REVIEW #441 Andor (Season 2)

Andor (Season 2)

Synopsis

Season 2 follows Cassian as he becomes a more senior figure in the rebel alliance, with war drawing near.

My Review

Tony Gilroy has created a piece of Star Wars that transcends its fantasy genre, becoming an important piece of social commentary that presents the real weight of tyranny. For the first time we witness The Empire as this truly evil entity, without leaning on the actions of one man (Anakin / Vadar). Despite having always carried out such heinous acts, they have always been presented as a slightly goofy, fantasy villainous outfit, but Andor changes that completely. Episode 8 was the perfect example of this, the events of the Ghorman massacre made me sick to my stomach, a moment only rivalled by Anakin killing younglings in Revenge of the Sith, but Gilroy didn’t hold back in letting audiences witness the horror. The writing is impeccable throughout both seasons, but season 2 takes it to another level, increasing the scope of the rebellion operations, showing the long term impact on its characters and never being afraid to take risks in the pursuit of immersive storytelling. None of that would be possible without the actors who so executed their roles perfectly and created some of the most complex characters to grace the franchise.

The second season spans four years in total, with each set of three episodes representing a year. This was definitely necessary and as a whole, it worked well. But it did feel a little disjointed at times and in an ideal world, we would have had even more time to flesh out the sub plots even further. But, considering both seasons cost a combined $650m to make, I can understand why a 2 season blueprint would have been much easier to approve. Although that budget is high, Andor is one of those projects that lives up to its high budget! The production quality is some of the best we’ve seen in the franchise, with amazing cinematography and impressive set designs that bring these settings to life in a way that feels so real and authentic. Make no mistake, Andor was a big risk for Disney, the subject matter ventures away from the pretty lighthearted nature of the franchise and dives into themes targeted at older audiences. But, it has paid dividends, elaborating on Rogue One was a genius move and I hope this isn’t the last time we see Gilroy work on Star Wars!

My Rating: 9 out of 10

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