Early Star Wars The Acolyte reviews are out - as good as Andor?
Commentators have already seen the first half of Star Wars The Acolyte
Reviews of upcoming Star Wars show The Acolyte have been posted online, following a private premiere of its first episodes.
Disney held the screening of the first few episodes of the show last week, and the lucky few to have seen them have posted their feelings online.
As with any social media reviews, though, these The Acolyte responses should be taken with a pinch of salt. Social media reactions tend to be significantly more positive than the actual critic reviews, which will appear closer to the show's broadcast date on June 4.
CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell says he has seen the first four episodes of the show, and praises its choreography and world-building.
Really digging #TheAcolyte through four episodes. Fresh storytelling in an unexplored era of STAR WARS. But it’s all about character, and Amandla Stenberg continues to impress as a former Padawan pulled into a murder mystery. GREAT fight choreography, cool new worlds. Big win! pic.twitter.com/DHUVPIYleL
— Sean O'Connell (@Sean_OConnell) May 24, 2024
YouTuber Justin Lawrence says the show is a murder mystery, and again has seen the first four episodes of The Acolyte.
#TheAcolyte is a blend of murder mystery with Star Wars charm. 4 episodes in, and it’s clear that this new timeline will add to the lore of the galaxy in BIG ways. The Kung Fu force fighting is MAGICAL! JJ as Sol is the COOLEST Jedi since QUI GON! Can’t wait to see where it goes pic.twitter.com/STbdMUBbFS
— Justin Lawrence | Geekcentric (@helloimjlaw) May 24, 2024
However, in a follow-up tweet he warns us not to coming expecting that grown-up, darker sensibility of Andor.
"I was hoping that the tone of #TheAcolyte would be darker and take itself more seriously, similar to Andor. However, I'm surprised at how well the tone of a murder mystery combined with classic Star Wars works together,” he writes.
Author and entertainment writer Tara Bennett also couldn’t help but compare the show to Andor. And while there’s no suggestion The Acolyte gets close to beating that smash here, her takeaways are positive after seeing the show's first few episodes.
Admitting that #Andor has been my only recent #StarWars series love, so happy to report that I really enjoyed the first few episodes of #TheAcolyte. No barrier to entry, a refreshing lack of reliance on Member Berries & a genuinely intriguing mystery. Excellent cast all around. pic.twitter.com/TyK247qCUT
— Tara Bennett (@TaraDBennett) May 24, 2024
It sounds like The Acolyte isn't going to be a breakout critical hit like Andor. But there’s a question mark over whether it can really rise above other recent Star Wars shows like Ashoka, which still received solid reviews but won’t be considered as particularly notable episodes in the Star Wars saga for years to come.
The Acolyte’s first season consists of eight episodes, the first two of which will be available on June 4. The rest will appear one a week, arriving up until mid-July.