Nobody Wanted to Like The Last Jedi
After Disney purchased Lucasfilm, the corporation announced a whole new trilogy of Star Wars films. Fans everywhere found themselves worried that the movies we knew and loved would become “Disnefied” - meaning they would be geared toward a more inclusive (younger) audience, lore butchery, and far too much cheap comedy relief. Luckily, with the Force Awakens, Disney made the right decision to hire J. J. Abrams as the director. We can all suffer some lens flare blinding, but he is a trusted director of science fiction films.
Like most Marvel films have been, it was good, not great. The pluses were an inclusive cast, a fun script, some eye candy spilling from a pleasant amount of easter eggs, and just enough Millennium Falcon action to make our hunks of junk hard. The downsides were a whiney main antagonist, awkward sexual tension between two of the main male leads that made Tumblr shippers go wild, and an unanswered cliffhanger with an ending enough to make moviegoers cringe. Why did she have to stand so far away and still hold out the lightsaber? Why couldn’t she have said anything? Did we really need that pan shot of them, when there was no signal of any recognition, anything?
So, going into The Last Jedi this month, I am sure nobody wanted to like it. I will explain why, and why nobody did like it. |
If we’ve learned anything about Disney, it’s that sequel is synonymous with disappointment. We were pleasantly surprised with how good The Force Awakens was, so surely it couldn’t last, especially under a new director. Most fans, disappointed by this films loss of Abrams, may not know he was behind the critically acclaimed Looper, a science fiction that scored in the nineties on Rotten Tomatoes. It is no easy feat to do such a thing, and though many film fanatics may think themselves independent reviewers that can judge movies based off only their personal feelings, we have to remember that these are people with insight, those reviewers collect revenue from Youtube to make reviews thus they inherently are incentivized by views towards being controversial and extreme, and no, YouTube revenue doesn’t count as getting paid to make reviews since Youtube isn’t paying you, but the viewers you clickbaited are. Sorry YouTubers. You all are too overly critical and impressionable anyway. Oh, PewDiePie didn’t like it? Surely you didn’t either. We know he’s never had a bad opinion before.
Now that I’m done ragging on YouTubers. Back on track.
Humor was rife in this film, and let me be upfront, it wasn’t all good. General Hux came off as more of a laughable villain in this and not the serious and unfuckwitable character he appeared as in TFA, weakening him considerably. But it’s hardly a something that ruins the movie. If that was enough to ruin the monstrous success that was the opening space battle, I’d say you were either getting on iDBM to check the remaining run time or see the same kind of battle every other day. Not likely, seeing as how original the battle was. We’ve never seen a single X wing, or any single-person ship of any kind, facing down a whole armada. And Oscar Isaac was a perfect casting call for Poe Dameron, charismatic enough to make the humor natural, roguish enough to make the films feel less empty now that Harrison Ford is dead. So I’m begging you, don’t be too critical about the opening.
Now that I’m done ragging on YouTubers. Back on track.
Humor was rife in this film, and let me be upfront, it wasn’t all good. General Hux came off as more of a laughable villain in this and not the serious and unfuckwitable character he appeared as in TFA, weakening him considerably. But it’s hardly a something that ruins the movie. If that was enough to ruin the monstrous success that was the opening space battle, I’d say you were either getting on iDBM to check the remaining run time or see the same kind of battle every other day. Not likely, seeing as how original the battle was. We’ve never seen a single X wing, or any single-person ship of any kind, facing down a whole armada. And Oscar Isaac was a perfect casting call for Poe Dameron, charismatic enough to make the humor natural, roguish enough to make the films feel less empty now that Harrison Ford is dead. So I’m begging you, don’t be too critical about the opening.
All you overly critical fans can have the Rose and Finn arc though, I don’t want them. The most resounding point I can agree with is that the casino planet failure was a bad writing call, and all I can say about the romance is… Hell no. The only way you can make two characters be in love after possibly less than 24, but for a certainty not over 48, hours, is if they have love at first sight chemistry, which Rose and Finn do not. I can relent and say that I would rather see a homosexual romance between Finn and Poe than I would see Rose try to kiss Finn again. Ugh. But that was one of four story arcs, which severely reduced its impact on the film.
Adam Driver was amazing at exemplifying his inner conflict. One of the most static-filled moments is when he was about to destroy the brig. I’m not 100% on board with a possible romance between him and Rey, but it’s not as likely once we find he thwarted her efforts to save him and turned himself completely over to the darkness. More than just romantic chemistry, no one can deny the incredible fight with the royal guards after Ben Solo turned on Snoke, each out of left field. We got to see lightsabers be used in ways we never had before, and witness the death of the supposed overarching antagonist before the climax of the trilogy. Another reason these points could are criticized was simply a reaction to the fact that people's hard driven fan theories were lost to the actual story. If there’s one thing moviegoers hate, it’s being tricked.
Adam Driver was amazing at exemplifying his inner conflict. One of the most static-filled moments is when he was about to destroy the brig. I’m not 100% on board with a possible romance between him and Rey, but it’s not as likely once we find he thwarted her efforts to save him and turned himself completely over to the darkness. More than just romantic chemistry, no one can deny the incredible fight with the royal guards after Ben Solo turned on Snoke, each out of left field. We got to see lightsabers be used in ways we never had before, and witness the death of the supposed overarching antagonist before the climax of the trilogy. Another reason these points could are criticized was simply a reaction to the fact that people's hard driven fan theories were lost to the actual story. If there’s one thing moviegoers hate, it’s being tricked.
Last of all I have to mention Mark Hamill. If anyone didn’t like his performance, it’s the same ones who think Leo DiCaprio is a bad actor - their arguments are completely moot. We certainly got the lightsaber duel we wanted, even if it’s like one we’ve never seen before, as worn out as the master vs. apprentice plot is. Anyone who was upset with the death of Han Solo had to find a deep satisfaction with the noble sacrifice of the great Luke Skywalker.The scene where you see the two suns over the island reflected the scene on Tatooine in A New Hope, not only because "oh cool callback bro" but also because in that scene in A New Hope Luke was accepting his fate. He realized in THAT moment that he need to stay and help his uncle, that he had a destiny that was being fulfilled. That scene with Luke looking over the water was the same feeling and the final fulfillment of his destiny. Much more ceremonious and satisfying than him just getting stabbed in the chest.
Original plot, dynamic acting from an outstanding cast, and the most beautiful directing outweigh the flat jokes, forced romance, and fluff. While I find myself disappointed due to the overall on the waste of John Boyega’s brilliance, but we will all put our trust back in Abrams to fix it up in the final installment of this trilogy.
Original plot, dynamic acting from an outstanding cast, and the most beautiful directing outweigh the flat jokes, forced romance, and fluff. While I find myself disappointed due to the overall on the waste of John Boyega’s brilliance, but we will all put our trust back in Abrams to fix it up in the final installment of this trilogy.
Archives |
Company |