Thoughts on Star Wars V

[beer_good_foamy]

Thoughts on The Last Jedi under the cut.

No, TLJ isn't perfect. The pacing is ridiculous, with the last 90-odd minutes pretty much constantly playing like a final battle followed by another final battle followed by another etc; long-dead characters coming back just to state the theme directly to the audience; well-known scenes from the original trilogy are not as much referenced as repeated; a big side plot that mainly serves to show off CGI; ridiculously cute critters that are basically one long toy commercial; characters who are introduced with a lot of fanfare only to disappear without payoff; etc.

On the other hand, that comes with the territory. And what Rian Johnson (remember, this is the guy that made Brick) does with what the Mouse gives him is really interesting. He brings a different sense of humour and action (that double-lightsaber battle, the Falcon exploding out of the mountain...) Yes, he repeats scenes, but he always puts a spin on them. The old central themes of Balance^TM, Redemption^TM and Destiny^TM are all put up on screen only to be picked apart - the Dark Side is within Rey whatever she does but doesn't appear to do anything bad in and of itself, her parents are completely inconsequential to who she is, Kylo Ren's split-second hesitation to kill his mother doesn't matter any more than the hints that he'll follow in Grandpa's footsteps and switch sides. Let's face it, he's a brat who's not going to get better. I love that the concept of burning down the past and building something new gets presented from both sides - Kylo's version of it is different from Rey's. All the bullshit bits of George Lucas' original trilogy are, if not quite savaged, then lovingly patted on the head and told to go sit in the corner in favour of a story about people making new rules, based either on their ego or their care for others. So with Luke's sacrifice here (and yes, I saw the twist coming, and yes, it still worked) we're looking at a Star Wars XI (or IX if you count that never-produced prequel trilogy) without, sadly, any of the old central trio; but with a new conflict between those who would create a new world for themselves from the ashes of what they've burned down (Kylo's idea of it couldn't be more overtly fascist if he'd actually used the phrase "will to power"), and those who know how to translate the spirit of the old law even as the old outdated letters burn. I don't love everything about it, but I love what it chooses to get right.

Also, I want a fight between BB8 and Evil BB8. Also also, that scene from First Order Ironing Room is the best sight gag in the franchise, and that scene of Laura Dern ripping through a star destroyer at light speed is impossibly cool. Also also also, that final shot of the little kid picking up a broom with the Force could easily have been the last shot of the whole franchise for all I care.

Comments

[ruuger]

I agree with everything you said about the movie's flaws, but yeah, somehow Rian Johnson just made it work. I especially liked how the story didn't always go as expected (Rey's parents, Kylo's non-redemption, Leia surviving) and the humorous moments worked better than in any of the previus movies.

that scene of Laura Dern ripping through a star destroyer at light speed is impossibly cool
I have never heard such absolute silence in a movie theatre than during that scene. I don't think anyone in the audience was even breathing :D

[beer_good_foamy]

and the humorous moments worked better than in any of the previus movies

Oh yes. That scene of Luke casually tossing the light sabre over his shoulder really set the tone for the whole film. Irreverent, but respectful of the bits that need to be there.

I have never heard such absolute silence in a movie theatre than during that scene. I don't think anyone in the audience was even breathing

Same here, except they broke out in cheers once the explosion kicked in. Easily one of the biggest cinematic moments of the year for me.

[shadowkat]

It was an interesting choice to have no sound during that moment — made it rather stunning— more than all the other scenes with noise.

[dragonyphoenix]

I have never heard such absolute silence in a movie theatre than during that scene. That's sort of funny to me. When the screen went silent for that scene, I was thinking "Damn, this movie's really loud!" ;-)

[beer_good_foamy]

Well, yeah, that too. :)

[dragonyphoenix]

It seemed to be awfully heavy on fight scenes, which is where movies are going, I know, but I prefer more story. The original movie was so mythic. That's what made the movie unique. I think we've lost something important in the franchise.

[beer_good_foamy]

That's a good point; I mean, the A plot of the whole movie is basically one long chase scene intercut with two people discussing the practical applications of buddhism. :) Which is partly why, like I said above, the pacing bothered me; there were so many endings to this movie, because they didn't have any actual subplots to wrap up that they had to shoot everything as one long crescendo.

I still kinda like the way they picked apart the myth of the 'verse, though. Everyone already knew all that, so they didn't have to re-establish it, they could simply play around with the wheres and whys of it.

[shadowkat]

Agree with both posts here — there were too many fight scenes and the pacing bothered me as well. I found it difficult to follow at times. It also felt like I was watching portions of three movies pressed together. OTOH — I agree that it does some interesting things with the mythology and goes against expectations— the coder isn’t another Han character, Leia isn’t killed, and Rey saves them by lifting rocks. The story unfortunately got lost at times with the poor editing. But there’s a lot of good in there.

[shadowkat]

Hee. Just saw it and pretty much agree with all of the above. (I don’t remember seeing the Ironing room scene - wonder if it was in that five - ten minute space of time I ran to the bathroom).

I thought it required an editor. And the previous two — Force Awakens and Rogue One we’re better films and better edited. That said, I agree there’s a lot of good things here. And few brilliant cinematic moments. The mechanic saving Finn — preventing him from pointlessly sacrificing himself — which is a defining character moment for them both. Or Luke’s epic confrontation with Kylie Ren which echoes Obi WANs with Darth Vader. Laura Dern’s lightspeed ran into the First Order Fleet at the same time as The Kylo Ren and Rey interaction. Also I rather loved that who her parents were did not matter, and she couldn’t save REN. Who is and always will be a whiny brat. It sort deconstructed and played with the idea of destiny and legend along with the classic hero journey trope. I just wish it had a better editor.

[beer_good_foamy]

(I don’t remember seeing the Ironing room scene - wonder if it was in that five - ten minute space of time I ran to the bathroom)

It's right when Finn and Rose and the codebreaker are breaking into the cruiser. We see what looks like a slightly iffy practical effects shot of a huge spaceship landing in slow motion, steam pouring out as it fires its retrorockets, dramatic music swelling... then the camera pulls back and reveals that it's actually a close up of a steam iron pressing a uniform. With all the miniatures they used in the classic movies, it's a brilliant gag.

I just wish it had a better editor.

Yeah. There's a great movie in this trying to get out. Then again, I think we'll have to get used to that with these huge Disney megafranchises - there can only be so much subversive anti-capitalism in movies trying to sell a few billion dollars' worth of toys just in time for Christmas.

[shadowkat]

True. Although Thor was also Disney and better edited. So too was Rogue One. I don’t think the poor editing can necessarily be left at Disney’s door.

That said, the friend I saw it with made an interesting point. The first three films — specifically Star Wars and Empire were made in a time were they were less into lots of action scenes and more interested in creatures and other things in film. Now —- the target audience seems to expect multiple action scenes. So that ican’t Be helped. I just think Thor handled the action scenes better in some respects — less repetitive and better edited.

[beer_good_foamy]

Oh, obviously I don't mean that bad editing in and of itself is a Disney trait. But somewhere in TLJ is a very subversive movie trying to get out, and under Disney's reign, I think that's as subversive as any movie is going to be allowed to get. As good as Rian Johnson's ideas are, it probably takes a director with more blockbuster experience to balance that.