I actually liked Phantom Menace better that Revenge of the Sith. McGregor & Neeson go a long way towards making that movie half-watchable, despite JarJar and pod races.
, but my favorite lightsaber fight is still the Darth Maul one.
Finally we can agree on something the music and fight itself may be the best of the series.
Oh man, just saw the re-watch podcast pop up, and no offense, but even Bald Move's re-watch of this has me dreading listening to another analysis or re-analysis of this film. Maybe I've just been in the trenches of defending this film against nay-sayers and the conflicted a bit too long lol. But still, I absolutely love the film, and think almost everything it does for the series and universe as a whole is fantastic and makes future films able to be something that @A_Ron_Hubbard always say he wants from the series: It expands the universe, opening it up to adventures from all over the galaxy, free the shackles of one family's "destiny".
I would never claim it's perfect, but no Star Wars film is.
That said, I think the latest /Film podcast says pretty much everything I could say at this point on why it's fantastic. I think it's a good listen, and I think Cannata is on-point. http://www.slashfilm.com/the-filmcast-bonus-ep-star-wars.../
Well I’ll say if this rewatch is a slam on the film, I won’t listen. I’m done defending this film, but im ok with some not liking it. But don’t tell me it’s a bad film or it’s not Star Wars because you did not like it. If that’s ok with you guys I’m ok with you.
Interesting thoughts on the re-watch podcast @A_Ron_Hubbard
I have a few observation & responses. Admittedly I'm a big fan of the movie but I hope to not seem like an apologist.
I agree that Holdo's hyperspace ramming tactic could be problematic. I think it will be fine though based on the fact that it'll be very easy to explain. An explanation off the top of my head, maybe it hasn't been tried before bcs there were fears that it could cause a rift in the fabric of space, or create a black-hole, or any other calamity that you could invent. As for the future, a quick mention that the 'Holdo Maneuver' has been made obsolete by new shielding that scatters or deflects the incoming hyperspace field. Which would destroy the ship trying it but result in no damage to the target. Obviously that is all BS but my point is new rules can easily be made on the run. As Lucas did with each new movie.
Holdo & Poe not previously meeting. Well Poe knew about Holdo but they hadn't crossed paths. The ST movies have poorly fleshed out the relationship between the Resistance & the New Republic. I think the problem lies here. Prior to TFA, Leia's Resistance were supposed to be an off-shoot renegade force who didn't believe in appeasing the First Order with treaties & diplomacy. Some Republic ships & personnel joined her cause over time. It's implied that Poe is a long-serving Resistance officer. Guess we have to assume that Holdo has come on board far more recently. Her & Leia seemed to be old friends from their Rebellion days.
Like you said the FO just suffered a huge loss in TFA, but the Starkiller Base did seem to be its only loss. It slowly disintegrated so there was plenty of time to evacuate. They didn't lose any capital ships & were probably able to salvage huge numbers of smaller ships & personnel (as evidenced by Phasma having time to dig her way out of the trash compactor!). So really it was no more damaging to the FO than the Death Star's destruction in ANH to the Empire. Which didn't really cause it to miss a beat. What's more, the FO managed to take out the entire Republic capital system & the Republic fleet. Why was the Resistance down to only a few ships? They were very small to begin with.
As for the tactics of the FO during the pursuit, I don't quite get the
criticism. They only look bad in hindsight. If the Rebel ships had run
out of fuel & were destroyed one by one who would be complaining
then? Hux saw a Dreadnought taken out at the beginning of the movie. One of their most valuable ships.
With the plan they chose he had a chance to suffer no further losses,
sit back, relax & have victory guaranteed. It was like shooting fish
in a barrel. His only failure was not anticipating Holdo's tactic, or
knowing about Crait. Anyone can look like an idiot in hindsight. It's
like Tarkin approaching the Yavin system with the planet in the way. Or
not destroying it when he arrived. Or not bringing any Star Destroyers
with him. He looks like a fool, but if Luke misses that shot & the
Rebellion is crushed he looks like a genius.
