Well I loved it
Film Star Wars Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker [Theories]
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Saw it.
On the plus side, the strong and likeable cast remained strong and likeable. Particularly Driver, who is the MVP of these films.
The vast majority of the audience who just want a silly, fun, kid-friendly blockbuster will enjoy it, as they have with the other Disney trilogy films. They've all been better made than the awful prequel trilogy. It's an okay entry with a few fun bits in a series of largely mediocre films some people take way too seriously.
As it happens though, I did think it was the worst of the three. Partly because JJ's fan-service heavy nostalgia-fest style doesn't particularly interest me and partly because of the effect the post-TLJ course correction has on the film. A lot of critics have criticised it for trying to appease the minority of fans angered by TLJ (and there is definitely an element of that) but I mostly felt the decision was down to JJ needing to get the series back to his comfort zone as a director.
Either way though, it doesn't work. It feels like they've jammed a film's worth of changes into the first act just to bactrack from where TLJ left off, rather than taking the more natural route of moving forward from there. You could nearly hear the film's gears grinding to swing the plot around while simultaneously trying not to do anything people might dislike.
The awful decision to bring Palpatine back is the prime example. It doesn't work at all and immediately feels not just like typical JJ fan-pleasing but also a desperate measure to create a film structure he is comfortable with. TLJ left the series with Driver's character as the main bad guy and it would have been wiser to try and make that work, rather than trying to retcon a different big bad in at the last minute just to restore a familiar formula.
As it happens though, I did think it was the worst of the three. Partly because JJ's fan-service heavy nostalgia-fest style doesn't particularly interest me and partly because of the effect the post-TLJ course correction has on the film. A lot of critics have criticised it for trying to appease the minority of fans angered by TLJ (and there is definitely an element of that) but I mostly felt the decision was down to JJ needing to get the series back to his comfort zone as a director.
Either way though, it doesn't work. It feels like they've jammed a film's worth of changes into the first act just to bactrack from where TLJ left off, rather than taking the more natural route of moving forward from there. You could nearly hear the film's gears grinding to swing the plot around while simultaneously trying not to do anything people might dislike.
The awful decision to bring Palpatine back is the prime example. It doesn't work at all and immediately feels not just like typical JJ fan-pleasing but also a desperate measure to create a film structure he is comfortable with. TLJ left the series with Driver's character as the main bad guy and it would have been wiser to try and make that work, rather than trying to retcon a different big bad in at the last minute just to restore a familiar formula.
On the plus side, the strong and likeable cast remained strong and likeable. Particularly Driver, who is the MVP of these films.
Me and my son watched it and had fun. Fan service and all that but lively and full of action. Thought it was a good patch to that mess that is the new trilogy. All the jokers are played and all Star wars nostalgia. My son came out smiling from ear to ear so I guess job done. 7/10.
Kristian Harloff said that this is basically the sequel to the force awakens and tries to rectify the damage from the last jedi. I personally disliked the last jedi but enjoyed the force awakens. I reckon I will be pleasantly surprised by this one.
There’s a few bits which hit you right in the feels. Maybe I’m easier to please in my old age.
It had a problem at the start because The Last Jedi left this nothing to build from. It had to shoehorn stuff in to actually set up something for this film to be about. There was nothing left at the end of The Last Jedi. It was a wasted film that really added nothing.
Thought that was really good. Mindless silly stuff with good acting and a really interesting duo.
Anyone who thinks the prequels are anywhere near this new trilogy are mental.
Anyone who thinks the prequels are anywhere near this new trilogy are mental.
Prequels >
Thats how bad this new trilogy was
Thats how bad this new trilogy was
No! That's impossible!
So many mixed thoughts and emotions.
Opening was okay but felt very shoved in your face to begin righting the wrongs of TLJ. Then it sort of descends into a lot of horrible dialogue for a bit in between our characters bouncing between planets. At this point I was a bit ‘oh it’s going to be shit’ but the film progresses and there was actually a moment in the film I just smiled and thought to myself ‘I’m really enjoying this.’
That in itself is double edged however. I’m not enjoying the story as such but more the fan service JJ is shoving down our throats. Some of the cinematography, shots, score were sublime and I’m proper Star Wars fanboying over it. This again though only serves to remind me how much they fecked everything in the TLJ that it has come to this. As a film in this trilogy it may as well not exist. It serves no purpose and we’d be better off seeing TROS as the sequel to TFA.
Props to Kylo and Finn strangely enough, who so far I had no love for but came out really liking his character. Rey was good too, far edgier and thought Daisy was superb.
Opening was okay but felt very shoved in your face to begin righting the wrongs of TLJ. Then it sort of descends into a lot of horrible dialogue for a bit in between our characters bouncing between planets. At this point I was a bit ‘oh it’s going to be shit’ but the film progresses and there was actually a moment in the film I just smiled and thought to myself ‘I’m really enjoying this.’
