“The Acolyte” review: “Star Wars” goes to the dark side

star Wars finally returns to screens with Novice. The first High Republic series is coming to Disney+ with the intention of making audiences forget the Skywalker Saga. For the first time in the audiovisual world, the galactic franchise departs more than a century from history Anakin, Luke, Lei, King and company. It becomes a prequel that also seeks to forge its own path. New characters, new themes, and a big change in tone that hasn’t been seen before.

Series Novice focuses on two twin sisters, Osha And May. The first was a Padawan of the Jedi Order who decided to abandon her training. The second one was supposedly dead, but returned with not very good intentions. Both find themselves at the center of an investigation into the mysterious deaths of several Jedi at a time when the Sith were supposed to be extinct. And in the era of light, darkness arises.

Dark side

Without a doubt, the main strength that attracts the most attention in The Acolyte is its tone. star Wars has always been a classic tale of space adventure that has entertained generations. Now what did they do with Andor, the company plunges headlong into something completely different – a detective thriller. Killing Jedi is the leitmotif of the project. There is no more war, no enemies to openly confront. There is peace in the galaxy, but someone is disturbing it.

Showrunner, Leslie Headlandis a big fan star Wars and filled the series with hidden references. Iconic phrases from the saga, some recognizable characters, even elements born from comics and novels and even from the expanded universe Star Wars Legends. That is, first of all, this is a series born from the very heart of the franchise. But based on this, the creative person wanted to find his own voice without falling into crude nostalgia. That’s why he turns to the genre with which he transforms. Novice into something else.

The Acolyte is a new Star Wars series.

A former padawan He reunites with his Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, only to discover that the forces they face are more sinister than they ever expected.

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The balance centers on mystical musings about the Force and who can use it, with a radical third episode as the banner, as well as storylines of police investigations, revenge, murder, and family drama. Novice So it becomes something much darker and more serious. Not up to par Andor but following him. Idiosyncrasy, which, however, is not always realized.

A Question of Expectations

And that’s it though Novice Things start out fast, but once the story winds down, the pace starts to slow down. They want to put so much emphasis on building the characters and creating the universe in which they operate that the plot moves forward in fits and starts. For long periods of time, the main characters talk without anything significant actually happening, creating a feeling of perpetual familiarity before the climax has yet arrived. There is also a lot of repetition with some themes and plots that are connected to Oshie and May’s past.

Thus, Novice falls below expectations. Especially after the huge expectations generated by its first glimpses in recent years. star Wars Celebrations and promotional announcements for these months. The series had a huge responsibility: to offer something innovative and brutal. Focus on the villains and the suggestive darkness that surrounds them. To be the first stone to form the new Star Wars of the High Republic, which should gradually gain strength.

And while it delivers on some of those promises, it remains sluggish in others, at least through the first four episodes. Of course, as it happened with Andorit is also clear that Novice will increase significantly in the second half of the season. For now, however, we must continue to believe in this promise and try to lower expectations, which, as always with Star Wars, end up distorting the actual goals.

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New signings

It is also very necessary to talk about new faces star Wars. Being an original story in a very little explored time, cape He had to create a large number of characters. It’s very interesting to discover the dynamics between them for the first time. Their relationship will play a key role in the plot. Novice. In the style of Ben Kenobi or Yoda, many of these characters have an entire story behind them that doesn’t have time to develop but would be perfect for an audiovisual spin-off or even books and graphic novels.

Among the best are Jackie and Jord. The first is Master Sol’s padawan, played by a Spaniard. Dafne Keen. The actress is well known to the public for giving life to Laura/X-23 in Loganand also Lyra in dark matter. This young warrior stands out for her great intelligence and sense of duty, which will captivate fans with a special affinity for classic Jedi values. As for Jord, who is played by Charlie Barnettgives comic relief to constant seriousness Novicealthough he also shows quite a bit of courage as a Jedi Knight.

Rest, Manny Jacinto He also shines with his comedic worldview and apparent indifference to Force themes. Carrie-Anne Moss He’s dazzling, even though he doesn’t have much screen time these days. The others are right, although some errors in the choice of characters should be pointed out. The contrast is especially striking Lee Jung-jae (Game “Squid”), who gave birth to the aforementioned Maestro Sol. His solemn tone intoxicates the screen on many occasions and makes the audience grow. Novice at the highest level. But other scenes feel overly theatrical and stilted in the delivery of lines of dialogue.

Exquisite production design

In which he triumphs without palliatives Novice It’s in its production design. Each of the planets seen in the series conveys a lot of life. cape She acted like a long-time fan, creating a very rich and special environment. And, despite his individuality, always in this spirit. star Wars. A lot of money has been invested in this project and it is being put to excellent use.

And hand in hand with these places, the director made a decision that was as risky as it was correct. Novice It has much more action than other projects in the saga. And, most importantly, it has a completely different effect. There are lightsaber fights, but the most amazing thing is the use of Force Fu. capehow did he do it Dave Filoni V Ahsoka With Ezra Bridger, decided to combine his Jedi skills in the Force with his impressive martial arts skills. The result is amazing and impressive.

Every fight is a real treat for fans of action and martial arts films. Long range punches, quick punches and kicks combined with the Force… The choreography is simply sensational. Yes, as expected Novice As things go, the end of the season could be glorious.

To sum it up, Novicebesides being very different, this is a good series, which, despite everything, at the beginning does not reach the level of excellence of the best of star Wars. There are elements that need some work, especially the uneven pacing of the story. The project is full of good ideas and shows that its creator is an absolute fan of worlds George Lucas and all the creatives who followed him. There are countless details that confirm the love for the saga. And the best news is that the second half of the growing season is promising. The action and the introduction to new characters and the rich worlds they navigate make this very different and dark adventure worthwhile.