One final point RE Mark Hamill. Yeah he's been clear about his early objections to Luke & his arc. He does hold the movie in very high regard though. These were his observations about Luke & also the film. It's all the way back in November so it's not a back-track due to the reaction to his more recent tweets & comments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=036r0VczgvQ&app=desktop
I enjoyed the rewatch podcast because, again, I like being in good company. Indeed SW is like that friend that bullies you every now and then. I don't hate that person, but I'm going to rearrange my life to avoid interaction. And it's a little sad when you realize you've matured beyond something. You wish that something could have kept up, like so many others seem to have no problem doing.
So, I guess let the kids get punched in the face then. If this is their SW. They don't feel it.
I really don't understand everyone's hang up about Rey's parents. I think everyone is mad because they speculated so much and were proven wrong. Okay, let's say they revealed she's Obi-Wan Kenobi's long lost niece. Okay. So? What does that change? It's a million times more interesting that she's a nobody and we aren't still just talking about the same 18 people in a giant galaxy.
Also, I love the idea that Rian Johnson just came in and said fuck you to everything JJ built and decided on his own that Rey's parents don't matter. Are you kidding me? You think Kathleen Kennedy and Disney and the powers that be just let him do whatever he wanted with the biggest franchise of all time? This was a decision made by way more than one writer/director.
And @A_Ron_Hubbard, 3rd Red Letter Media guy who sometimes comes on is best Red Letter Media guy. Rich Evans. Highly recommend any Best of the Worst episode he's on. It's like Mystery Science Theater without any slow parts.
I still don’t understand the argument that Rain took it in a completely different direction to where there are continuity errors from TFA. still don’t see any of that
"really don't understand everyone's hang up about Rey's parents. I think everyone is mad because they speculated so much and were proven wrong. Okay, let's say they revealed she's Obi-Wan Kenobi's long lost niece. Okay. So? What does that change? It's a million times more interesting that she's a nobody and we aren't still just talking about the same 18 people in a giant galaxy."
Well, that's a shame because I felt like I did a fairly good job of explaining it and took care to state the common objections and why those didn't really fit with my problems. But I'm also not super invested in arguing about it. In happy for people who love Star Wars and love The Last Jedi. And I hope my fears are proven to be unfounded, and hopefully Solo and Ep IX will be amazing and I'll love them.
"Also, I love the idea that Rian Johnson just came in and said fuck you to everything JJ built and decided on his own that Rey's parents don't matter. Are you kidding me? You think Kathleen Kennedy and Disney and the powers that be just let him do whatever he wanted with the biggest franchise of all time? This was a decision made by way more than one writer/director."
What you find amusing is one of my core fears. What if Kennedy just isn't as good and careful of a steward to Star Wars as Feige is for Marvel? Even if you like TLJ, you have to admit it's pretty iconoclastic. Hell, Yoda was LITERALLY iconoclastic! In ways similar to how Snyder treats Batman and Supes, actually. Johnson is a better film maker, sure, but if a concept or characterization gets in the way with what they want to do to tell a story then those concepts and characterizations get the Death Star treatment.
As far as the hyperspace jump goes, no amount of post hoc rationalization can adequately explain why Holdo is the first military commander to try such a tactic in an existential crisis, which is just Wednesday afternoon in the SW Universe, haha. Rian did not approach that device from a place of understanding or caring about the universe he inherited. Jim's analogy was apt. Gunpowder is invented in the 800s. What if I told you the first ever gunshot fired at an enemy took place in the year 10800? What possible explanation could I give you that would make you buy that? Maybe the complete lack of war or belicosity in a civilization that holds for thousands of years? Are there any others? Do any of them fit the actual Star Wars universe? But, it was an exquisite visual.
