Highlights
- The Acolyte casting was underway by the end of June 2021.
- The writer’s room for “The Acolyte” also came together by June 2021.
- Lee Jung-Jae, who portrayed Master Sol in the series, previously bagged a Primetime Emmy for “Squid Game.”
The Acolyte is a new Star Wars series set in the High Republic Era, about 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace.
Created by Leslye Headland, it centers on twin sisters, Osha and Mae, who have differing views on the Jedi following a shared childhood tragedy.
The Acolyte attempts to confront the reality that the Jedi are arrogant and kind of terrible, unlike people’s perception of them being noble.
The Acolyte Review Has Amassed Contrasting Reception Between Critics and Audiences
The Acolyte
Jedi confront their flaws!
Genres
Action-adventureCrime DramaMystery thrillerScience fiction| Release Date | June 4, 2024 |
| Directors | Hanelle M. Culpepper, Alex Garcia Lopez, Leslye Headland, Kogonada |
| Writer | Leslye Headland, George Lucas |
| Casts | Amandla Stenberg, Dafne Keen |
The Acolyte received a bag full of mixed reviews, ranging from highly positive to critical ratings and take on the show.
On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts an 85% approval rating from critics after its first two episodes debuted on Disney+, but only a 13% audience score, the lowest ever for a Star Wars title.
Some praised the series’ new perspective on the Jedi and the Star Wars Universe.
In contrast, others expressed mixed reviews, noting that the dialogue and character issues weren’t strong regardless of the powerful start.
A user gave a critical review, expressing his view that many aspects, including character, music, and others, fell short of expectations.
He criticized the costume, makeup, hair, and set designs and questioned how the sizable budget of $180 million was spent given these perceived weaknesses. He wrote,’
The costume, makeup, hair, and set designs were atrocious. Where did the 180 million dollars in budget go?
Although the reviewer acknowledged the creation of new planets, he finds them lacking in originality compared to those in other Star Wars series like Andor or The Mandalorian.
Speaking of critics’ reviews, Manuel Betancourt, a top critic from AV Club, illuminated the series’ commitment to not treating the Jedi as untouchable, rating it a B+.
A top critic from the San Francisco Chronicle, Zaki Hasan, rated 2.5 out of 4, writing that the beginning might feel a bit slow, but slowly, it becomes compelling and interesting.
Prequel to The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte Attempts to Confront The Reality of Jedi
Hold your horses for everyone who idealized Jedi as virtuous guardians; your thoughts will change once you watch this series set in The High Republic Era.
The portrayal of Jedi in Mae’s eyes differs from the traditional image of noble and virtuous guardians.
Set in a time largely unexplored by mainstream Star Wars media, the series did a good job of shedding light on Jedi law and questioning who can study the Force.
Although The Acolyte deals with darker material than The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, it balanced its heaviest and lightest moments well.
Amandla Stenberg is a revelation and one of the best Actors Star Wars has ever had. She plays both sisters of the Dark and the Light brilliantly, and to see such acting prowess from a Black Queer Actor during Pride Month is one of Star War’s greatest achievements. #TheAcolyte pic.twitter.com/bvhMdwwlTd
— Bella 🌺🩷🌊 (@BELLA_SNOWDEN) June 5, 2024
While the execution is spotty, the series’ setting in a century before the rise of the Empire might not be the best choice.
If you ask why, the period in the High Republic era features only a few well-known characters from the main Star Wars saga.
While the fight scenes are cinematically impressive, the characters lack depth, and occasional strained dialogue affects the overall experience.
Speaking of episode four, it felt slightly off for me as Mae’s character oscillated between a threat and a misguided youth.
Having said that, the cliffhanger ending surely escalated the anticipation with the revelation of a new dark force user after Master Kelnacca‘s death.
This particular episode has largely directed speculation about Qimir being a Sith Lord.
One thing is certain: with each episode adding intriguing layers to the story, “The Acolyte” promises a fascinating journey filled with twists and revelations.
The Acolyte Provides a Balanced Blend of Mystery and Choreography
Right off the bat, the murder mystery and assassinations are pretty effective in the series.
Those lightsaber fights were beautiful and weren’t over the top, which I liked the most.
Thanks to the series’ choreographer and the talent and training of their actors for not going overboard in the fighting scene.
Needless to say, the third episode definitely stands out. It dives into Osha and Mae’s backstory and challenges fans’ perceptions of the Jedi.
The fact that Lee Jung-Jae had to learn English for the role of Master Sol and deliver with such conviction and elegance truly tells me how much he was excited to be in Star Wars.
— Darth Thunder ⚡ (@XDarthThunderX) June 6, 2024
I absolutely adore him and the character ✨ #TheAcolyte pic.twitter.com/8LPEQNVQ2U
Likewise, the choreography, production design, and musical score are another plus point for the series.
Amandla Stenberg just nailed it with her portrayal of twin sisters Osha and Mae and her capture of the complexity of the characters.
One of the best instances of her commendable acting skills is the emotional part where Osha triggers the gun on Mae in episode 2.
It wouldn’t be fair enough if I didn’t say Amandla really stole the show with how gracefully she grasped the light and darkness of Osha and Mae.
