The Force may have been strong with the marketing for ‘The Acolyte.‘ However, the critical reception for the latest ‘Star Wars‘ series on Disney+ has been, well, lukewarm at best.
The premise of the show had all the ‘Star Wars‘ fans excited, so, what could it be? Let’s delve into the shadows and explore what might have ruined the series for the fans.
A Promising Premise With Not-So-Promising Execution
‘The Acolyte’ set out to explore a relatively uncharted territory in the ‘Star Wars‘ universe: the High Republic, a period of relative peace and prosperity for the galaxy, and the Jedi Order set two hundred years before the events of the Skywalker films. Additionally, the series promised a thrilling mystery set against a backdrop of elegance and political intrigue. Unfortunately, the execution fell short of the initial hype.
One of the most glaring issues dogging ‘The Acolyte’ is its pacing. The series crams a lot of plot into a relatively short episode runtime, leaving characters underdeveloped and motivations unclear. We see Jedi Masters with years of experience acting impulsively, and the central mystery unfolds at a breakneck speed that leaves viewers struggling to keep up.
Additionally, the show was heavily promoted as a story centered around strong female characters navigating the Jedi Order. While the series does feature a prominent cast of women, their portrayal feels uneven. Their struggles within the Jedi Order could have been a compelling exploration of gender dynamics. However, the series shies away from delving too deeply, leaving this potential theme underdeveloped.
In case you missed it: “God That’s Lame”: First Look At The New Whip Saber In ‘The Acolyte’ Divides Star Wars Fans
A Far Cry From The Prequels
Another controversy that has been raised is the position of the show in relation to the prequel trilogies. Despite being set centuries before the events of the main series, ‘The Acolyte’ cannot avoid references to it. Additionally, even though set centuries before, the show cannot help but foreshadow the trajectory of Anakin Skywalker.
However, the series is not very successful in defining its own theme within the context of the overarching Star Wars franchise. Moreover, elements such as lightsaber fights seem to be put into the movie merely to pay homage to the previous episodes.
The major weakness of ‘The Acolyte’ could, however, be regarded as the show’s failure to provoke the feelings of the viewers. Additionally, the characters have shallow friendships and the series doesn’t depict the brotherhood. The typical spirit of heroism of Star Wars also lacking.
However, the show is not without its strengths. The set design is really well done, making the audience feel like they are in a well-realized High Republic period. Additionally, the action scenes are not revolutionary but are well-executed and contain decent fight scenes.
You might like to read:
