Okay, time to be controversial – because it seems any opinion about the end of the Skywalker trilogy is going to annoy someone. So here it is, my Star Wars – the final conclusion….
And that is…the movie is exactly what I expected.
And at least within my family, that’s the prevailing opinion. But it didn’t make everyone happy.
The Good
I’m easily pleased and came out of the movie having loved almost every minute, mostly because the music, oh my goodness the music is awesome. And they haven’t stuffed around with it to make it “better” and ruin that lovely bit of nostalgia. There was even the hark back to the strains of Darth Vader. Yay! Talk about playing the crowd favourites. And they haven’t the way the footage from a previous movie was used to give General Leia’s arc some kind of closure, the parade of the Star Wars greatest hits, and the way Abrams resisted pairing Rey up with anyone. I also admired the way he tied up so many loose ends. As he says, tying up a series is hard, and particularly hard when it’s a beloved multi-billion dollar enterprise of nine movies (not counting the spin offs). I loved the way the the fight scenes where Rey and Kylo Ren/Ben Solo interacted over distance helped set up the ending.
That’s not the case for everyone.
The Bad
The younger members of the household wanted something new. Something they hadn’t seen before. Unlike the oldies who were there for the nostalgia, a highlights reel of rehashed popular beats was all too samey and a dark side with capabilities so strongly tied to plot was yet another disappointment. Although I’m not sure why, to me that’s been a hallmark of the movies – particularly since the Ewoks.
And it’s going to bug some people. It just is. As Jordan Hoffman – The Guardian says:
“The movie snaps together like a jigsaw puzzle, a series of concluding beats that seem inevitable and perfect, and designed to please all parties, so long as you don’t dwell on the logic too much. ” (Actually it’s a really cute review and worth reading – here)
So yes, it was a logic sinkhole that would suck you in, if you let it…and still here it is my Star wars…
The Final Conclusion
If you like serious movies, or originality in the plot – or you just can’t look past plot holes, maybe sit this one out.
On the other hand, if you want a nostalgia hit, and you loved the originals, then you’ll likely love this one. And what’s not to love? It was a great send off. Goodbye General Leia. Goodbye Star Wars. It’s been a blast. Thanks for all the memories.
Do you agree? Drop in and say hello at the end of the post, and tell me what you think?
Now back to reading.
Here’s a list of some of my all time Science Fiction favourite novels and novelists.
