Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (J.J. Abrams, December 20, 2019) Movie • Page 25

In a weird way, TLJ's approach to Star Wars reminds me of Alan Moore's approach to classic superheroes.

Not that Rian Johnson's writing style is anything like Alan Moore's. But, the whole approach to deconstruction, not out of faux-mature disdain but out of deep affection, is kinda similar.

People often think about Moore in the same breath as Frank Miller, forgetting that Watchmen was inspired in part by Mad Magazine. If you look across Watchmen, "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow," Supreme, etc., you see something that's way more Incredibles than Snyder, in spite of the harsher elements.

The same holds true for TLJ. Johnson deconstructs Star Wars at different points throughout, but he comes out on the other end with what's actually a touching love letter to the franchise. He pokes it not because he thinks it's bad, but because he wants to get at what makes it great.

 

It has nothing to do with Leia saving herself and everything to do with how bad it looks (for me). For a movie that looks so gorgeous most of the time, they could have done something to make it look less...bad/cheesy.

And at this point i'm nitpicking - I really like the movie. But for some reason I can't get it out of my head!

 

I don't mind her floating back, I just wish the pose they chose wasn't so odd looking, haha

 

I think this is the first time I've read about someone having a problem with the "take the mask off" line. I'm not sure how that's supposed to be a subversion of expectation? He was clearly written as wanna be Vader in TFA. Rey even calls him out for it in TFA too. Hux treats him with disdain throughout TFA. This seems to be pretty consistent with how the other characters view Kylo in general. That line is just an extension of that.

 

the pose is awesome because she slices right through the hologram of Snoke's ship on her flight.

FORESHADOWING

 

Maybe I wasn’t in the mood last night. Thought I was.
There’s plenty I love in the film, Just not up at the top. Mostly the stuff with the books burning and yoda and the target commercial battle. I just wanted the writers to outsmart me, the viewer, more. Instead the “your parents were nothing” and snoke being relatively inconsequential left me wanting more. I’m holding out hope that Kylo was gaslighting.

 

It just sunk in we're not getting a new Star Wars at Christmas this year, and I got a little sad tbh. They've got me conditioned already.

Might just have to marathon all 10 movies to fill the void.

 

I absolutely HATED the way Luke tossed the lightsaber the first time I watched TLJ, but the beginning of the movie played very strangely for me in general. Everything just felt off for me and it didn’t feel like Star Wars. As the film played though it won me over slowly without me realizing it until somewhere around the utterly gorgeous fight in the red throne room I was fully on board with what was happening. Pretty much the complete inverse of the reaction I had watching Phantom Menace the first time: it was amazing to be sitting in a movie theater watching these characters again, to be in this universe again, and everything just felt so right - and then the wheels started coming off, then blew off completely, and it was all downhill from there.

On subsequent viewings, the lightsaber toss doesn't particularly bother me, but I will admit that it is almost a little bit slapstick in how it plays out - but, as aoftbsten said, this is also the first time I've heard someone point to the "take that ridiculous thing off" line as deconstruction or subversion of expectation. It seemed a natural part of the story to me and just us getting a glimpse of a long-running point of contention between master and apprentice.

 

it reminds me of how nervous I was during my first viewing of TFA. I remember worrying that it would suck and as soon as Poe said "So who talks first? Do I talk first? You talk first?" I was like ok, this is Star Wars silliness and it feels right.

 

I’ll never like how the saber throw was done. The one thing I legit don’t enjoy.

 

This seems to be one of the great divides with this movie. Those like yourself seem to want more huge reveals to happen. Many want those moments to be special but in my opinion exclusively in ways that induces incredulity like “I am your father.” did.

The reason I (and I’m assuming many others) love the Rey “reveal” and why it is so special for me is because it has more of a thematic purpose which I prefer over a sensational reveal for the sake of a sensational reveal (which admittedly I wanted too before the movie). Rian said his main motivation for every character was to have them go through the hardest thing they could face. Rey is supposed to be our eyes through the movie and just like her we want to see her parents so bad and want her life to mean more than just a scavenger.

The hardest thing for her (and thereby us) to go through is that she’s alone and a nobody. Is it the most juicisest/sensational/WOW-inducing thing we couldve gotten? no. Probably the least. But this individuates her from the rest of this universe that is connected by bloodline and former relationships. It also makes her character more compelling since she needs to take command of the situation and save the galaxy instead of relying on others (Finn, Han, Luke, Ben, her parents) to do the right thing or be the hero. Shes special because of her actions and decisions and not because she’s related to this character you already know. The counterpoint to that is Ben who comes from the richest bloodline and makes all the wrong decisions.

