Atrociously creaky dialogue holds back The Acolyte, a refreshing take on Star Wars

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With the latest addition to the Star Wars universe, The Acolyte, now streaming on Disney+, it's time to reconsider whether we've been too critical of Disney's handling of the franchise. Although some of their contributions have been less than stellar, it's worth remembering that even Star Wars creator George Lucas had his missteps. For example, there were the much-maligned Ewoks, the universally despised Jar Jar Binks, and the cringe-worthy on-screen chemistry between Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen. In other words, Star Wars wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders before Disney came along.

Disney's Star Wars movies and TV shows have received mixed reviews over the years. Despite some disappointing characters like Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Mandalorian seasons one and two have been entertaining. Rogue One is considered by many fans to be the third best movie in the franchise, behind the original and The Empire Strikes Back. Plus, Tony Gilroy's Andor is a top-notch TV show. It's easy to criticize Disney for their efforts, but we should also acknowledge that they haven't completely failed.

The Acolyte is a refreshing addition to the Star Wars universe as it takes us back to the Old Republic and the era of the Jedi before Darth Vader and the sequel trilogy. In an attempt to expand the universe, it introduces the concept of "Force-Fu" where the Force is used as a martial art. However, the execution falls short despite the best efforts of those involved. The dialogue is clunky, and the plot, while striving to be complex, ends up feeling rushed as it hastens from planet to planet.

Sometimes, unintentionally funny things happen in the show. For example, there is a scene where a group of women who have separated from the Jedi order use their own methods to harness the Force. This could have been a commentary on how the patriarchy often controls women's power, but it doesn't quite hit the mark. These women are portrayed in a way that feels cheesy and over-the-top, like a mix of a music video by Bat for Lashes, a video game like Hellblade, and a spoof of the movie Midsommar by Ari Aster.

At the start of the Acolyte, an exciting scene features a clash between two characters - the rebel Force user Mae (played by Amandla Stenberg) and the experienced Jedi master Indara (played by Carrie-Anne Moss), where martial arts are used. Leslye Headland, the showrunner, has openly expressed that Indara is a tribute to Trinity from The Matrix, the cyberpunk protagonist known for her impressive fighting moves. The Acolyte is not hesitant to make nods to The Matrix, as a particular sequence, showcasing Indara's slow-motion evasion during a potential deadly attack, resembles a moment in the famous Wachowski-directed movie.

According to Headland, The Acolyte is a combination of Frozen and Kill Bill, which is somewhat accurate. Similar to Frozen, the story revolves around two sisters who have a strained relationship. Starring in both roles is Stenberg who plays Mae, the presumed bad guy, and her sister Osha, a trainee Jedi who was unsuccessful in completing her Force schooling.

It's been over ten years since Mae and Osha last saw each other. Mae did something terrible that forever altered her sister's life. Osha believed that Mae had passed away, but that's not the case - she's still alive. However, Mae has become an "acolyte" with forbidden Force abilities and is on a mission to track down and eliminate Jedi Knights much like how Uma Thurman's character did in Kill Bill. Her first target is Indara.

It's easy to understand why the person in charge of the TV show would mention Frozen and Kill Bill, as they both have had a significant impact on our society. Yet, if we want to make a more precise comparison, we should look at the Netflix animated series Arcane, which you can binge-watch. The story follows two sisters who are now separated and involved in a dispute between what's right and wrong.

At first, the audience is expected to feel for Osha. She's introduced as a mechanic who's trying to move on from her Jedi past and earn a living fixing spaceships. Stenberg delivers strong performances as both Osha and Mae, effectively conveying Osha's trauma and Mae's understandable resentment towards the Jedi. The supporting cast also does well, including Lee Jung-jae as Osha's former Jedi mentor, Dafne Keen as his sharp-tongued student, Manny Jacinto as a clueless smuggler, and Jodie Turner-Smith as a mystical figure from Osha and Mae's past.

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The makers of Russian Doll, Headland, are deserving of praise for attempting to bring a fresh idea to the Star Wars universe with a storyline centered around a group of courageous women using the Force illicitly. However, despite an enormous budget of $25 million per episode, the show falls short in terms of its visual quality, similar to concerns expressed about Obi-Wan Kenobi. Additionally, while there are exciting action sequences, the dialogue feels awkward. Overall, The Acolyte is a commendable effort, but not as impressive as other Star Wars productions from Disney.