I certainly have my issues with the movie. I also don't want to argue with you because the way you feel is the way you feel and I'm not here to say you're wrong in any way.
I guess I'm just trying to have faith they are doing the right thing. I hope that after Episode 9, everyone will be able to take a sigh of relief and say ahh, thank goodness! I don't really think that's going to happen but I'm holding out hope.
The main villain is half Skywalker so we're still focusing on that family. I also think the writing was on the wall about Rey in Episode 7 because I feel like if she was actually related to anyone of import, Leia would have known. Like I said in my last post, we only focus on the same 18 people in this huge galaxy, she would have known who Rey was and probably made mention of it. But maybe that's just easy to see now.
The hyperdrive thing, I don't know. Just because it was never done before, I don't think it should be discounted. Hux knew she was powering up and he ignored it because he thought it was a ruse. Maybe nobody does it because Hux could have easily targeted the ship and blown it out of the sky as she moved forward? That one I'm not arguing for or against. I was too amazed by the visuals. Now, your other problems with Holdo are spot on. I know a general doesn't have to explain herself to some hot headed flyboy but she could have said SOMETHING. Like, hey, I have a plan, trust me. I did not like that at all. Her whole character was there just to teach him a lesson.
I was more bugged by the little things of the movie. Like: How did they get the plans to Snoke's ship? How did Rose's sister survive/not get sucked out of the ship when the bomber bay doors opened? (shields I guess?) How did they not see thirty escape ships leaving the ship they are following right in front of them? How did they not shoot them all in the time it took Rey and Kylo to defeat Snoke's guards?
I don't particularly care about Rey's parents, but the whole thing is undeniably a shaggy dog story. But I think the re-watch podcast was spot on on most other stuff. The things that bugged me weren't necessarily that this wasn't "my" star wars. But everything that was new was just undercut. Several potential "whoa" moments just go nowhere (Rey+Kylo, sellers dealing with both sides, etc). It would have been as if after ending Empire the way that it did, ROTJ started with Jabba just accepting a bit of cash to let Han go and Yoda just went "nah, Vader is lying to you, he's not your father."
I felt very similarly to you about the movie, @A_Ron_Hubbard. I may have been less disappointed because I wasn't that hyped about it, but I did feel like it was jarring in exactly the way it felt like it was for you: It's fine in the original Star Wars that things don't fit any prior narrative because there was no prior narrative--it was the original table setting--but now that there have been 7 or 8 movies (well, at least 4) in this story you really need to respect the story you're taking over and treat it as a chapter in an ongoing story and respect the established rules of the universe.
People will argue, whatever, but I agree with you and it was actually clarified in my mind a while back when I listened to the Binge Mode podcast on the movie and it was all about how great they thought the story of the movie was--which made me realize that's my problem with it: It's a good movie but but not that good in the context of it being one chapter in a bigger story.
I agree wholeheartedly that I'd like to see what Rian Johnson does with his own trilogy in this universe, he's got an amazing touch with visuals and the storytelling is fine--as an individual story movie that doesn't have to fit into a bigger story.
World building is why, to me, these epic stories exist. You can tell a very satisfying story in 90-120 minutes, you don't need the setting and scope of Star Wars (or Middle Earth or Westeros) to just tell a story about some characters.
Another thing I haven't heard anyone complain about... Maz Kanada is seemingly 100% confident that the code breaker will be on the casino floor whenever they go to find him (I guess he has a gambling addiction?). But... she doesn't know his name I guess? ... only that he will for sure be wearing a red broach.
On top of this, Rose and Finn get jailed for essentially a parking violation. Right?
It's almost like, when a film fails to maintain a successful suspension of disbelief the entire illusion is shattered and little things you'd overlook normally become magnified and you obsess over them to justify to yourself your dissatisfaction with the film.
It's almost like, when a film fails to maintain a successful suspension of disbelief the entire illusion is shattered and little things you'd overlook normally become magnified and you obsess over them to justify to yourself your dissatisfaction with the film.
