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Posted in: Disney+, Review, Star Wars, TV | Tagged: amandla stenberg, Charlie Barnett, Dafne Keen, Lee Jun-jae, Leslye Headland, Review, Star Wars: The Acolyte, The Acolyte
The Acolyte Season 1 Eps. 1 & 2 Review: A Unique Star Wars Thriller
Leslye Headland's Amandla Stenberg & Lee Jun-jae-starring The Acolyte gave us exactly the kind of "Star Wars" that we've been waiting for.
When you think of Star Wars, the common themes are often battling oppressive regimes or facing some galactical threat. The Acolyte, which is set 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace at the end of the High Republic era, wipes that slate clean since it's uncharted territory that only the Legends/Expanded Universe and video games have tackled before, but not on film or television. Leading the way is Amandla Stenberg, who's playing both sides of the spectrum as Osha, an engineer and mechanic trying to make an honest living, and her twin sister Mae, someone with more sinister intentions, both have pasts once tied to the Jedi Order, but left in different paths.
The Acolyte: A Different Kind of Star Wars Story
After one of their own is murdered, Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jun-jae in his first English-speaking role) is tasked to investigate. Tagging along are Yord Barnett (Charlie Barnett) and Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen), Sol's current Padawan. In terms of action, The Acolyte certainly doesn't disappoint as battles are largely one-on-one affairs, but with purpose. Stenberg shows so much range in her performances as Osha and Mae, not to mention being very athletic. While it takes place at a time when Jedi are plentiful, there is a bit of restraint that wasn't exhibited in the early episodes of the Skywalker Saga with the flash and flair. It feels a bit more traditional Old West in its scenes, a refreshing throwback to how effective The Mandalorian was in its earlier seasons.
Creator Lesyle Headland (Russian Doll), who directed the first two episodes and wrote the premiere, captures the true minimalist spirit of the Jedi as reflected in the original trilogy, where their mindset is primarily in defense. I enjoyed the way Stenberg's Mae confronted her opponents like a classic martial arts film before displaying her stylish and deadly ways. She's also not someone who is flashy by any means in terms of showing off, just as I expect an assassin should be. It's pretty refreshing compared to other Star Wars antagonists.
Without diving into spoilers, I have to say I'm a little disappointed in what felt like a stunt casting. While there are six more episodes to go, and perhaps we'll see more of said character in some form, I was really hoping for something more from this character's appearance so far. Felt like they took a page from David Benioff and Dan Weiss for shock value. I enjoyed Jun-jae's performance as he organically fits in his lead role as Master Sol, and I can definitely see the inspiration he took from Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn from TPM. If you're wondering… no, he's not the character I'm talking about "stunt casting."
I also liked that Keen's Padawan character bucks against the cliché of naïve immature hotheads looking for action. Jecki is just as much an equal partner and provides as much invaluable logistics as the rest of the party, and Headland deserves all the credit in the world for fleshing out these characters. The most refreshing thing about this live-action series is that it doesn't have to lean on a familiar character from past canon to stand on its own two feet. Even The Mandalorian ultimately leaned more on nostalgia as part of its success, but obviously, it's still too early for The Acolyte. Even as great as Andor was, it wouldn't been possible without Diego Luna's presence from Rogue One (2016) to make that possible. The Acolyte, which also stars Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Carrie-Anne Moss, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Joonas Suotamo, streams on Tuesdays on Disney+.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 1 Episodes 1 & 2
9/10
Creator Leslye Headland and stars Amandla Stenberg & Lee Jun-jae knock it out of the park in the first two episodes of The Acolyte by blending Old West-style action with murder mystery/crime drama elements in a way that makes the Star Wars series its own thing and not just a prequel that leans too hard on nostalgia to establish itself.
Credits
Director
Leslye Headland
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