‘The Acolyte,’ the latest live-action Star Wars television series, begins with a promising, dark mystery. Almost immediately, ‘The Acolyte’ introduces us to the section of the series dedicated to the franchise’s timeline. The High Republic Era of Star Wars is a delight to see on screen, especially for someone who is a fan of the various books set before ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’. With skillful fight scenes, a good cast, an engaging mystery and a perfect visual style, episodes 1 and 2 of ‘The Acolyte’ are a promising start to the series.
As soon as the opening text of ‘The Acolyte’ fades away, the Disney+ series drops us right into the heart of its plot. Instantly, ‘The Acolyte’ script offers everything we need to know: Mae (Amandla Stenberg) seeks revenge against the Jedi and will stop at nothing to kill those on her hit list. ‘The Acolyte’ is careful with what it reveals and what it does not, thanks to the experience of its director, Leslye Headland, in writing mysteries that are slowly revealed, like ‘Russian Doll’, the Netflix series.
These insinuations contribute to ‘The Acolyte’ is so convincing. Why Mae is killing Jedi, who she works for, and what her motivations are are at the center of ‘The Acolyte,’ and span across the first two episodes. As episode 2 of ‘The Acolyte’ came to an end, I was satisfied with what the mystery of the series had presented so far. Some clues are given about Mae’s history with the Jedi, although not too many to calm the anticipation for the next installments. Like any self-respecting mystery series, ‘The Acolyte’ answers come with an equal number of intriguing questions.
‘The Acolyte’ action sequences are a breath of fresh air for Star Wars
Apart from the mystery it contains, The other strong point of ‘The Acolyte’ is its dedication to action sequences. With the participation of coordinators such as Chris Clark Cowan, formerly known for ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’, he was sure that the action sequences would be up to par. Starting from the end of episode 2, I was incredibly happy with how the series presented those moments. Not only are they masterfully choreographed and shot, but they contribute to the narrative by providing ties to the characters, showing that they are not just there for show.
One aspect I loved about the fight scenes was the Jedi’s unwillingness to use lightsabers. Ironically, for a Star Wars series, lightsabers are only used as a last resort, and this ties into the narrative of the Disney+ series. These Jedi are at the peak of their powers, and the use of a lightsaber is reserved for only the strongest enemies. Even without the iconic weapons, the fight sequences are still spectacular.
The cast is brilliant, as are their doubles, in the long takes of fluid choreography. The mix of martial arts, the Force, and storytelling works beautifully, as demonstrated by the opening fight between Mae and Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), and episode 2’s showdown between Mae and Sol (Lee Jung-jae). . If these two confrontations are anything to go by – and I think they are – the action sequences will go down in history as some of the best in Star Wars.
Review of ‘The Acolyte’: Production and story make it a worthy member of the Star Wars canon
As someone who has no real preference for one style of Star Wars – be it the CGI-heavy sights of the prequels or the practical visual effects of the originals – I expected ‘The Acolyte’ to employ a healthy mix of both. As with the sequel trilogy, Disney answered my calls. The visual effects of ‘The Acolyte’ are a perfect mix of practical and visual effects. The ships, landscapes, planets and accompanying otherworldly elements are superbly realized with imperceptible CGI, while the aliens, props, sets and costumes are tangible and practical in the best way.
Although These elements help make ‘The Acolyte’ feel inherently like a series set in the Star Wars universe., I was pleased to see the extent to which the show’s creators included elements from the broader universe. The first two episodes of ‘The Acolyte’ hint at the ways of the Sith, the slow fall from grace of the Jedi Order, and the designs of the High Republic. These elements allow the series to occupy a worthy place in the vast pantheon of Star Wars canon.
The mystery is intriguing and gives the series a sinister tone. This mystery is elevated thematically and visually by brilliant action sequences and quieter moments., both well done, despite the feeling that some characters are underrated. While episode 1 suffers from a slower pace and some bland dialogue, episode 2 reveals more about the Sith mystery, and in an age of light and life, the darkness of ‘The Acolyte’ makes it a worthy installment in the Star Wars canon.
Ignacio is an expert in culture, but for more than 10 years he has specialized in films and series, both those that premiere on the big screen and on streaming platforms. The same thing tells you about the premieres of Netflix, HBO Max or Amazon Prime Video, as it tells you about the last hour of ‘Masterchef’ or any other television program.
With extensive experience as a critic, he knows the best series and movies and loves to watch them before you do so he can tell you if they are worth it or not. He knows all the premieres of the week and loves to recommend series and movies to his friends, family and readers, something that he has been doing on different personal blogs and through social networks. He likes everything: he follows great directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino or Steven Spielberg, and he knows the entire Marvel universe, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings and the Disney world by heart.
Culture is his main hobby and although he considers himself a movie buff, he also loves music, especially international music, and video games, to which he dedicates all the time that movies and series allow him, of course. Sport is his other passion, which he developed in his beginnings at the sports newspaper MARCA. Ignacio Herruzo graduated in Journalism from the Rey Juan Carlos University in 2012. Since then he has not stopped writing since he started in 2013 at the Hearst group, where he has served as an editor for different websites and magazines such as Teleprograma, Supertele and Diez Minutos.