After four showings (the last one in IMAX, so I may be biased) I still love this movie. With a passion. No point in trying to argue with others, I've tried fighting that losing battle on Facebook, but I understand some of the criticism. However, I don't agree with those problems being the reason so many believe this was a garbage film. It doesn't beat TFA but it easily passes the prequels. No need give my pros and cons, it's all been said already.
That being said, I gotta say it was extremely overrated and that's why I think it's getting so much hate. I mean it was getting perfect reviews from all around, Disney even gave Rian the next triology supposedly off of this movie. That's some amazing praise. So going into this movie, I was expecting the movie of a lifetime. Didn't get that, but still had a ton of fun.
I love that Rey is a nobody, enough with the sky walkers. Although I mean technically she's kind of like anakin since he was a nobody. Rumor has it that she might build a double sided lightsaber. I might cry if she does, RIP Darth Maul.
I wasn't hyped to see this movie because I hated 'Force Awakens' but I knew that I'd eventually get around to seeing it...and that happened this afternoon.
This movie has a lot of problems with it and isn't great, but it's better than Force Awakens. A lot of the people who don't like this movie have a lot of their anger focused on the dropped threads from Force Awakens - for the most part though (there are some exceptions) dropping those threads was the right thing to do.
The Force Awakens shit all over the past and ruined any meaning that the original core characters had. It fundamentally changed the franchise from being a fairy tale to a deconstructed post-modern reality tale....no, they don't live happily ever after, Luke is a failure, Han and Leia get divorced, Han gets his ship jacked, their son is a psycho, Han gets murdered and R2-D2 is suffering from catatonic depression.
What they offer in the wake of that is a plot that is essentially a repeat of the original Star Wars and teases that the current crop of characters might be analogous to the ones that they just shit on (Rey is the new Luke, Kylo is the new Vader, Snope is the new Emperor etc). The basic message was, your old movies didn't amount to anything, but here's the same thing with new versions of those old characters.
I had a lot of problems with the Last Jedi, but I'm glad that Johnson ended the spiral that JJ was sending the franchise down. I'm glad that Rey's parents weren't anyone special (and really hope that they don't step on that in the next movie), I'm glad Snope is dead (and I don't care who he is, I've seen that story before with the Emperor) etc.
Not a good movie, but it took steps to undo the damage of Force Awakens and gives the franchise a chance to move forward.
I wasn't hyped to see this movie because I hated 'Force Awakens' but I knew that I'd eventually get around to seeing it...and that happened this afternoon.
This movie has a lot of problems with it and isn't great, but it's better than Force Awakens. A lot of the people who don't like this movie have a lot of their anger focused on the dropped threads from Force Awakens - for the most part though (there are some exceptions) dropping those threads was the right thing to do.
The Force Awakens shit all over the past and ruined any meaning that the original core characters had. It fundamentally changed the franchise from being a fairy tale to a deconstructed post-modern reality tale....no, they don't live happily ever after, Luke is a failure, Han and Leia get divorced, Han gets his ship jacked, their son is a psycho, Han gets murdered and R2-D2 is suffering from catatonic depression.
What they offer in the wake of that is a plot that is essentially a repeat of the original Star Wars and teases that the current crop of characters might be analogous to the ones that they just shit on (Rey is the new Luke, Kylo is the new Vader, Snope is the new Emperor etc). The basic message was, your old movies didn't amount to anything, but here's the same thing with new versions of those old characters.
I had a lot of problems with the Last Jedi, but I'm glad that Johnson ended the spiral that JJ was sending the franchise down. I'm glad that Rey's parents weren't anyone special (and really hope that they don't step on that in the next movie), I'm glad Snope is dead (and I don't care who he is, I've seen that story before with the Emperor) etc.
Not a good movie, but it took steps to undo the damage of Force Awakens and gives the franchise a chance to move forward.
