It doesn’t matter what I say about this movie, it’s “Star Wars.”
“Star Wars” has been a cultural phenomenon ever since the release of the original film way back in 1977. Characters like Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, the list goes on. What other franchise can attest to so much iconic real estate?
Well, many actually.
My real question is though, is “Star Wars” taken too seriously? Is there too much time and effort spent theorizing about something that is completely made up? I know, I’m that guy. Sorry.
Consider for a moment how much buzz there is right now for “Rise of Skywalker.” For the second time in a row, a “saga” film has been met with divisive thoughts, and more rhetoric on what “Star Wars” should be. All it takes is a quick google search to see all the attention that the film is getting right now.
At the time of this writing, Rey (Daisy Ridley) is a trending topic. For many fans, her lineage was central to the plot of the so-called sequel trilogy of “Star Wars” films. I won’t spoil anything from “The Rise of Skywalker” here but I will say that this question is answered in the film, and it’s definitely a topic of discussion amongst fans at the moment.
With the decision to reveal Rey’s lineage as being central to its plot, “The Rise of Skywalker” retcons “The Last Jedi,” and makes that film seemingly unimportant to the overall narrative.
In “The Last Jedi,” audiences are told that Rey’s parents didn’t matter and that she came from nothing, making the force more random in who it selects as a wielder. That discrepancy between the two films sums up the overall issue with Disney’s iteration of “Star Wars” media. They lack a clear direction.
J.J. Abrams was chosen to direct “The Force Awakens,” which released in 2015. Rian Johnson was then chosen to write and direct the sequel “The Last Jedi,” with Abrams being tasked to direct the finale “The Rise of Skywalker” after a few shakeups (i.e. Colin Trevorrow.)
The plan to allow different directors for each movie in the trilogy sounds good at first, when you consider the varying perspectives that get a chance to be heard. However, with so many perspectives on where the story should go, one has to wonder if Kathleen Kennedy (president of Lucasfilm) would’ve been better off giving the keys to just one driver.
Talking about “Star Wars” used to be more fun, now it’s a competition to see who’s right, instead of a discussion about the epic nature of it all. Personally, all of the hype surrounding the film has me burnt out from reading about it.
All I can say is that “The Rise of Skywalker” is just a movie, it’s all made up. It’s alright to dislike the direction that it or its sequel siblings take, but it doesn’t have to take up so much of our effort and energy.
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