The nerds are going crazy over this one. Total hate. The critics, total love. I think that's a good sign, because polarizing views means repeat viewing.
As I sat watching this film, a very dark sadness fell over me. Not that it was 6:30AM and I lacked sleep, but...they went ahead with a movie with Carrie Fisher and we're just all waiting for when the inevitable is going to happen. Well...jokes on you. Not only does it not happen, they fuck with your expectation of it.
I'm also trying to replay many of the scenes in this movie. They are the type of corny of the original three (New Hope, Empire, Jedi). The jokes are silly, like a scene where Poe Dameron fucks with General Hux over radio communication. It's actually parody material. And also...the relationships between all the new characters. The other sadness came from linking them all to people we've already seen. CLEARLY, Benicio Del Toro is the Lando Calrissian character. And it made me feel REALLY old. As did seeing Luke and Leia meet up again. Man, did I feel old then. Not that I was ever a "Star Wars" fan but I was only 3 years old when the first one came out.
Much like the template of "Empire Strikes Back" our heroine Rey goes to a deserted place to train to be a Jedi. There she encounters a reluctant teacher. She doesn't fully get trained and leaves to save her friends...Jesus...I got nostalgic for "Empire.." again. boo hoo me.
I think what's really driving people nuts about this movie is that it treads the modern with the old. The young people hate it, the old people hate it. Attempting to please everyone. Writer/Director Rian Johnson doesn't have a style to speak of. Though I think he is a talented filmmaker, this was somehow...sanitized to an odd degree. The filming of it is really beautiful. Particularly when the camera holds on Fisher's Leia. She just seems at the twilight of her years (as was in real life). And the scenes with Mark Hamill as Luke will conjure up the simple days of being back on Tatooine.
Does this franchise miss the innocence (simple jack) of George Lucas. Yes. No one is innocent and sweet anymore. This is going to force feed social messages ("Better to fight for what you love that kill what you hate"). Or lightsaber safety messages (gun violence). And that sucks. Because long ago in a galaxy far far away... it was a nicer world.
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