Well that was an extremely fucking interesting take (no sarcasm).
I wasn't hyped to see this movie because I hated 'Force Awakens' but I knew that I'd eventually get around to seeing it...and that happened this afternoon.
This movie has a lot of problems with it and isn't great, but it's better than Force Awakens. A lot of the people who don't like this movie have a lot of their anger focused on the dropped threads from Force Awakens - for the most part though (there are some exceptions) dropping those threads was the right thing to do.
The Force Awakens shit all over the past and ruined any meaning that the original core characters had. It fundamentally changed the franchise from being a fairy tale to a deconstructed post-modern reality tale....no, they don't live happily ever after, Luke is a failure, Han and Leia get divorced, Han gets his ship jacked, their son is a psycho, Han gets murdered and R2-D2 is suffering from catatonic depression.
What they offer in the wake of that is a plot that is essentially a repeat of the original Star Wars and teases that the current crop of characters might be analogous to the ones that they just shit on (Rey is the new Luke, Kylo is the new Vader, Snope is the new Emperor etc). The basic message was, your old movies didn't amount to anything, but here's the same thing with new versions of those old characters.
I had a lot of problems with the Last Jedi, but I'm glad that Johnson ended the spiral that JJ was sending the franchise down. I'm glad that Rey's parents weren't anyone special (and really hope that they don't step on that in the next movie), I'm glad Snope is dead (and I don't care who he is, I've seen that story before with the Emperor) etc.
Not a good movie, but it took steps to undo the damage of Force Awakens and gives the franchise a chance to move forward.
Well that was an extremely fucking interesting take (no sarcasm).
As far as the Hypersace jump goes, it seems like that was just one of those “perfect shots”, not something that you can do every battle. We also had the FO trying to get out of the way of her ship (thinking that it was a normal ram I gues).
On top of that in order for it to work someone has to commit suicide (I think we’ve only seen 1 Android actually fly and that was RO (I think). I’m not sure we’ve really seen kamikaze style fighting in SW.
With the usually close quarters battles, they risk destroying everyone if done in battles we have seen in the past. This could be a move that’s dangerous enough that no one dares do it.
Im not sure I’d count it as universe destroying since there are for sure reasons why they wouldn’t. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
as far as Reys parents goes, this whole saga (Episode 1 NOT 4) was based on a nobody that turned into one of the most powerful sith/Jedi in history. While I get this was supposed to be the Skywalker Saga, I think they are also trying to expand a universe and really Kylo IS Skywalker lineage (this trilogy seems more about him even though he’s not the main character). Sighhh just rambling on again, back to lurking I go.
"Also, I love the idea that Rian Johnson just came in and
said fuck you to everything JJ built and decided on his own that Rey's
parents don't matter. Are you kidding me? You think Kathleen Kennedy and
Disney and the powers that be just let him do whatever he wanted with
the biggest franchise of all time? This was a decision made by way more
than one writer/director."
What you find amusing is one of my
core fears. What if Kennedy just isn't as good and careful of a steward
to Star Wars as Feige is for Marvel? Even if you like TLJ, you have to
admit it's pretty iconoclastic. Hell, Yoda was LITERALLY iconoclastic!
In ways similar to how Snyder treats Batman and Supes, actually. Johnson
is a better film maker, sure, but if a concept or characterization gets
in the way with what they want to do to tell a story then those
concepts and characterizations get the Death Star treatment.
On the idea that Johnson has given a big f-you to JJ Abrams. That's he's shown TFA no respect & pissed on that movies' themes & mysteries. Anyone's entitled to that opinion but one person who doesn't seem to share it is Abrams himself. All the way back in early 2016, Abrams was reported to have read the script for TLJ & loved it so much he wished he could stay on & direct it: https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Big-Reason-J-J-Abrams-Regrets-Directing-Star-Wars-Episode-VIII-
Then in Sept last year Abrams signed on to make Ep IX, being already completely familiar with TLJ & having viewed an almost completed version of it. So some of the commentary is way off base where it implies that he's just seen TLJ & he's scratching his head & wondering where he's going to take the story from here.
