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labingiI really enjoyed the first 1.5 hours or so of Obi-Wan Kenobi, so much that I won't do a very formal review but mostly just express my appreciation. I really liked the first few episodes of Bob Fett, but after that, I feel it lost its way, and I haven't really been enthusiastic about a new Star Wars release in years. This I really greatly enjoyed.
(Very minor spoilers below)
It's not perfect. (Small Jedi rant, then the good stuff.) In general, I wish post-OT Star Wars would be a little smarter in writing Jedi. Though there are a number of good exceptions, default writing from c. 2000 on seems to present them as ordinary "good guys" with magical black belt skills rather than people who have intensively studied a philosophy somewhat reminiscent of Zen. For one thing, they're often written with a lot of ego, as, for example, Yoda's (paraphrased) "I have failed; I must go into exile" in RotS. I don't buy that Yoda as an 800-plus-year-old Jedi master has that much self-pity and self-importance, and I don't really buy it from Obi-Wan either... but that's actually a fairly mild complaint, and more about a whole generation of SW writing than this show.
Leia is amazing! Let me say it again.
Leia is amazing! I won't go into details for the unspoiled. It was great to see Carrie Fisher's swansong in the sequels, and I'm more grateful than not for the skillfully CGI-enhanced glimpses of young Leia we've gotten since--but this is almost like having A New Hope Leia back but with more to do. I was so impressed!
Overall, I really enjoyed Obi-Wan himself, minus the Jedi complaint above and maybe a bit too much leaning into his being rusty on every single survival skill. But I loved his rustic life on Tatooine, especially its mix of quite restful/peaceful and traumatized, daily witnessing injustice. That actually makes perfect social sense for being "retired" to the boondocks at a time when the Empire is on the rise.
I enjoy the Inquisitors as antagonists. It was great to see the Organas and Alderaan fleshed out a bit. Very nice presentation of Owen--a great bridge between the prequels and ANH, and a great balance of crusty curmudgeon and courageous guy deeply devoted to protecting his family. I am looking forward to more.
(Very minor spoilers below)
It's not perfect. (Small Jedi rant, then the good stuff.) In general, I wish post-OT Star Wars would be a little smarter in writing Jedi. Though there are a number of good exceptions, default writing from c. 2000 on seems to present them as ordinary "good guys" with magical black belt skills rather than people who have intensively studied a philosophy somewhat reminiscent of Zen. For one thing, they're often written with a lot of ego, as, for example, Yoda's (paraphrased) "I have failed; I must go into exile" in RotS. I don't buy that Yoda as an 800-plus-year-old Jedi master has that much self-pity and self-importance, and I don't really buy it from Obi-Wan either... but that's actually a fairly mild complaint, and more about a whole generation of SW writing than this show.
Leia is amazing! Let me say it again.
Leia is amazing! I won't go into details for the unspoiled. It was great to see Carrie Fisher's swansong in the sequels, and I'm more grateful than not for the skillfully CGI-enhanced glimpses of young Leia we've gotten since--but this is almost like having A New Hope Leia back but with more to do. I was so impressed!
Overall, I really enjoyed Obi-Wan himself, minus the Jedi complaint above and maybe a bit too much leaning into his being rusty on every single survival skill. But I loved his rustic life on Tatooine, especially its mix of quite restful/peaceful and traumatized, daily witnessing injustice. That actually makes perfect social sense for being "retired" to the boondocks at a time when the Empire is on the rise.
I enjoy the Inquisitors as antagonists. It was great to see the Organas and Alderaan fleshed out a bit. Very nice presentation of Owen--a great bridge between the prequels and ANH, and a great balance of crusty curmudgeon and courageous guy deeply devoted to protecting his family. I am looking forward to more.
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Date: 2022-05-30 12:28 am (UTC)Young Leia is AWESOME, and very well cast; she is perfect in the role. Seeing Alderaan made me sad though.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-30 03:56 am (UTC)Ewan MacGregor is amazing, but looking at those first couple episodes, I found myself really appreciating all over what Alec Guinness brought to the role. It's funny that he ended up so negative about Star Wars, and yet he comprehended that character so completely. Every little smile, every little gesture illustrated so clearly that compassionate, non-egoistic Jedi practice of just doing what the moment requires. Maybe we'll see his slightly younger self evolve more in that direction.