That in itself is double edged however. I’m not enjoying the story as such but more the fan service JJ is shoving down our throats. Some of the cinematography, shots, score were sublime and I’m proper Star Wars fanboying over it. This again though only serves to remind me how much they fecked everything in the TLJ that it has come to this. As a film in this trilogy it may as well not exist. It serves no purpose and we’d be better off seeing TROS as the sequel to TFA.
Props to Kylo and Finn strangely enough, who so far I had no love for but came out really liking his character. Rey was good too, far edgier and thought Daisy was superb.
I think this is the most critical review of the film I've seen, insofar as it outright says it is the worst of the Star Wars films.
I don't agree with that at all (at least two of the prequels were among the worst films of their decade) but the more I think about this film the messier it seems.
Definitely the worst of the lot. It has its moments, but I think the pacing and editing is laughable. Don't mind some of the decisions Abrams makes, but most simply didn't work for me. Ultimately what I am going to remember about this trilogy are the characters, they are the best part, I just wish they were given a better story overall.
Can't wait for the RedLetterMedia crew to do their review. Although after Mr Plinketts review on The Last Jedi he said we should boycott this movie... heres to hoping
Had time to reflect after a sleep. Rating dropping to 5/10. Mish-mash taking bits from other films and sticking them in this. Bit of a train wreck really
It's a kids film, and as such I'm sure a lot of kids will love it as it paid fan service a lot, there were lightsaber fights and lots of action etc.
Having said that, looking at it from a critical point of view I thought it was a very weak film.
It went at 100 mph to try and cram everything in, leaving a sequence of events and exposition that felt too clustered together with no time for the characters to breathe. This alone was pretty bad, then you also have a bucketload of fan service and cloying nostalgic stuff added in to try and please everybody and it reached a point where I was actually laughing at it. There were also a few things that didn't make sense to me in the context of the film itself and other films before them.
Overall it was a poor film.
A few things that rankle a bit.
Having said that, looking at it from a critical point of view I thought it was a very weak film.
It went at 100 mph to try and cram everything in, leaving a sequence of events and exposition that felt too clustered together with no time for the characters to breathe. This alone was pretty bad, then you also have a bucketload of fan service and cloying nostalgic stuff added in to try and please everybody and it reached a point where I was actually laughing at it. There were also a few things that didn't make sense to me in the context of the film itself and other films before them.
Overall it was a poor film.
A few things that rankle a bit.
Firstly, Luke's force ghost being able to catch the lightsaber and raise the ship. If he's that powerful, why not just carry on being a jedi, and why aren't yoda and obi-wan etc wandering around doing jedi shit rather than just appearing as advice ghosts.
Anakin turned into darth vader because he wanted to be able to heal and resurrect people. Rey and Kylo just do this on a whim, no effort/training needed. Makes the whole anakin/vader plot from the prequels seem a bit silly.
They establish early in the film that rey and kylo now have the power to stop ships in mid air and drag them back towards the ground. Kylo seems to forget this ability when rebels fly off in front of him several times afterwards.
The kiss/resurrection/death
The medal
Leia just wandering off to die as that strange alien friend of Han Solo's narrates what's going on.
The Emperor melting his own face when he could have just stopped shooting lightning out of his hands. He also wanted to die so he could possess rey, but he also wanted Kylo to kill rey? anyway, he's dead now, so possession anybody............
Finn randomly developing force sensitivity
There's more, but that's enough for now.
Anakin turned into darth vader because he wanted to be able to heal and resurrect people. Rey and Kylo just do this on a whim, no effort/training needed. Makes the whole anakin/vader plot from the prequels seem a bit silly.
They establish early in the film that rey and kylo now have the power to stop ships in mid air and drag them back towards the ground. Kylo seems to forget this ability when rebels fly off in front of him several times afterwards.
The kiss/resurrection/death
The medal
Leia just wandering off to die as that strange alien friend of Han Solo's narrates what's going on.
The Emperor melting his own face when he could have just stopped shooting lightning out of his hands. He also wanted to die so he could possess rey, but he also wanted Kylo to kill rey? anyway, he's dead now, so possession anybody............
Finn randomly developing force sensitivity
There's more, but that's enough for now.
This is how I feel too. Sometimes reading comments online it's like I've taken crazy pills
What are peoples overall ranking of the nine films?
Thought it was OK. Some bits I loved, some bits I hated, some bits that flat out make no sense. About what I expected.
To me, it seemed like a movie made for all those people who were speculating like crazy before TFA come out.
Agree generally, but....
In fairness to them, I wonder how much Carrie Fisher's death impacted on what they could do with the Leia stuff? It looked to me like they were having to work with limited footage.
Though there was a point where I actually laughed at the film too, which was near the end when all the good guys flew in and your one in the helmet had that exchange with Oscar Issacs' character, with the little alien thing beside her. It was like someone openly mocking the typical end of a Star Wars film.
