IR TV Review: STAR WARS - VISIONS - VOL. 3 [Lucasfilm/Disney+]
The intrepidness of "Star Wars: Visions" is the flux of different perceptions that each segment does/ This is the great thing about having anime specialists and creatives from the Far East take a stab at the mythology but also with the use of the IP and the sound effects library at their fingertips. Now granted there will be some ground rules, one would think but that said, there seems to be a gamut of interpretation.
In Ep 1: "The Duel: Payback", two Siths go up against a grandmaster. The setting blends lot of different elements but the music is soaring at times. There is a definitely conceptualization referring to "Return Of The Jedi" since the Ewoks help in the same way. It does have that humor but also stakes. The episode is mostly black and white with a tendency of charcoal drawings so images are distinct and yet not. The antagonist is trying to bring the Sith in for the common good but because of his identity, his intent (as it reflects in an almost Ronin setting) is an interesting play. The scale, especially the tipping over of a converted ATAT is quite something since it brings to mind certain imagery in "Akira".
In Ep 2: "Song Of Four Wings", we follow a princess on a cold world with only her droid to help her. It is almost like she is on a fact finding mission. She finds a small creature with big eyes who we eventually find is force capable. She is a princess too whose family was killed by the empire. She sees that empire is trying to mine Coaxium like in "Solo" so her key is to get that info back to the Rebellion. Her droid transforming into flying machine is interesting but a bit much. Also the ATAT being able to exude multiple cannons is a bit more impressionistic. The carnage is fun but not as visceral as first one.
In Ep 3: "The Ninth Jedi: Child Of Hope", the makers explore an interesting and cinematic existential story but one that Production I.G. is always good at. Kara is a girl like Jyn Orso who lost her father. She is left behind in a pursuit (though the life support idea is flimsy). She ends up on an abandoned ship with a service droid serving his master and yet lost in an asteroid field. The episode shows his compassion and her belief in him and ends up being the most emotional of the stories so far. She doesn't want to leave him and yet his sacrifice in one space is breathtaking. A pod plays a role but it is the sense of loss that leaves it open for interpretation as to where Kara might go.
In Ep 4: "The Bounty Hunters", the story follows a girl who thinks she is tough with a robot that has two sides to him. She tries to come to terms with a client she is working with but his front forward facing intent becomes a dark betrayal. Once she sees what is actually going on she sets his wards (the inmates) against him. The mechanoid maniac transformation of the headmaster is a little silly but the assassin droid stepping up with a little bit of Schwarzenegger brutishness is fun.
In Ep 5, "Yuko's Treasure", the proceedings have more of a Japanese tonal bent. In this story, a little girl who is seemingly orphaned by her parents is taken care of by a huge droid bear who is programmed to be her protector even if he keeps her away from the outside work. A prying kid (like Rey) exposes their secret lair when he tries to help a local bounty hunter discover a treasure. It becomes an interesting parlay when the attacking party turns the bear's programming against her so one sees the balance of the dark and light. In the end, the conclusion has an almost 1980s optimism since the ending resolution tends to bask in its own wonder.
In Ep 6: "The Lost Ones", the makers bring the episode in this volume closest to the mainstream Star Wars animated we know considering its mythology and dialogue. While the story does leans into ideas of the Jedi and a person we know (Yoda), the scale (despite not having the full budget) is considerable. It feels especially with the use of a Star Destroyer but taking a new concept with a weapon. It feels like the real Star Wars despite a slow beginning, There is actually a correlation to Back To The Future simply in the imagery in the first shot. The dialogue though keys into existential thoughts, especially for a former Padawan. However there is a sense of truth but it doesn’t get too saccharine. The use of carbonite in a different way is pretty cool especially as a weapon and the saber fight brings to mind the old ones without losing itself in the choreography.
In Ep 7: "The Smuggler", the animation on this one by Trigger was more specific and akin peripherally to Heavy Metal. This is an interesting idea and again like "The Lost Ones" it is very bridgeable to a bigger series. Obviously there is almost a Grievous texture to one character and the liftoff sequence and the way it uses its perspective is pretty good. The lead and the ward she is protecting are not unlike "The Phantom Menace" but because they are a little older here, it definitely works better There are some very good "Star Wars: Visions" episodes out there and these last two have been good.
In Ep. 8: "The Bird Of Paradise", the style and storytelling is a little more esoteric in how it presents itself and optimizes more 3D stylings than the episodes before in this volume. The story follows a Padawan facing certain questions of self and perception in the face of death. The imagery is much more metaphorical but interesting in how it plays itself out. However that said, it is much more florid and spiritual in nature (but also at time self aggrandizing). However seeing the visualization of the Force working against itself is an interesting paradigm since we mostly have only seen it visually integrated with Anakin (more in "Ahsoka"). However overall the set up of the episode comes off more metaphorical and philosophical than practical.
In Ep 9" "Black", the animation and presentation takes on a definite more impressionistic form with the images being extremely lurid and experimental with stormtroopers going through the agony and trauma of war. It more seems like a jazz encounter or concerto in a concert of death. That said, despite any moving story concept, except viscerally, and is riveting, even more so under certain conditions. The scale and movements are impressionistic but the way scale is shown is innovative. A couple big battle scenes prove this and yet the eye is always in the center of the action. There are large scale elements of land moving apart and even a Death Star. The concept does move away from "Star Wars" for a little bit but it is always to give a sense of self.
This edition of "Star Wars: Visions" is, like the others, a potpourri and new ideas which shoes that letting new minds into the Star Wars universe and giving them to tech and IP design and sound tools to explore makes a difference, even in this edge of animation, since it would be infinitely harder to give that freedom in live action. A-
By Tim Wassberg
