“Andor” - 3 Episode Premiere Review
Star Wars is back and maybe better than ever with the three episode premiere of “Andor.” Diego Luna stars with Tony Gilroy showrunning the newest Disney+ series.
The multi-episode premiere is a slow burn with some of the most serious content seen in a Star Wars project.
From sound design, cinematography and story this show has one of the most impressive starts of any Star Wars show.
The opening scene immediately sets the tone for the rest of the series and it is done wonderfully. The shots of a putrid, rainy city and the limited dialogue in the first few shots sink in with the viewer.
Then when the two guards jump Cassian Andor. He has to kill them, and the audience is left with the weight of the moment as Cassian flees the scene.
This isn’t some extra being shot off screen. The viewer can feel the power of this scene and how it will follow Cassian for the rest of this premiere.
I must give major props for Luna and company for amazing performances, especially in that scene.
These kinds of performances continue throughout the three episodes with Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona and Kyle Soller as standouts.
After the initial scenes in the first episode we get a glance into the life of Andor and the people of Ferrix. Like I mentioned before, it is a bit of a slow burn but I loved seeing the gritty lifestyle of these characters.
Lies and deception are everywhere on Ferrix. I enjoyed seeing how miserable the average citizen’s life is during the imperial era even without stormtroopers marching around everywhere.
Another interesting point to note with this show is that this is the first Disney+ Star Wars project to not use the StageCraft technology.
StageCraft is a 360 degree screen that actors can walk around and interact in. This could replace something like a green screen.
While the technology is still new and super impressive, it felt a tad overused in some of the more recent Star Wars projects like “Obi-Wan Kenobi”.
“Andor” has built sets and shot a majority of the show on location. This is a refreshing change seen in some of the shots like Cassian walking through the scrap yard workers on Ferrix.
The slow buildup in the first two episodes has a nice payoff in the third. Skarsgard’s Luthen Rael plays a large part in the action.
The blaster fights and tension in the episode are great, but the highlight for me was the sound design.
For starters, the sounds from the bell tower are incredible. The pings of the hammers when the ringer lays them down and the echoes in the distance when the bell is actually being rung are wonderful.
This comes into play later with some more ringing, this time with the townspeople banging on any kind of surface they could find when the militants were arriving.
These bangs and clattering sounds from the citizens linger throughout the final acts of episode three. They even go as far as mixing them in with the musical score.
Finally you have Luthen recruiting Cassian and helping him escape Ferrix. The slow buildup becomes complete chaos when the two have to try and shoot and bomb their way out of town.
“Andor” offers something brand new and refreshing to the Star Wars universe and I am excited to see the rest of the show play out in the coming weeks.
Maclain Young is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email macyoung21@gmail.com.
