Other than wanting excellent, and a stable efficiency from McGregor, the largest plus for ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ is Vivien Lyra Blair’s Princess Leia
As a substitute of re-watching the execrable Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), the concluding movie within the dreadful prequel trilogy, in preparation for the mini-series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, I ought to have watched Star Wars (1977), the film that began all of it, together with its annoying retroactive renaming as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
It’s immense enjoyable to observe C3PO inform R2D2 to not name him a senseless thinker, and dismiss the little whistling droid as an obese glob of grease. There’s additionally the poignant dread of Lord Vader telling his former buddy and mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, “We meet finally,” earlier than that remaining showdown.
Sadly watching A New Hope additionally reveals the endgame for Obi-Wan, which is without doubt one of the greatest issues with the eponymous mini-series. Obi-Wan faces off with Vader, and like Gandalf, offers his life on the bridge, whereas the others escape. An apart — does Gandalf say “run” or “fly you fools”? Like Gandalf, Obi-Wan additionally returns extra highly effective. So now that you recognize what occurs to Obi-Wan and Vader, the good factor to do is to inform a unique story about different characters.
The enjoyment of The Mandalorian (director Deborah Chow helmed two episodes), aside from cutie-pie Grogu, was the brand new characters, totally different from Solo and the Skywalkers. Whereas the Power and Jedis are there within the background, we’re caught up within the Mandalorian and Grogu’s story. Obi-Wan Kenobi, alternatively, looks as if one more iteration of the Star Wars story.
A princess wants rescuing, the Jedi are being hunted, and if there was a planet destroying Loss of life Star and smart-aleck smuggler, you’d be felled by déjà vu—and no, not due to a glitch within the Matrix, however due to artistic chapter. Possibly Obi-Wan Kenobi may have targeted on the Path, the Jedi model of the Underground Railroad.
Ewan McGregor reprises his function as Obi-Wan Kenobi from the prequels. The collection is about 10 years after the occasions of Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan is damaged and watching over Luke in Tattooine the place he stays together with his uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton). Within the present, Obi-Wan talks of his misplaced brother; is Owen that misplaced brother?
The Jedis are being hunted, and when one of many inquisitors, Reva (Moses Ingram) hits upon the brilliant concept of kidnapping Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) to smoke out Obi-Wan, he’s compelled into the battle. Reva, by the way, is without doubt one of the attention-grabbing characters; the conman Haja Estree (Kumail Nanjiani) is one other.
Obi-Wan’s gentle sabre duel with Vader (Hayden Christensen) begs the query of why Vader tells Obi-Wan, “We meet finally,” in A New Hope. Did he neglect this assembly, or does he imply it metaphorically?
Other than wanting excellent, and a stable efficiency from McGregor, the largest plus for Obi-Wan Kenobi is Blair’s Princess Leia. She is past cute and behaves identical to how Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher within the unique) would have when she was 10… She even has the hairdo, that Fisher famously referred to as the buns of Navarone!
Whereas Christensen storms right here and there together with his cloak flying about, James Earl Jones nonetheless offers voice to Vader—so it might be anyone below that black outfit… Lastly when does Obi-Wan get Darth Vader’s gentle sabre that he offers Luke in A New Hope?
Obi-Wan Kenobi is at present streaming on Disney+ Hotstar