‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ review: A magical must-see

Are you up for spending 10 hours watching a dark yet engaging story of magic and wonder populated entirely by fantastical puppets?

That’s a question everyone who sits down with The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix will face at some point. Probably early in the first episode. This is a puppet show, not unlike Fraggle Rock or Team America. If you can’t take it seriously because of that — and this is a story that wants to be taken seriously, just so we’re clear — better to move on.

You’ll be missing out, though. Age of Resistance has a truly enjoyable story to tell, and it does so in a format we just don’t see a lot of anymore outside of for-kids TV. This is a Jim Henson Company production doing exactly what the Jim Henson Company does so well.

The series opens with a broad look at the world of Thra and the beings that dwell there. The most populous society, the elf-like Gelflings, are divided across seven clans that each have their own customs and sense of identity. Ruling over all are the Skeksis, wingless bird-like beings that dress themselves in heavy robes and indulge deeply in the trappings of their power.

The Skeksis are the keepers of the Crystal of Truth, a massive gemstone that represents the beating heart of Thra’s life force. They’re ostensibly keeping the proverbial seat warm for Aughra, an ancient and powerful being who was tricked into handing over her stewardship of the crystal by the scheming Skeksis. Now, they use it selfishly for their own, personal fulfillment.

That’s where we are at the start. The Gelflings, whose entire political power structure exists to serve the Skeksis, have no idea that the masters they serve actually don’t have their best interests at heart. As anyone who’s seen the original movie knows, the Gelflings eventually do find out. Astute viewers out there probably realize early on where that “Age of Resistance” subtitle is headed.

Let’s pause for a moment and talk about The Dark Crystal, the movie. This series is a prequel. The movie has its own story to tell, but it opens on a very different vision of Thra than the one we’re introduced to. Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say that Age of Resistance faces the same issue as any other prequel: When you know who will still be around and who won’t by the end, the stakes kind of disappear.

Those stakes are high, too. This is a big story, landing somewhere in the Venn diagram crossover between Fraggle Rock and Game of Thrones. There’s palace intrigue, betrayal, murder, revenge, and just a lot of serious vibes all around. Age of Resistance knows how to have fun, but it veers sharply into fantasy drama territory more often than not.

Despite the original movie’s shortcomings, it did introduce an impressively imaginative fantasy world. Age of Resistance benefits from that more than anything else. The creature designs are as eye-catching as they ever were, and an overall reliance on practice effects over digital makeup helps all of it stand out that much more … with one exception.

Age of Resistance exists in the Venn diagram crossover between Fraggle Rock and Game of Thrones.

For whatever reason, a decision was made to (I’m 99 percent sure) use computer-generated tongues for the Skeksis and their counterparts, the gentle Mystics. You only see the tongues when these beings start speaking at length, but they’re instantly distracting. They aren’t the only example of CG in Age of Resistance, but they’re the only one that feels out of place.

The puppetry and other practical effects are all the more impressive because of the amount of effort that clearly went into creating this world. Writers Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews had a great starting point in the original movie, but they went so much further.

The distinctness of each Gelfling clan is evident at every level: the way they talk, what they wear, the places they live, and the truths they accept. The Thra we’re introduced to is a flourishing world, but not necessarily a tolerant one. The conflict that defines this first season — hopefully we’re getting more — is exacerbated in large part by the same kinds of socio-cultural biases that stoke divisions in our own world.

It’s not just the Gelflings; the antagonistic Skeksis are more terrifying than ever. We dive deep into their conniving and brutal day-to-day life. Much of their authority in the world of Thra grows out of the belief that they’re immortal beings. But it’s all a big sham. They’re wasting away — in frequently disgusting and slimy ways! — and relying on ever-more-twisted scientific research to sustain themselves.

Outwardly, they all live in service to their emperor. But long-held anxieties over wasting away and having their lies exposed has nurtured a selfish and scheming mindset in all of them. The Gelflings are hardly above court intrigue, but for the Skeksis, it comes as easily as breathing.

They’re brought to life all the more by a wonderful cast of voice actors, a literal who’s who of Names You Know. People like Mark Hamill, Simon Pegg, Awkwafina, Andy Samberg, and Keegan-Michael Key, to name just a few. You’ll be hard-pressed to recognize any of them, though; they completely disappear inside the rasping Skeksis voices.

The entire cast can be accurately described as star-studded. We’ve got Game of Thrones vets (Nathalie Emmanuel, Lena Headey, Natalie Dormer), plus Helena Bonham Carter, Eddie Izzard, Gugu-Mbatha Raw, Mark Strong, Caitriona Balfe, Harris Dickinson, and even a brief contribution from Sigourney Weaver.

The names don’t do much more than help sell the whole package in the end, though. It’s thrilling to occasionally hear Headey bust out the steely I’m-in-charge-so-piss-off voice that she perfected on Thrones, but those occasional moments of recognition don’t break the spell that Age of Resistance weaves.

That’s a good thing. Wherever you stand on the original movie, welcome this opportunity to spend more time in the world of Thra. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy yarn with an emphasis on puppetry and practical effects that makes for a refreshing change of pace from Hollywood’s love affair with CG-heavy blockbusters.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance has an Aug. 30, 2019 release on Netflix.