Phil Roberts 
With intriguing characters, glorious cinematography, and well-choreographed action sequences, The Acolyte is off to a promising start.
The Star Wars sandbox is a vibrant world that every writer and director should aspire to be a part of. Under the guidance of Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, the live-action adventures from a galaxy far, far away have flourished, thanks to Disney Plus. The latest series to enter this world is Star Wars: The Acolyte. This series takes us back a century before the events of George Lucas’ prequel films and explores a previously unexplored timeline. Under the direction of Leslye Headland, the series has much to prove to win over the passionate fanbase. So, can Headland create something unique and deliver an adventure worthy of its place in Star Wars lore?
Based on the first two episodes, Headland has managed to steer the series in the right direction. While the initial episodes are not outstanding, they effectively present an engaging story focused on characters and showcase the glory days of the Jedi Order. With intriguing characters, glorious cinematography, and well-choreographed action sequences, the series is off to a promising start. However, some issues are plaguing the series, but they are minor compared to a solid series that explores the Jedi’s role in the galaxy in greater detail than anything we have seen before.
REVIEW
Here, I will unpack the opening salvo without dipping into spoiler territory. But the series is an intriguing prospect. There are a few niggles here and there; after all, no series is perfect. But overall, we are left with a gripping pair of debut episodes that will undoubtedly entertain the masses. “The Acolyte” is more of an ensemble than the title suggests. It is a character-driven story about the Jedi and their role in the galaxy. While the early trailers revealed that a mysterious assassin is hunting Jedi, the narrative goes far deeper than we first envisioned. The story’s results are surprising.
The Jedi Order is built upon the foundations of maintaining peace and justice in the galaxy. However, does the seemingly perfect image of the Jedi have skeletons in its closet? Fans have pondered this notion for decades, and at long last, this debate will be explored in glorious detail in this series.
JEDI MASTER SOL
After an astonishing and jaw-dropping opening sequence, Leslye Headland introduces us to the characters who will drive this series forward. While the series primarily focuses on the mysterious Mae, other essential characters support the narrative. The show’s most significant driving force for me is Lee Jung-jae, who plays the wise Jedi Master Sol. Jung-jae effortlessly embodies the role of the Jedi.
The actor openly admitted to studying past movies to get into the Jedi mindset, and his dedication has paid off immensely. In this role, Jung-jae embodies the quintessential Jedi Master. From the moment he appears, he takes us under his wing and leads us on the journey. With his steady guidance, we take on the role of the adopted padawan learner as he starts to investigate the series of attacks on Jedi. Never do we doubt his wisdom or his teachings. Instead, we become the defacto Obi-Wan to his Qui Gon, carefully unraveling every clue and relying on his knowledge to drive us forward.
CORUSCANT
Master Sol’s introduction takes us back to Coruscant, first seen in Lucas’ The Phantom Menace. The planet looks as glorious as ever. From the opening moments, we get a fresh look at the Jedi Temple and meet some new Jedi Masters who frequent the hallowed halls in this new timeline. Fans of THE HIGH REPUBLIC book series will already know these characters well, but it will be a pleasant surprise for those new to the timeline. Needless to say, the cinematography here is stunning. The Jedi Temple looks as vibrant as ever, and the familiar setting reinvigorates the atmosphere Lucas installed into the prequels.
This opening episode introduces us to Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson), a skilled Jedi Master who gained popularity in The High Republic series. It’s exciting to see the character transition from the pages to live-action, and her role fits well with the show’s tone. Although she doesn’t have much screen time, it isn’t easy to fully assess her impact on the show. However, fans will be eager to see more of this talented Jedi based on her brief appearance.
OSHA & MAE
After connecting the attacks on the Jedi to a mechanic named Osha, a former Padawan of Sol’s, Rwoh sends the wise Jedi Master to investigate. The evidence seems convincing, but Sol remains unmoved and sets out to clear Osha’s name and bring the true culprit to justice. However, the Jedi Master is about to encounter more than he expected. Osha’s long-dead twin sister Mae has returned and seeks revenge on the Jedi Order. As a result, long-hidden secrets of a past tragedy will be revealed, darkness will rise, and the veil of the dark side will fall. These events will leave the audience questioning who is the true villain behind Mae’s motives.
From here, we get to enjoy the story from two perspectives. Osha, Sol, Padawan Learner Jecki Lon, and Jedi Knight Yord Fandar (Charlie Barnett) embark on a mission to uncover the true villain behind a series of attacks. At the same time, Mae continues her quest for vengeance. What follows is a race against time to stop Mae from accomplishing her mission and causing harm to the Jedi. But who is her next target? And why?