"Also, I love the idea that Rian Johnson just came in and
said fuck you to everything JJ built and decided on his own that Rey's
parents don't matter. Are you kidding me? You think Kathleen Kennedy and
Disney and the powers that be just let him do whatever he wanted with
the biggest franchise of all time? This was a decision made by way more
than one writer/director."
What you find amusing is one of my
core fears. What if Kennedy just isn't as good and careful of a steward
to Star Wars as Feige is for Marvel? Even if you like TLJ, you have to
admit it's pretty iconoclastic. Hell, Yoda was LITERALLY iconoclastic!
In ways similar to how Snyder treats Batman and Supes, actually. Johnson
is a better film maker, sure, but if a concept or characterization gets
in the way with what they want to do to tell a story then those
concepts and characterizations get the Death Star treatment.
On the idea that Johnson has given a big f-you to JJ Abrams. That's he's shown TFA no respect & pissed on that movies' themes & mysteries. Anyone's entitled to that opinion but one person who doesn't seem to share it is Abrams himself. All the way back in early 2016, Abrams was reported to have read the script for TLJ & loved it so much he wished he could stay on & direct it: https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Big-Reason-J-J-Abrams-Regrets-Directing-Star-Wars-Episode-VIII-
Then in Sept last year Abrams signed on to make Ep IX, being already completely familiar with TLJ & having viewed an almost completed version of it. So some of the commentary is way off base where it implies that he's just seen TLJ & he's scratching his head & wondering where he's going to take the story from here.
1. Movie scripts are extremely, extremely changeable things. We don't know what he read.
2. People talk shit to promote movies all the time.
3. Even if JJ Abrams' feelings weren't hurt, that's not what's being examined. It's the idea that there should be some cohesion in this Star Wars story that has chapter numbers in the title.
The movie had a 2nd weekend drop of -67%. (Btw, the 2nd weekend drop is a better indicator of a sequel or remake's reception than box office.) And on the weekend that contains the busiest movie theater day of the year! I wonder how bad that slump would have been otherwise.
i dunno if popularity is a perfect proxy for quality...
but yeah, abrams' opinion on something isn't going to sway mine even if he's being absolutely honest. lucas thought the prequels were the most perfect version of his vision or something, and i likewise don't care--if that was his vision, i think his vision was garbage and i'm very glad it wasn't realized fom the beginning. it's interesting to know their statements (and possible opinions) but in the end i formulate my own opinions.
Comments
I would never claim it's perfect, but no Star Wars film is.
That said, I think the latest /Film podcast says pretty much everything I could say at this point on why it's fantastic. I think it's a good listen, and I think Cannata is on-point. http://www.slashfilm.com/the-filmcast-bonus-ep-star-wars.../
I have a few observation & responses. Admittedly I'm a big fan of the movie but I hope to not seem like an apologist.
One final point RE Mark Hamill. Yeah he's been clear about his early objections to Luke & his arc. He does hold the movie in very high regard though. These were his observations about Luke & also the film. It's all the way back in November so it's not a back-track due to the reaction to his more recent tweets & comments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=036r0VczgvQ&app=desktop
So, I guess let the kids get punched in the face then. If this is their SW. They don't feel it.
Also, I love the idea that Rian Johnson just came in and said fuck you to everything JJ built and decided on his own that Rey's parents don't matter. Are you kidding me? You think Kathleen Kennedy and Disney and the powers that be just let him do whatever he wanted with the biggest franchise of all time? This was a decision made by way more than one writer/director.
Well, that's a shame because I felt like I did a fairly good job of explaining it and took care to state the common objections and why those didn't really fit with my problems. But I'm also not super invested in arguing about it. In happy for people who love Star Wars and love The Last Jedi. And I hope my fears are proven to be unfounded, and hopefully Solo and Ep IX will be amazing and I'll love them.
