Creator: Leslye Headland
Cast: Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Charlie Barnett, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Jodie Turner-Smith, Carrie-Anne Moss, Manny Jacinto, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Rating: 3 stars
From its very first frame, or even before the story begins and we see the prelude, The Acolyte is faithful to the universe it is set in. Stylistically and visually, it is a throwback to best of Star Wars – the original and the prequel trilogy. But in storytelling, it takes the Andor route, making a slow-burn almost whodunit thriller, set in a galaxy far, far away. It is a show that simmers, draws your attention, but never quite explodes the way all good Star Wars stories eventually do. Granted that this review is based on only the first four of the eight episodes on offer, but even then, The Acolyte leaves you rather unfulfilled despite its strong showing.
Set a century before the rise of the Galactic Empire and eight decades before the birth of Anakin Skywalker, The Acolyte introduces us to an age in the life of the galaxy that has seen centuries of peace, presided by the Jedi Order. But it is threatened when an unknown assassin, versed in the ways of the Force, starts to kill Jedis one by one. A former Jedi Padawan Osha Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) finds herself in the middle of the hunt for the killer as her former Jedi master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) takes over the investigation.
The Acolyte is not about the birth of the Sith as many were speculating. And apart from the setting, it has few ties to the film trilogies. It does a decent job in integrating itself within the lore and throwing few Easter eggs here and there for the fans. But despite that, it is not unwatchable for the casual viewer either. As a standalone series, The Acolyte does not require you to mug up the entire Star Wars lore to understand it. That is its biggest win.
The Acolyte looks and talks like a typical Star Wars story, more in line with Rogue One and Andor than The Mandalorian in its approach and aesthetics. It has greater ties to the Force and its workings and Jedis are central to it. That means more lightsaber battles, Force manouevers, and hints to the dark side, everything that makes Star Wars truly fun. And add to it a good old-fashioned murder investigation and it feels like a serial killer mystery set in the Star Wars universe.
But despite that, The Acolyte remains less than the sum of its parts, like a meal that looks appetizing, feels filling, but isn’t quite as delicious as it should be. Instead of feeling familiar, the setting looks jaded. The mystery moves at a pace too slow to even justify a slow-burn tag, and the payoff does not come even halfway into the narrative. The characters do not jump out and make themselves endearing (or hateworthy), meaning there is little viewer investment. And that effectively fizzles the viewer’s interest in the mystery and the fate of the characters.
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The performances are nothing to write home about either. Amadla Stenberg tries her level best but is weighed down by characters that have little newness in them. We have seen this familial tussle and inner turmoil in this universe before, and done in a much better way each time. Lee Jung-jae makes a very fine English-language debut and manages to successfully leave his Squid Game baggage behind. But his Qui-Gon-like character lacks the charm of Liam Neeson, and hence, the likability that it needed. Dafne Keen is one of the standout performers as the enthusiastic Jedi padawan Jecki Lon. Carrie-Ann Moss has sadly been underutilized and her character undone badly.
Star Wars shows have been good at blending different genres within the larger universe. If The Mandalorian is a buddy cop drama then Andor is effectively a heist thriller, and Ahsoka is a coming-of-age drama. In that regard, The Acolyte diversifies the slate with a whodunit. But it does so in a restrained manner, almost refusing to let go of the safety of mediocrity and without attempting to be bold. Star Wars is known for its boldness. The Acolyte is not bold. It’s tried, it’s tested, and it’s dull. Only being set in the Star Wars universe makes it more watchable than it should be.
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