Sunday, December 24, 2017

Star Wars: The Fall

What in the world are they thinking? 

When I saw the title The Last Jedi, I thought uh oh this can't be good.  But then I thought, they wouldn't do that would they?  Then I thought of the last movie with Han Solo killed by his own son and I thought oh yes they would.

Now of course, a lot of people agree with me (see here and here).  Kill off Luke?  Have him toss his lightsaber over his shoulder like a used piece of junk?  Okay Kenobi went hermit for a while when the empire was hunting down all the Jedi.  But the empire isn't around now, so this is a bit crazy to say the least.  Luke's character that was one of key (if not main) reasons for the fall of the empire.  The after all getting through of this he crumbles and runs away from the world?  I don't see it.
Also they have expanded the premise of the midi-chlorians further.  What I don't understand is why?  In the original films it more had a feel of telekinetics with special mind and body abilities.  That fits more that some bugs in ones body that gives them the abilities.  And now said bugs are giving people abilities that the original Jedi had to train for years to achieve?  Does this not sound out of place to anyone besides me?  Granted George Lucas did add the aspect of midi-chlorians in the prequels (and I didn't think it fit back then), but this takes it to a whole new level.

I bought the previous film (The Force Awakens) before I realized JJ Abrams directed it (he tends to knife favorite characters in the neck).  And it was okay until they killed off Han.  And oddly enough, nothing I had read up to that point leaked that little fact.  If it had, I would have avoided the film like the plague.  The Last Jedi I will for sure.

What is wrong with having characters that have been around for decades (and well loved) to get a little bit of a happy ending?  Sure you want conflict, bit this doesn't make sense.  Are all the writers so lazy these days that they can't think up anything other than kill them off?  Any writer can kill off the characters, but one that can creatively keep them alive?  Now that is real writing!

Killing off characters, especially ones you don't have, to is like suicide: it is the cowards way out.  It far more of a challenge to keep them alive and fresh and interesting than killing the off for the shock value.  I know they had to "change the guard" which is fine, just set the time line ahead and have them all long dead.  Toss out the old for the new.  Instead they brought in the previous characters and actors.  With that comes a expectation from fans that kept the Star Wars torch going for the decades without a movie.  This should have brought a responsibly on behalf of the studio, to give the fans what they are expecting.  Yet, they tossed it all away.  Betrayed the fans that have held the stories dear to their hearts.

All I can say is: Disney, you lost me as a Star Wars customer with the exception of purchasing a new set of discs of the ORIGINAL trilogy.  It seems to me that real creativity in films is dead.  I had great hope and thought Disney of all the companies could do Star Wars well.  Perhaps 20 years ago they could, but apparently not now.  George, I wish you never sold it.  While you did add the midi-chlorians, at least you didn't take a lightsaber to all the main characters.

The feel good movie is dead (in general with exception of a few kids movies and romances).  You know the ones that you went to and came away thinking that was cool and left with a good feeling.  But it seems these days, that is no longer "fashionable".  Instead you leave feeling like a lightsaber went through your heart.

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