Summary
The Acolyteepisode 5’s lightsaber duels were beyond exciting and proved to be the best laser sword action sequences the franchise has had sinceStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. After the cliffhangerending ofThe Acolyteepisode 4, I was certain that the next installment would build upon the confrontation brewing between the Jedi and the show’s mysterious Sith villain.The Acolyteepisode 5 instantly proved me right, throwing audiences headlong into a 30-minute extended action sequence filled withStar Wars’best lightsaber duels, hand-to-hand battles, and major character developments.
Although some of the character choices fall emotionally flat and the major reveal thatQimir isThe Aoclyte’s Sith villainwas predictable, several elements bolstered the episode to rank it amongThe Acolyte’s best. Manny Jacinto’s performance amongThe Acolyte’s ensemble castwas one such element, as he overcame predictability to imbue the Sith warrior with menace, threat, and intrigue. However, it was inThe Acolyteepisode 5’s lightsaber fights where the real strength of the installment lay. Through a variety of desirable filmmaking elements,The Acolyteepisode 5 contained the best lightsaber duels this side ofStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
The Acolyte’s lightsaber fights are the best since 2005 in live-action specifically, as The Clone Wars season 7 included a fantastic motion-capture duel between Maul and Ahsoka.
The Acolyte’s Lightsaber Fight Choreography Is Absolutely Breathtaking
Long Camera Takes Allow For Fluid, Brilliant Lightsaber Battles
Immediately withThe Acolyteepisode 5, I knewStar Warsfans were in for a treat. The opening moments of Qimir, still masked as a mysterious warrior, fighting through the unnamed Jedi ofThe Acolytewas thrilling. The long takes and lack of quick-cut editing made it so that every move was mapped out and easy to discern from an audience perspective. These long takes of strong choreography combined with the unique storytelling elements of cortosis - the material that allowedThe Acolyte’s villain to shut lightsabers downtemporarily - to craft action scenes that worked on a visceral and narrative level.
The performances ofThe Acolyte’s stunt team sold every movement, with quick parries, deflections, grapples, and killing blows being delivered with a speed of action that was sorely lacking in theStar Warssequel trilogy. These extensive moments of combat were capped off with power moves, such as Qimir stabbing one Jedi and pulling another onto the tip of the lightsaber blade before pulling back for a double decapitation. This all occurred within the opening moments ofThe Acolyteepisode 5, with the ensuing duels only adding to the epic lightsaber action on display.
Where the Sith vs. unnamed Jedi depicted great group choreography, the former’s battles against Sol and Jecki detailed fantastic one-on-one and two-on-one sequences. From the fencing-like duel between Sol and Qimir to Jecki’s dual-wield lightsaber skills, the aforementioned lack of quick edits and the inventive, fast-paced choreography were emblematic of the best scenes from theStar Warsprequels. While I was someone who enjoyed most of the lightsaber duels in the sequel trilogy, I will be the first to admit that they lacked the almost superhuman quick choreography of the prequels thatThe Acolytedoes not.
Star Wars: Ranking Every Lightsaber Fight Of The Sequel Trilogy
he Star Wars sequel trilogy ended in December with The Rise of Skywalker. The series had lightsaber dueling action throughout, some better than others
Leslye Headland Wanted To Build On The Prequels - & She’s Done Just That
The Prequels Have A Lightsaber Battle Competitor
Whenever debate arises about thebestStar Warsaction scenes, fans of all opinions tend to uncharacteristically agree that the Duel of the Fates and the Battle of Heroes from theStar Warsprequel trilogy rank as the best. This explains why the prequels often serve as the benchmark forStar Warsaction sequences, not only for fans butThe Acolyte’s creators too. Before the show’s release,creator Leslye Headland was clear that one of the main goals ofThe Acolytewas to attempt to match the prequels' action sequences, somethingThe Acolyteepisode 5 has proven to do.
The extensivetraining undertaken by The Acolyte’s Dafne Keen, for example, proves how dedicated the show’s cast members were to fulfilling Headland’s vision.
The lightsaber duels of theStar Warssequels were entertaining but lacked the exaggerated choreography of the prequels to more align with the clashes of the original trilogy.The Acolyteepisode 5 forgoes this style and lives up to Headland’s promise by matching the intensity of the prequels. Every duel inThe Acolyteepisode 5 feels prequels-coded; every move is intentional making the choreography believable and the actors and stunt performers are allowed the chance to show what they can do without editing marring strong sequences.
Star Wars Just Set A New Standard For Lightsaber Fights
Future Star Wars Projects Must Strive To Replicate This Level Of Action
Thanks toThe Acolyteepisode 5,Star Warsnow has a high bar to strive toward concerning future action sequences. This level of choreography, filmmaking, and stunt performance now has to be the level thatupcomingStar Warsmoviesattempt to emulate, especially ones expected to contain lightsaber choreography like Rey’s New Jedi Order movie and James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi film. Even upcomingStar WarsTV shows should attempt to reach this level of action sequences, especiallyAhsokaseason 2, which has Jedi and lightsabers more prevalent than shows likeThe MandalorianandAndor.
The creators ofThe Acolyte, aided hugely by stunt coordinator Christopher Clark Cowan ofShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsfame, have proven thatStar Warsaction can reach the heights of the prequels. If the future of the franchise continues to reach these same levels, one of the many aspects that fans have clamored for since Disney acquired Lucasfilm will continuously be realized. Hopefully, the remaining episodes ofThe Acolyteseason 1 continue to set, or even raise, this high bar, reinstating the standard for upcoming stories in a galaxy far, far away.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
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