Review: THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE Episode 1 is a True Masterpiece

I am going to start this off with the promise that I am going to make this as spoiler free as I can. If any tidbit of info is given in this post, it is going to enhance your excitement for the upcoming series, not give anything away.

During the panel for the series at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, we were given the great opportunity of hearing from Mark Hamill and Taron Egerton and their experience working on the show. What made this panel more exciting was the pure joy that both of them spoke about their love of the original series. Yes, I totally understand that just because someone is enthusiastic doesn’t mean that their project will be good. So, once Hamill was finished giving his acceptance speech for receiving this years Eisner award, he announced that we would be watching episode one of the series. It was a put your money where your mouth is type moment.

The show starts off with what can be perceived as a mix between the Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. Stylistically you will see the similarities, but the information given is necessary to catch everyone up to the time and power structure on the planet of Thra. The first five minutes are full of information that will bring new viewers up to speed and give long time fans answers to questions that they have always wondered. It was intense.

The show is about the Gelflings of Thra and how the Skeksis are introduced into this world. The story follows three Gelflings from different backgrounds who start to see that there is something wrong with the status quo and set out to do something, anything about it. Rian (Egerton), who is a gelfling soldier in the Castle of the Crystal, finds out that the Skeksis are not the benevolent keepers of the Crystal that they appear to be. Brea (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a Gelfling princess that questions everything and soon finds out that her questioning has brought her to a place where she can turn her back on her people or can step up and do something about the dangers that seem to be closing in around them. Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel), who lives in the caves underneath Thar, after some unfortunate events, is given a quest to find out what is infecting the world and stop it at any cost. I am assuming that these characters will meet up eventually and I can’t wait to see the adventures that are to come.

It is hard to believe that the scenes in this show are even more beautiful than the movie and completely draw you into the world of Thra. The voice cast is unreal, take the aforementioned actors and add Helena Bonham Carter, Keegan Michael-Key, Simon Pegg, Natalie Dormer, Lena Headey, Jason Isaacs, Toby Jones, Eddie Izzard, Mark Strong, Andy Samberg, Theo James and so many more.

I was sold on this show long before I saw the first episode and now I am sad that I have to wait till August 30th to see the rest. If the first episode is any indication of the rest of the series, director Louis Leterrier has done us fans of the movie a great justice. The show is dark and beautiful. It is one of the most riveting and heartbreaking shows that I have seen this year. A true masterpiece.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will be released on Netflix August 30th 2019. Enjoy!