Obi-Wan Kenobi Review: Ewan McGregor Rules In His Star Wars Return
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The post Obi-Wan Kenobi Review: Ewan McGregor Rules In His Star Wars Return appeared first on Consequence.
The Pitch: If it’s been a while since you sat down with “the prequels,” as most Star Wars fans might call them, don’t worry: Obi-Wan Kenobi begins with a lengthy reminder of what happened a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, when a once-young Jedi Knight (Ewan McGregor) tried and failed to keep his dear apprentice from descending into evil.
The rise of Darth Vader is the essential throughline of Star Wars Episodes I-III, films that also track the fall of the once-peaceful Galactic Republic and massacre of the Jedi who helped maintain that aforementioned peace. But what of that Jedi who believed in his friend, and suffered the crushing disappointment that ensued? Well, that’s just what the new Disney+ series seeks to answer, and the end result proves remarkably promising, at least based on the first two episodes.
Kind of a Strange Old Hermit: Like so many prequel stories, it’s hard to even be sure what a spoiler is when discussing Obi-Wan, but this can be said: Episode III literally ends with Obi-Wan beginning his exile on Tatooine, ready to stand watch over the infant son of his presumed-dead friend as the kid grows up, and Obi-Wan Kenobi picks up 10 years afterward, with Obi-Wan remaining dedicated to his mission, and what he sees as his penance.
However, lest you fear that you’re in for six episodes of watching Ewan McGregor squint at the desert, that proves not be the case. What makes the first two episodes so successful is how thoughtful they are about catching the viewer up with Obi-Wan’s life as a hermit in the Tatooine desert (dude literally lives in a cave, all hail a hermit who really commits to the lifestyle) before quickly throwing him out of his comfort zone and back into action.
In comparison to The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan has a great deal more focus narratively (which is a blessing, given that it’s only six episodes and very declarative about being a limited series), with a compelling immediate hook. Without revealing too much, it seems safe to say that while the trailers heavily emphasize Obi-Wan embracing his role as guardian over Luke, it’s the other Skywalker twin who becomes the focus of the the show relatively quickly, and Vivien Lyra Blair (Bird Box) immediately steals hearts as 10-year-old Leia Organa.
A Name I Haven’t Heard In a Long Time… Before the plot kicks into gear towards the end of the first episode, Obi-Wan hews relatively closely to what you might expect from the series, delivering a largely dialogue-free portrait of how the former Jedi master occupies his days, as he waits for Luke to grow up.
It works, though, because a huge part of what makes the show so compelling is McGregor himself. While always drifting back and forth between great character actor and full-throttle movie star, one undeniable aspect of his work is how well he can calibrate his charisma to meet the expectations of a scene, and this proves to be a huge factor in his depiction of the character, who we meet as essentially a broken man, one who hasn’t stopped torturing himself for 10 years over mistakes that cannot seemingly be forgiven.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)
Gone is the guy who literally dropped down into the middle of a droid army by himself with a cheery “Hello, there!” — it’s unlikely that Taye Diggs is going to show up in future episodes to help Obi-Wan get his groove back, but what pinpointing this particular period for the character means getting a glimpse at what could be a key part of the character’s motivation.
For the record, here’s some math: While Obi-Wan begins 10 years after Episode III, 17 years have passed in our timeline, which actually works out in one respect: Ewan McGregor is currently 53 years old. Original Obi-Wan Alec Guinness, meanwhile, was 63 years old when A New Hope premiered in theaters. Per the established timeline, Obi-Wan takes place nine years before A New Hope — meaning that the years do actually now line up nicely.
Out Beyond the Dune Sea: At this point, our trips to Tatooine are starting to feel more and more rote, but director Deborah Chow, who came to Star Wars by way of The Mandalorian, has a confident hand here and a clean, elegant approach to the storytelling. There are occasional attempts at more experimental flare that come off as awkward (sometimes, a little shakycam goes a long way) but all is forgiven with the inclusion of some pretty charming creature effects, many of which feel practical — you know it’s a Star Wars story when there are weird alien creatures and adorable droids in equal measure.
Central to the story are the Inquisitors, Force-using Jedi hunters with cybernetic enhancements played by Rupert Friend, Sung Kang (Han from the Fast & Furious franchise!), and immediate breakout Moses Ingram as Reva, who invokes serious Matrix vibes with her black leather and superhuman maneuvers.
But they’re not the only notable co-stars, with an eclectic cast including Jimmy Smits reprising his role as Bail Organa (can’t have a Star Wars show without at least one space daddy, after all), Kumail Nanjiani having an awful lot of fun in Jedi robes, and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers revealing that he has a menacing side. It’s a diverse and engaging bunch, with impressive energy and a lot of promise for the remaining episodes.
One Thing — A Content Warning Might Have Been Nice: It’s actually kind of shocking that Disney would overlook something like this — especially given that Netflix did choose to address it with its high profile weekend release — but for anyone who has been following the ongoing news coverage regarding this week’s horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, well, the opening minutes of Obi-Wan Kenobi are poorly timed to say the least. The sequence is a flashback to the night Order 66 was issued, and there are younglings involved. Let’s leave it at that.
The Verdict: It’s hard to imagine a film that people might feel more protective about than Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope — Star Wars in general is precious to many, but that one film in particular has its own special place in the modern canon. As a result, some skepticism regarding how successful a show like Obi-Wan can ever be makes a lot of sense. After all, we know how this story ultimately ends for Master Kenobi, at least according to George Lucas in 1977, and god help those involved if they attempt to retcon it.
So far, though, Obi-Wan feels respective of both its canonical past and the future that lays ahead, and while it’s the exact opposite of new ground, this does feel like a chapter of the Star Wars saga that makes sense to explore. Especially right now, looking at the state of the world, it’s easy to empathize with a hero who’s largely given up, but might still be capable of rejoining the fight. Add in the fact that as bad as we might feel the prequels are, McGregor was always their saving grace, and you’ve got a show we’re hyped to see through to the end.
Where to Watch: The first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi are streaming now on Disney+. The four remaining episodes will debut weekly on Fridays.
Trailer:
Obi-Wan Kenobi Review: Ewan McGregor Rules In His Star Wars Return
Liz Shannon Miller
Popular Posts
R.I.P. Andy Fletcher, Depeche Mode Founding Member Dead at 60
Eminem Shuts Down Pete Davidson's Final SNL Rap Video: Watch
Over 1,000 Musicians Pay Tribute to Taylor Hawkins with Cover of "My Hero": Watch
R.I.P. Ray Liotta, Goodfellas and Field of Dreams Actor Dead at 67
Rammstein's New "Dicke Titten" Video Pays Homage to Large-Breasted Women: Watch
Man Who Attacked Dave Chappelle Onstage Says He Was "Triggered" by Comedian's Jokes
