‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ Episode Three Recap: “Very Interesting, as an Astrogation Problem”

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for episode three of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

It wasn’t a fluke. Episode three of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, titled Very Interesting, as an Astrogation Problem, is just as good as the show’s introductory episodes. It still sets up some critical information on how the series will function, namely an “adventure of the week” in which the children, Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) explore different parts of the galaxy to return home to At Attin with Jedi (or not) Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law).

Jod Na Nawood may not be his real name. To some, he’s known as Captain Silvo (attentive viewers will remember this is the pirate whose own crew rebelled against him in the first episode). To others, he’s known as Crimson Jack. One thing’s for sure: he knows how to use the Force. But he’s not a Jedi. Well, he never said he was, nor did he say he wasn’t. Let’s say it’s complicated. I assume that everything we’ve heard about him (so far) has been nothing but red herrings, which makes this character particularly exciting to see develop in subsequent episodes.

It also helps that Law is such a great screen presence on camera. It’s a shame that his talents haven’t been utilized to the fullest potential in recent memory (I have heard good things about Justin Kurzel’s The Order but have not yet seen it). He was completely wasted in David Lowery’s Peter Pan & Wendy, and while decent, no one will remember his turn as Albus Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts saga, compared to Richard Harris and Michael Gambon. In one episode, Law reminds all of us why he’s such a captivating actor to watch. You can never read into his personality, and he only infers what he wants the children (and other characters we meet in the episode) to see, making his character such a thrill to observe.

Of course, it does help that Lowery has worked with him before, and he seems far more at ease in letting him cook than he did when Law attempted to give life to Captain Hook. Did playing a pirate in that film help him portray Nawood (or Silvo or Crimson Jack)? It’s hard to tell because he’s an entirely different character who isn’t reliant on ultra-expressivity, which was the trait that he attempted (and sadly failed) to play with in Lowery’s live-action reimagination of Disney’s Peter Pan.

Lowery has stated in the past that he wants children (and families) to have something of value when watching his friendlier titles (compared to A Ghost Story and The Green Knight) or, more specifically, “something nourishing.” He might not have accomplished this goal with the self-serious remakes of Pete’s Dragon and Peter Pan, but he certainly has with An Almost Christmas Story and now Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. The cinematography is surprisingly effective, especially when visualizing a planet lighting the shadows of Nawood and his “Goonies” visiting an Owl-like alien named Kh’ymm (Alia Shawkat), who tells them about the origins of At Attin.

At Attin seems very much steeped in Goonies lore. A place that most pirates and scavengers have dreamed of but only believe to be part of children’s stories or, more specifically, myths. It certainly seems well in line with One Eyed-Willy’s treasure right now, doesn’t it? Better yet, this episode reveals that At Attin is part of a series of planets whose treasures are so legendary they must protect themselves with a barrier and not reveal their coordinates. Moreover, none of the planets have survived, except for At Attin, making this quest for Nawood to (probably) find the treasure far more tantalizing.

This leads to a surprisingly fun set piece where the kids must battle two X-wings. It’s, of course, a simple scene, but it is visually treated with the feel of old, George Lucas-directed Star Wars, a first for the Disney era. Perhaps there’s a bit more overreliance on The Volume. However, it doesn’t feel as artificial in the lens of Lowery and cinematographer David Klein as it does in, say, The Mandalorian or Ahsoka. There’s a real sense of wonder that Lowery never stops capturing from the moment his camera focuses on the children, and eye-widening excitement is, of course, all around each corner of the galaxy when you’re exploring something new and potentially dangerous for the first time.

This was absolutely illustrated in The Goonies, and Richard Donner‘s film has undoubtedly shaped how family films were made in the 1980s and 1990s. I’ll point once again to Rock Demers because he was a pioneer of family entertainment in Québec, creating stories for children to latch onto in a period of great difficulty after learning of an epidemic of teen suicides, which inspired him to make the now-classic The Dog Who Stopped the War. The film not only has a message of hope for the dreary world we live in today but has also forced children to reckon with the harsh consequences of their actions.

Perhaps these movies were a bit on the edgier side, but his Tales for All are still going strong even many years after Demers’ passing, with its latest installment, Ms. Boots, released with widespread critical and commercial acclaim in Québec. The film isn’t afraid of tackling complex subjects that could be hard for children to wrestle with but digests it quickly with enough humor and wonder to make them see how truly special this life is. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew seems to follow that path of wanting the kids to discover something new and special while also reminding them why this world is so unique and is worth holding onto, even if it can get painfully difficult at times.

In that regard, David Lowery has finally made something of value that all families can enjoy and nourish for generations to come.

The third episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is now available to stream on Disney+.