"Also, I love the idea that Rian Johnson just came in and said fuck you to everything JJ built and decided on his own that Rey's parents don't matter. Are you kidding me? You think Kathleen Kennedy and Disney and the powers that be just let him do whatever he wanted with the biggest franchise of all time? This was a decision made by way more than one writer/director."
What you find amusing is one of my core fears. What if Kennedy just isn't as good and careful of a steward to Star Wars as Feige is for Marvel? Even if you like TLJ, you have to admit it's pretty iconoclastic. Hell, Yoda was LITERALLY iconoclastic! In ways similar to how Snyder treats Batman and Supes, actually. Johnson is a better film maker, sure, but if a concept or characterization gets in the way with what they want to do to tell a story then those concepts and characterizations get the Death Star treatment.
As far as the hyperspace jump goes, no amount of post hoc rationalization can adequately explain why Holdo is the first military commander to try such a tactic in an existential crisis, which is just Wednesday afternoon in the SW Universe, haha. Rian did not approach that device from a place of understanding or caring about the universe he inherited. Jim's analogy was apt. Gunpowder is invented in the 800s. What if I told you the first ever gunshot fired at an enemy took place in the year 10800? What possible explanation could I give you that would make you buy that? Maybe the complete lack of war or belicosity in a civilization that holds for thousands of years? Are there any others? Do any of them fit the actual Star Wars universe? But, it was an exquisite visual.
I guess I'm just trying to have faith they are doing the right thing. I hope that after Episode 9, everyone will be able to take a sigh of relief and say ahh, thank goodness! I don't really think that's going to happen but I'm holding out hope.
The main villain is half Skywalker so we're still focusing on that family. I also think the writing was on the wall about Rey in Episode 7 because I feel like if she was actually related to anyone of import, Leia would have known. Like I said in my last post, we only focus on the same 18 people in this huge galaxy, she would have known who Rey was and probably made mention of it. But maybe that's just easy to see now.
The hyperdrive thing, I don't know. Just because it was never done before, I don't think it should be discounted. Hux knew she was powering up and he ignored it because he thought it was a ruse. Maybe nobody does it because Hux could have easily targeted the ship and blown it out of the sky as she moved forward? That one I'm not arguing for or against. I was too amazed by the visuals. Now, your other problems with Holdo are spot on. I know a general doesn't have to explain herself to some hot headed flyboy but she could have said SOMETHING. Like, hey, I have a plan, trust me. I did not like that at all. Her whole character was there just to teach him a lesson.
I was more bugged by the little things of the movie. Like:
How did they get the plans to Snoke's ship?
How did Rose's sister survive/not get sucked out of the ship when the bomber bay doors opened? (shields I guess?)
How did they not see thirty escape ships leaving the ship they are following right in front of them?
How did they not shoot them all in the time it took Rey and Kylo to defeat Snoke's guards?
But I think the re-watch podcast was spot on on most other stuff. The things that bugged me weren't necessarily that this wasn't "my" star wars. But everything that was new was just undercut. Several potential "whoa" moments just go nowhere (Rey+Kylo, sellers dealing with both sides, etc). It would have been as if after ending Empire the way that it did, ROTJ started with Jabba just accepting a bit of cash to let Han go and Yoda just went "nah, Vader is lying to you, he's not your father."
People will argue, whatever, but I agree with you and it was actually clarified in my mind a while back when I listened to the Binge Mode podcast on the movie and it was all about how great they thought the story of the movie was--which made me realize that's my problem with it: It's a good movie but but not that good in the context of it being one chapter in a bigger story.
I agree wholeheartedly that I'd like to see what Rian Johnson does with his own trilogy in this universe, he's got an amazing touch with visuals and the storytelling is fine--as an individual story movie that doesn't have to fit into a bigger story.
