Thursday 19 December 2019

There Is No Balance



 THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF THE RISE OF SKYWALKER BUT THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FOR OTHER STAR WARS FILMS.

I've been keeping away from writing about Star Wars as I think it would turn into a rant or it wouldn't be a rant and end up being a series of short venting posts about Star Wars and the fanbase and the fact that TLJ was really good and there some idiots out there that are being too precious about the films so I'll just go with this. 


 Having invested many hours and devotion to SW, I’m really worried this final film, as they’re calling it, in the saga, will disappoint. There have been stirrings that it will end up going the way of Game of Thrones. An amazing television show that completely lost its way in the final series. Everyone felt cheated. This time, it’s different in how the final instalment was conceived, in the wake of the backlash of ‘The Last Jedi’. It was either loved or hated and for the latter, they moaned and whinged about everything they could. These self-serving fanboys could potentially, only potentially as I haven’t seen The Rise of Skywalker, have ruined what could have been a great finale. What would have been superb is if Disney had listened to those who praised the film because there was just as many of those fans as there were doubters. As Rian Johnson said ‘catering to fans rather than challenging them, is a mistake’ and my gad, he’s right.

Bringing back Star Wars after the Prequels almost squashed and killed the memory of the originals, using CGI everything, was a very big risk. There may be a fanbase ready-made but as all comic book films can go by, these fans are demanding and if you disappoint them, they will try to take the system down. ‘The Force Awakens’ was a brilliant thrill ride that introduced new characters as well as providing nostalgic moments and paying homage to the originals all over the place. The story, the characters, the premise is set up and gets you ready for the adventure complete with a cliff-hanger, this is the perfect first film in a trilogy.  ‘The Last Jedi’ is a perfect second film. Looking back at trilogies, planned or otherwise, they serve as a turning point in the story or as a filler with the tagline ‘the journey/adventure continues’. ‘The Last Jedi’ is the turning point which fanboys should have seen coming. The story continues but along the way, there are casualties, there are revelations and again there are new developments and new characters because that’s what happened in the previous Star Wars films at this stage. If we had let the saga run the way it was meant to we could have a fantastic end but with the negative fanboy petty reactions I fear we are heading for a fan service trap. Early reaction also have me thinking this. As soon as the title of the final film was announced my heart sank to the bottom of the Sarlacc pit, ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ aka, what the ‘fans’ demanded. But true Star Wars fans don’t want fan service, they want to a story. The descriptions for the TROS have just had, Rey and friends continue their fight or something along those lines. THAT is not a final film plot, that’s a filler! TLJ set up the final film so well it’s ridiculous that this has happened. At this point I’m just hoping for decent enough.

I’m seeing the film on Friday with my best friend who loves Star Wars probably more than me, so hopefully we have something ‘decent enough’ to review. If not… may the force be with us all at this rate.