When The Dark Crystal was released into theaters in 1982, it was a confusing piece of filmmaking. After all, this was a Jim Henson film that was a massive departure from the Muppets--the property he`s still most closely associated with. Instead of the positivity and primary colors that are associated with Kermit the Frog and his gang of puppet friends, the movie paints a bleak and sad picture of a world that is on the brink of ruin.Almost 40 years later, The Dark Crystal is back as a Netflix original series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance--a 10-episode prequel that will premiere on the service on August 30. Now, though, public sentiment has changed. The kids like me who were terrified of watching it on VHS are adults who can appreciate its artistry and the fantasy it unleashed. But can a prequel created decades later without the late Henson steering the ship be a worthy item in The Dark Crystal`s mythology?The answer is a resounding yes. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is everything fans of the original film could hope for. It`s epic fantasy on the scale of Game of Thrones, and it`s still done almost entirely through extensive and intricate puppetry that leads you to believe these strange looking creatures are not only alive but thriving.The new series is set long before the events of the movie, with the planet Thra still under the control of the bird-like--and truly disturbing--Skeksis as they rule over the elvish Gelflings. The story unfolds as the Gelfings attempt to launch a rebellion against their evil rulers, which escalates into a war between the two sides for control of Thra.It`s a simple story of good attempting to triumph over evil to win its freedom. However, it`s told so well that I found it incredibly engaging. It doesn`t matter that this is a prequel, where you know more or less where the world is headed. This show is filled with intriguing and unique characters, as well as mystical elements that bring it to life.In weaving this tale, seri ...
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