World building is why, to me, these epic stories exist. You can tell a very satisfying story in 90-120 minutes, you don't need the setting and scope of Star Wars (or Middle Earth or Westeros) to just tell a story about some characters.
On top of this, Rose and Finn get jailed for essentially a parking violation. Right?
That being said, I gotta say it was extremely overrated and that's why I think it's getting so much hate. I mean it was getting perfect reviews from all around, Disney even gave Rian the next triology supposedly off of this movie. That's some amazing praise. So going into this movie, I was expecting the movie of a lifetime. Didn't get that, but still had a ton of fun.
I love that Rey is a nobody, enough with the sky walkers. Although I mean technically she's kind of like anakin since he was a nobody. Rumor has it that she might build a double sided lightsaber. I might cry if she does, RIP Darth Maul.
This movie has a lot of problems with it and isn't great, but it's better than Force Awakens. A lot of the people who don't like this movie have a lot of their anger focused on the dropped threads from Force Awakens - for the most part though (there are some exceptions) dropping those threads was the right thing to do.
The Force Awakens shit all over the past and ruined any meaning that the original core characters had. It fundamentally changed the franchise from being a fairy tale to a deconstructed post-modern reality tale....no, they don't live happily ever after, Luke is a failure, Han and Leia get divorced, Han gets his ship jacked, their son is a psycho, Han gets murdered and R2-D2 is suffering from catatonic depression.
What they offer in the wake of that is a plot that is essentially a repeat of the original Star Wars and teases that the current crop of characters might be analogous to the ones that they just shit on (Rey is the new Luke, Kylo is the new Vader, Snope is the new Emperor etc). The basic message was, your old movies didn't amount to anything, but here's the same thing with new versions of those old characters.
I had a lot of problems with the Last Jedi, but I'm glad that Johnson ended the spiral that JJ was sending the franchise down. I'm glad that Rey's parents weren't anyone special (and really hope that they don't step on that in the next movie), I'm glad Snope is dead (and I don't care who he is, I've seen that story before with the Emperor) etc.
Not a good movie, but it took steps to undo the damage of Force Awakens and gives the franchise a chance to move forward.
Well that was an extremely fucking interesting take (no sarcasm).
On top of that in order for it to work someone has to commit suicide (I think we’ve only seen 1 Android actually fly and that was RO (I think). I’m not sure we’ve really seen kamikaze style fighting in SW.
With the usually close quarters battles, they risk destroying everyone if done in battles we have seen in the past. This could be a move that’s dangerous enough that no one dares do it.
Im not sure I’d count it as universe destroying since there are for sure reasons why they wouldn’t. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
as far as Reys parents goes, this whole saga (Episode 1 NOT 4) was based on a nobody that turned into one of the most powerful sith/Jedi in history. While I get this was supposed to be the Skywalker Saga, I think they are also trying to expand a universe and really Kylo IS Skywalker lineage (this trilogy seems more about him even though he’s not the main character). Sighhh just rambling on again, back to lurking I go.
Then in Sept last year Abrams signed on to make Ep IX, being already completely familiar with TLJ & having viewed an almost completed version of it. So some of the commentary is way off base where it implies that he's just seen TLJ & he's scratching his head & wondering where he's going to take the story from here.
1. Movie scripts are extremely, extremely changeable things. We don't know what he read.
2. People talk shit to promote movies all the time.
3. Even if JJ Abrams' feelings weren't hurt, that's not what's being examined. It's the idea that there should be some cohesion in this Star Wars story that has chapter numbers in the title.
but yeah, abrams' opinion on something isn't going to sway mine even if he's being absolutely honest. lucas thought the prequels were the most perfect version of his vision or something, and i likewise don't care--if that was his vision, i think his vision was garbage and i'm very glad it wasn't realized fom the beginning. it's interesting to know their statements (and possible opinions) but in the end i formulate my own opinions.