4 years ago

@freinhar This pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter. I personally loathe being negative about TV and films, especially on the internet after the bandwagons begin, but I, like you, say this from a place of love. <br /> <br /> I wish they'd started a brand new story centuries after episode 6, without bringing back the old cast or directly continuing the story. They could have even ditched the episode numbering and started fresh. The good thing about Star Wars is that you can easily do a 'reboot' without having to wipe or change anything about the existing canon or lore, you just need to pick a new point in the timeline without any stories and build on what already exists. That's what I hope happens now, and I hope Rian Johnson gets another chance with his own story in his own part of the timeline.<br /> <br /> I don't think the prequels were high art, but I never thought they detracted terribly from the original trilogy, especially viewed now over a decade on. The only problem I can think of is that is shifts the focus from Luke onto Anakin, but after the original shock I can now appreciate that it's a good story, and Luke still gets his moment. Maybe my mind will change in a few years, but at the moment due to this last film this trilogy _does_ drag even the originals down, in my mind. The entire 9 films are ultimately centred around the rise, fall, rise, and fall of one villain. Nothing was really accomplished and that ending doesn't even rule out the possibility that Palpatine could find a way to return, since it's been established over and over that nothing is really dead.<br /> <br /> TLJ tried to shift this. On my third viewing this year it seemed clear to me that Johnson was trying to lead into an ultimate resolution to everything, a seismic shift in the way the galaxy was ordered and the force understood and controlled. It showed that Luke and Yoda had learnt that the dogma and stubbornness of the Jedi religion had failed the whole galaxy, and that the Force always finds a way to balance itself. I thought there was going to be a resolution of what comes next, what system of belief can stop a galaxy from tearing itself apart every time powerful figures discover how to increase their power using the force? <br /> <br /> Instead the Sith were resurrected, The Jedi were resurrected, and they have yet another showdown in which the Jedi (presumably) win. But what happens next? It's been established in The Clone Wars and TLJ that the force will balance itself, and evil will rise again. The Jedi order and a new republic will now form, but will it not tumble again like the previous three (including the decimated new republic in episode 7) did, all of which the Jedi failed to stop? What's different now? Why should the Jedi be trusted to do anything at this point?<br /> <br /> I have never gone for JJ's work. That's not on him, that's just my personal preference. I do, however, respect that he was a good choice for episode 7 as a big flashy, but reasonably shallow, nostalgia trip to get everyone back on board was right in his wheelhouse. However, I think in order for this giant project to have worked they needed directors like Johnson to close it out in a way that makes any sort of sense in this jumbled-up yet enthralling universe. He was the wrong tool for the job, he provided exactly what he is good at, and it is exactly what the boiling internet hate mob seemed to ask for. Now that they've got it, I hope they realise what they've done.

4 years ago

@jaw72 I couldn't agree more. Your response to my thoughts is greatly appreciated - honestly mate - it was a joy to read and you gave me some new things to think about too.<br /> <br /> The further removed I am from the release of this movie, the more I realise how little of a lasting impact it has made on me, and how negative an impact it has had on this franchise overall.<br /> <br /> It's really sad, and your last few sentences sum it up perfectly. He gave the "fans" (I use that term loosely) what they wanted, and as a result, we all lost.