s
police-state behavior.” It was this very action that made Ahsoka Tano leave the
Order, but that’s not the point of “Ahsoka,” and once Grogu abandons his
training it no long matters in “The Mandalorian.” However, with the rise of the
Jedi, “The Acolyte” uses the present to add layers to the Star Wars galaxy’s past.
Khosla said, “There’s less glory and religious subtext to the Jedis’ rigidity
and law enforcement, more secular peacekeeping (the title obviously alludes to
that subtext, but it’s not from the Jedi side).” Despite her unreceptive
response, Stenberg’s character and neighbors like Qimir, played by Manny
Jacinto, are rightfully doubtful of the Order, where power runs apparently
unchecked in the hands of a group that claims to be nonviolent until they draw
deadly weapons.
The four episodes shown for critics went by and showed
promise. The final verdict depended on the villain of the series, which is an
unknown person with an unrecognizable voice whose followers share his loathing
for Jedi. Is this a known character, or a new person from a different universe –
maybe a new invention completely. Khosla ended her review by saying, “The Star
Wars shows that fall flat often do so after an eleventh hour connection to the
Skywalkers, ironically dooming otherwise interesting stories in an effort to
plumb nostalgia. Maybe the Jedi were on to something when they eschewed
attachment — without sentimentality for the world that spawned it, “The
Acolyte” deserves its own following.”
For the most part, I got into this show. I loved the
characters, the action, the set design of the planets, and overall, this was an
engaging story, but I do acknowledge the problems this show has. I wasn’t fond
of the twists. If they didn’t take certain directions, maybe the show could
have been better. Not to say this is a bad show but it’s not as good as some of
the other Star Wars shows on Disney+. With the certain directions they took
with the story, I feel they could have made better decisions. Still, even
though fans are thrashing this on Rotten Tomatoes, I think people can still see
it.
Sorry for the late posting. I took a nap and tried to
get as much done before I got to bed. Tomorrow, I will be looking at another
MCU spin-off in “Disney Month 2024.”
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