Thoughts on Star Wars V
Dec. 16th, 2017 09:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beer_good_foamyThoughts 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 BalanceTM, RedemptionTM and DestinyTM 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.
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 BalanceTM, RedemptionTM and DestinyTM 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.
no subject
Date: 2017-12-22 09:18 am (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2017-12-22 03:05 pm (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2017-12-22 07:50 pm (UTC)