Though there was a point where I actually laughed at the film too, which was near the end when all the good guys flew in and your one in the helmet had that exchange with Oscar Issacs' character, with the little alien thing beside her. It was like someone openly mocking the typical end of a Star Wars film.
Obviously it goes without saying that RT is a shit way of judging anything, plus they've changed their systems since TLJ's audience score got artificially lowered through review bombing.
Even still, I think it's indicative of a critic v hardcore fan split that is interesting. Obviously not all critics or hardcore fans fall in line with this spilt but it's a pretty good indication of the difference in what both camps want from a Star Wars film.
Weirdly, I think it's to these films' credit that a kids/family film series can provoke that type of engagement.
Surprisingly generous to 1, 2 and 3.
So ranked that would mean: 5, 4, 6, 7, 8, 3, 1, 2
Got the same ranking. Rewatched all of them recently. Could barely get through episode 2.
The new one is getting panned by the fans for the same reasons that they praised Abrams first one for, and when Johnson tried to something different it was too too much and unfaithful.
You really liked The Last Jedi the most? Have the original trilogy and The Force Awakens comfortably higher myself.
Empire Strikes Back has to be the best doesn't it?
The new one is getting panned by the fans for the same reasons that they praised Abrams first one for, and when Johnson tried to something different it was too too much and unfaithful.
There’s such thing as striking a balance though. TLJ didn’t even muster a genuine lightsaber duel. On top of it, it was a complete mess of a movie with or without the Star Wars tag.
Johnson tried and failed spectacularly. Half the film was a boring chase, half was just plain stupid.
Abrams was praised for the first one because it looked like a film compared to Lucas' mess. It was basically a remake of A New Hope with worse characters and dumber story.
Abrams was praised for the first one because it looked like a film compared to Lucas' mess. It was basically a remake of A New Hope with worse characters and dumber story.
The Force Awakens isn't the worst film in the series (that belongs to Attack of the Clones and The Phantom Menace) but it is so uninspired and unoriginal that I possibly dislike it the most.
AoC is just so boring. I dont remember anything memorable from that. Ep1 and 3 had memorable stuff. Ep7 and 8 did so too. I seriously cant remember anything about ep2, it was just boring.
Easily the best one.
Though the original also holds up well considering when it was made and had to start everything from scratch.
Interesting how different that is to imdb.
Obviously it goes without saying that RT is a shit way of judging anything, plus they've changed their systems since TLJ's audience score got artificially lowered through review bombing.
Even still, I think it's indicative of a critic v hardcore fan split that is interesting. Obviously not all critics or hardcore fans fall in line with this spilt but it's a pretty good indication of the difference in what both camps want from a Star Wars film.
Weirdly, I think it's to these films' credit that a kids/family film series can provoke that type of engagement.
IMDB is more balanced I take it? Can't see it on my phone for some reason.
But yeah, RT is trash and not to be taken seriously in any way shape or form. It backed up something I already thought though so I'm not above using it.
Felt it was a very safe "this is what you feckers wanted" reaction to Last Jedi. Introducing the main villain in the third of the trilogy just doesn't have the impact the big bad should. The trilogy as a whole is going to feel terribly disjointed and I have a feeling this one is going to age the worst out of the three.
My theater started laughing and I heard someone say "oh no" during that kiss at the end. Also, how the feck dd they have so much left over Carrie Fisher footage that fitted in so perfectly? Almost feels like they wrote the movie backwards based on the footage they had.
My theater started laughing and I heard someone say "oh no" during that kiss at the end. Also, how the feck dd they have so much left over Carrie Fisher footage that fitted in so perfectly? Almost feels like they wrote the movie backwards based on the footage they had.
Well it's on 6.9 to TLJ's 7.1, but that's with a tenth of the votes and many of those from the cool kids voting 1, so I imagine it'll creep up. I would say imdb is pretty trash as well tbh.IMDB is more balanced I take it? Can't see it on my phone for some reason.
But yeah, RT is trash and not to be taken seriously in any way shape or form. It backed up something I already thought though so I'm not above using it.
Episode 1 of the Prequels is still the best film since the originals IMO. Underrated.
They’re all about the same.
Saw this last night and thought it was good.
Star Wars isn’t really my normal thing but I practically live at the cinema these days and make a point of seeing the big releases on opening night!
So from an ‘outsider’ I think there are some really good moments and contrary to other opinions I actually think it moves at a decent pace and is the right length - lots of similar ‘blockbusters’ have been known to pass the 3 hour mark.
It’s not going to win an award for being the best Star Wars film, obviously but they haven’t gone out with a whimper, far from it.
Star Wars isn’t really my normal thing but I practically live at the cinema these days and make a point of seeing the big releases on opening night!
So from an ‘outsider’ I think there are some really good moments and contrary to other opinions I actually think it moves at a decent pace and is the right length - lots of similar ‘blockbusters’ have been known to pass the 3 hour mark.
It’s not going to win an award for being the best Star Wars film, obviously but they haven’t gone out with a whimper, far from it.