Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Dark Crystal’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

Each and every one of us have a story to tell when it comes to our love affair with motion pictures, and that story speaks to how exactly we fell in love with movies in the first place and how every time we go to the theaters or settle in to watch something on cable or online, that familiar flutter arrives in the center of our chest because movies truly are something special and they accomplish wonders for our body and our soul. But what’s truly fascinating is how this particular story is so supremely different from person to person, which helps to remind us of how every single film out there is unique in its own right and personally, what helped me fall in love with film, was its ability to make the impossible, possible.
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For our imagination knows no bounds, and it can produce the wildest ideas while we sleep or as we daydream and seeing movies that quite frankly, capture that part of the human mind are what allowed for me to fall for this style of storytelling in the hardest fashion imaginable. Because there is something that sends my spirit soaring when incredible ideas come to life on the silver or small screen, and of the many motion pictures that I’ve taken the time to enjoy over the years, one of the first that sucked me into this medium is one that I revisit time and time again thanks in large part to its ability to still inspire a sense of awe and wonder. For it truly transported me and so many viewers to another world with its stunning visuals and fascinating story, all revolving around a struggle to restore, The Dark Crystal.

Now obviously, we won’t bother discussing the plot today, for this is another one of those movies that everyone knows in some capacity or another. Instead, we need to take the time to discuss what exactly helped to create this film’s enduring and rich legacy and really, that starts with the fact that it is a true technical marvel through and through. Because this movie was released in 1982, where computer rendered graphics were virtually impossible at that point in time, meaning that everything here is handled with puppets from Jim Henson’s legendary studios and good heavens, did Jim and his team outright create a beautiful and alien world that features thriving and elegant beings, the kind that are indeed ripped from the depths of our imagination, and they help to draw us in because they inspire us to know more and see more when it comes to this majestic world.
Yet what truly impressed me about this story, and still does to this day, is its incredible story.

Because when I saw this in my youth, it was likely my first real experience of settling in with a tale that featured the age-old of battle of good versus evil and while that is easy for all to comprehend, I couldn’t help but notice that as I’ve grown older and enjoyed this film on a fairly consistent basis, that heavier themes are present within the framework of this sweeping epic. For in many ways, it also speaks to our battle with the darkness within that we struggle with as a species, since the Skeksis represent the darkest parts of the Mystics’ souls and well, that’s just brilliant. Because it’s rare to see a children’s film feature that level of depth and thoughtfulness and it really is incredible to uncover new themes when I watch this film now, and know that likely, that was part of the plan to begin with.

But all surprises and thematic concepts aside, this really is a beautiful motion picture through and through. For its visuals take your breath away as you explore the majestic world of Thra with Jen and Kira, and the powerhouse story grabs onto you tightly and never lets go and really, in the end, this is simply a modern epic in its own right. Because this carefully crafted world has the feel of a Tolkien story with its magnificent depth and richness and it’s one that I return to time and time again in large part due to the fact that it’s a wondrous trip down memory lane but also because, there really is nothing else like it in cinema, making it a powerfully original story that has never been rivaled. And while I am delighted to no end that Netflix is taking us back to the beginning with The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, nothing can top the majesty of this particular tale, because they simply don’t make movies like this anymore, the kind that take a chance and throw caution to the wind, all in the name of telling a great story.

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