THE SERIES
Headland does an excellent job integrating her new Jedi characters into the existing lore. While all these new characters fit well into the franchise, some of their mannerisms don’t align with the source material. Dafne Keen shines in her role as the enthusiastic Padawan, Jecki Lon. Still, the script often requires her to seek permission to speak, which gives the impression that the Jedi operate like a military, with strict rules limiting a Padawan’s freedom to speak. This contradicts the Jedi’s principles and feels out of place to me.
Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the Star Wars universe has incorporated more real-world slang. Despite the various languages used in the franchise, modern street language feels out of place. Unfortunately, this trend continues in “The Acolyte,” where characters set decades before the original trilogy use contemporary slang, which can be jarring. Hopefully, these instances are minimal because conversations about “weekend plans” don’t quite fit in with the Star Wars universe.
DETRACTIONS
The series’ plot feels a little underdeveloped. It focuses on a murder mystery in the Star Wars galaxy. However, the opening episodes feel repetitive after a while, and the pacing slows down at times. While this isn’t enough to banish the series from the watchlist, it will wear thin if not addressed in future episodes. The show needs to rely on its storytelling instead of flashy characters and familiar planets to succeed.
After two less-than-stellar episodes, the jury will be out. It’s impressive to see a fully developed Jedi Wookiee in Master Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo), but we require more than just a few roars and growls to build a meaningful character. The show will need to address these flaws as it develops if it is to have any chance of being a hit with the fans. While Kelnacca may not be the best example due to his brief appearance in the show, the point still stands and generally applies to every character.
CINEMATOGRAPHY/CHOREOGRAPHY
At the top of this review, I mentioned that this series’s cinematography and fight choreography are excellent, and I wanted to elaborate. Previous Star Wars series have been criticized for relying too much on Industrial Light & Magic’s StageCraft technology to shoot in front of digital backgrounds on a video wall. However, The Acolyte significantly departs from this tradition by using practical sets and traditional methods to bring the series to life, and the results are exquisite.
Cinematographers James Friend and Chris Teague have genuinely outdone themselves by presenting the galaxy far, far away in thrilling detail. The planets are vibrant, the series’ palette is warm, and the familiar planets we know and love come to life. This results in a well-rounded and indulgent series that encapsulates the essence of the Star Wars universe. The series introduces several new planets to explore and offers a few familiar backdrops to enjoy, ultimately providing a sumptuous viewing experience.
The outstanding fight choreography that bursts from the screen further emphasizes this commitment to excellence. From the beginning, we are treated to an exciting duel between Mae and Jedi Master Indara (Carrie Anne Moss). This showcases a unique fighting style that we’ve never seen before. Indara’s character seems to draw inspiration from Moss’ portrayal of Trinity in The Matrix films, and those influences are evident. Moss seamlessly fits into the Star Wars universe and deserves a place in the saga’s history. However, her role in the initial episodes is brief and a missed opportunity. Nevertheless, based on this performance, fans will be eager for more adventures with this new Jedi Master.
SETTING THE SCORE
Franchise newcomer Michael Abels has delivered a suitably enjoyable score for this series. Although the familiar Force themes aren’t used in the opening episodes, the soundtrack fits the show’s tone well. The essence of John Williams lingers in the background as these new themes come to the fore. But like Kevin Kiner before him, Abels excels and produces a score that will resonate with legions of fans. Producing music for the GFFA is often daunting, but Abels has risen to the challenge here, and I can only commend him on his efforts thus far.
VERDICT
So far, The Acolyte has made a strong start. Guided by Leslye Headland, the series skillfully delves into the Jedi lore. The visuals are stunning, and the fight scenes are incredibly well-choreographed. It’s a rich and fulfilling Star Wars series. However, some issues need to be overcome to be embraced by the broader world of Star Wars. However, with its fantastic new characters and an outstanding performance from Lee Jung-jae, the series has opened the door to a new era of Star Wars storytelling, which is an exciting prospect.
So, get your popcorn ready, dim the lights, and get ready to journey to the galaxy far, far away. There, Jedi Master Sol will guide us and teach us the subtleties of the Force, which is the series’ greatest strength. New favorite Jedi, anyone?
The Acolyte premiers with a two-episode launch event on Disney Plus on June 4th.
Our team will cover this series comprehensively, providing traditional review coverage and prominent character posters, bios, and teasers. To stay updated and never miss a story or review, please subscribe to our mailing list on our homepage.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
