There has been a lot of hype and excitement on the upcoming Netflix series “Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” from the star studded cast of actors lending their voices to the intricately designed designed puppets to of course, the legendary Jim Henson studios bringing “the biggest puppet production” to date to the streaming giant.
For some reason I don’t remember seeing the original 1982 film as a child, which is strange considering that my cousin (who I grew up with) confirms we saw the film and this movie is right up the alley of my late Father (who influenced me with my love for Pop Culture and movies).
At first I have to admit that I was distracted with the fact that they were puppets but by the end of the first episode I was quickly invested in the whole world which they walked in. I was impressed by the dichotomy in which the story presented itself, you would think that it was a show for kids because they were puppets but in fact this is no children’s tale, in fact it had themes that were so political that I was quickly able to say that the Skeksis are corrupt politicians while the unsuspecting citizens are Gelfing.
These Gelfing much like ordinary people they represent are also trapped in their own issues of social class and hate for anyone outside of their classes. Little do they know that they must put aside the hatred that they have for their fellow Gelfing and they must come together to defeat the Skeksis.
Aside from the compelling story and too real themes wrapped in a fantasy narrative-the Production Value is beyond over the top! From an intricately designed world, which creates for an effective world building to those breathtaking wide shots which reminds me of Middle Earth.
And don’t even get me started at their star studded cast! So many prestigious actors lent their voice to these characters! From Taron Egerton, Natalie Dormer, AnyaTaylor-Joy, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jason Isaacs, Lena Headley, Helena Bonham Carter, Akwafina, stand out performances from Mark Hammil and Simon Pegg!
Had some issues with the ending as I felt a closed book ending would have been more satisfying, given the flow of the story.
But all in all, a great series if you’re looking to see something that’s not the traditional 2D and even 3D medium (Go puppets!) and if you’re into the fantasy genre then this one is for you!
9/10
Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is now streaming on Netflix.