I totally get being underwhelmed and cant fault anybody for not liking the reveal or maybe the way they did it. Especially since many people’s expectations were through the roof after they kind of poke of at her being tied to something else in TFA. But I think its way more meaningful. Also in a fandom that expects the unexpected, basically every single theory was attached to Rey so would it really be that big of a twist and that pleasing? I dont think so. I also think the Snoke death and Luke not being on Crait were enough "wow-factor" spoilery twists for me. Did not see those coming at all.

Wanting more Snoke I get because he looked awesome and was just menacing. I didnt need an origin or a Plagus reveal, but I personally wish we wouldve gotten more motive/purpose and more of the thematic and political aspect behind him and the First Order in general between TFA and TLJ. However, putting Kylos archetype in the highest position of power is something Ive never seen before and Im so intrigued at the posibilities and love how I dont know what to expect for Ep. 9. He Snoke was the big bad for this trilogy the story would be predictable and something done a billion times.

 

Still hoping Abrams changes Rey's parentage and that Ben was lying to her to trick her into joining him.

 

Why

 

It's so much better that her parents aren't special or related to anyone.

 

If it's reversed and revealed that she's a Kenobi or Palpatine or whatever I might go blind from how hard my eyes will roll. I just don't see what it adds to the story at this point.

 

While I agree I like it better she’s related to no one, I also think the set up of possibly having her related to someone is the actual let down. Should have just made it clear right off the bat she wasn’t related to anyone.

 

But they never really did that. Most of that conjecture was audience-generated with very little evidence to back it up. It was wishful thinking from those people who want everyone in this galaxy to be related for some weird reason.

 

Having her actually be a relative of someone would really suck and take a lot away from TLJ so I really hope that doesn't happen. Don't give in to shitty fans demands.

 

There were several instances in Force Awakens where they alluded to her back story being important. The shot of her parents flying away, countless people asking “who’s the girl”. Just kill it dead right there. Asking questions only makes the audience raise questions.

 

I feel audience speculated BECAUSE it was insinuated. Don’t even insinuate it and it wouldn’t be an issue. Maybe we ARE pointing the finger at Rian too much. A lot of the insinuation is on JJ. in the end the point is moot. I’m stoked as fuck for the next installment.

 

Not saying they didn't, but how did the movies insinuate that she was related to anyone?

 

Exactly. This isn’t as much Rian as it is JJ. This is why I just find it dumb they didn’t have just one person man the whole trilogy.

 

I know this just isn't how films seem to be made these days, but I would feel a lot better about everything if they had written the scripts for the 3 films ahead of time, or at least written the stories, or at least had some kind of story outline for all 3 done. I think the very idea of a movie being rushed into production without a [completed] script is absolutely ludicrous. TFA isn't a masterpiece for me on the level of Empire or TLJ because despite it being an extremely fun and well made movie, when all is said and done, it doesn't seem like they ever really figured out exactly what story they were trying to tell.

I love me some JJ Abrams, but I think it's a little disingenuous to pretend he wasn't teasing the F out of Rey's parents being some huge mystery. I personally love the idea that her parents are "nobodies" because it makes her story 1,000,000,000 times more interesting and ultimately special. If she's a Skywalker or a Kenobi anything special she may do is kind of a given or a forgone conclusion - this way, anything she accomplishes she's completely earned on her own. I do love her story no matter who her parents are though because, even if your parents left you behind to go save the galaxy, they still left you behind, and for that little kid that's the only thing that's gonna matter.

I've only actually fully watched one Chris Terrio penned film - Argo - but the amount of hope I am placing on this poor guy that he can pull all of these various ideas and themes and characters back together in a satisfying and entertaining way for this third film is pretty gargantuan.

If it just rushes through some (granted extremely) fun and entertaining beats without pausing for a second to make sense of things ala TFA I am gonna be pretty disappointed.

 

Truly the one thing that would make me dislike the next movie regardless of whatever else happened in it.

This would be a monumental mistake.

 

Do we know if there has been or if there was any communication between Chris Terrio and Rian Johnson laying out kinda where Johnson was going with the story, or does he just literally pick up the baton where Johnson dropped it and go from there? I suppose keeping an eye on the overall story is just one of the million or so things Kathleen Kennedy has on her plate.