One of my rambling posts is coming up now.
I didn't see this until Christmas Day and I haven't had a chance to really be online since then until now. I did, however, see that people were complaining about the film before it came out. I didn't read much of the complaints as I really did NOT want anything spoiled for me. And something that I have realized (I realized it with The Force Awakens) is that when people hate something like, for example, a Star Wars movie, then they LOVE to spoil it for others who haven't seen it yet because they just want to go out and complain immediately. Hate it if you want to, but why spoil it for other people who haven't seen it yet?
I can see really hating something (I definitely have a long list of things), but why would I hate it so much that I hope it fails? What purpose would this film's failure serve me in life? Why would I care so much if someone else likes it? I don't think it is childish to hate something, but I certainly think it is childish the way I have seen some people react to this movie. It is
just a movie for God's sake!!! That is such a joke! With all of the horrible stuff that I have gone through the past 10 years, and in particular the past 3 months (I know some of you reading this know what I am referring to), if a mediocre Star Wars film - hell, even a BAD one - is the worst thing that could happen in my life, then bring more of them! I couldn't care less! Was I upset when Han Solo died? Damn right I was. Did I get over it? I would be insane if I didn't. Han Solo is not reality and life goes on. Nothing in a fictional world is that important for people to get so upset over it just because it didn't go the way they wanted it to. It is silly. My opinion, of course, but that is how I feel about all of the drama related to the movie.
Believe it or not, there are worse things that can happen in life than Luke not being the person you thought he was and his getting killed off in the series (which I figured was going to happen but I said 2 years ago that it wouldn't happen until the final film). Of course, though, Luke is never really gone. So his death is no big deal there for me.
I also don't really understand the "plot hole" issues that people have. A guy I work with was saying that he didn't get a couple of questions answered in TLJ that were from TFA (but I am talking about plot holes in both films), and I told him that since the next one will be THE final film I think all questions will be answered and all things will be finalized at that time. So I have no problem with so-called plot holes as long as I know there is still the chance that they will be answered. If we never get an answer on any of it, OK. Call them whatever you want then. But until these films are done, I like the "mystery" that is there with the “plot holes”.
Anyway, the film itself. I think I will talk about the negatives first. I do have a few. Not that they are big negatives, but they are the things that I wasn't as fond of in the film:
1. I wasn't interested in Holdo at all. And, truth be told, did it really have to be a "name" that portrayed her? I am a little baffled as to why they used Laura Dern. That role could've been portrayed by anyone. Other than her "big" moment in it, I didn't have any interest in that character.
2. Speaking of characters that I had NO interest in, I had NO interest in Rose. I hated EVERYTHING about her. And I was elated to see her killed off. And then they had to make it seem like they could save her. Damn!!! She was so boring and the pairing of Rose and Finn was bad. I thought so, at least, and I think it really hurt Finn's character.
3. I loved Finn in the TFA. I LOVED HIM! They really missed an opportunity with developing his character more. That was because they had that annoying Rose as his companion. I guess they did enough with him (I do love what he does towards the end of the film. A lot). But why does she have to tag along? Truth be told, I would've rather have seen him go off alone on his adventure with BB-8. I think that could've been pretty good.
4. I think they should've killed Leia off. I understand that they most likely didn't because they wouldn't have been able to have the Luke-Leia reunion, but whether or not Carrie Fisher had died in real life, I still think Leia should've been killed off. Now that Carrie Fisher is actually dead it would've been better in that sense (what could they possibly do now with the character but most likely have her die, anyway), but the
way Leia would've died was so unexpected that I, personally, think that would've been a very good thing to have had that in the film. The way that portion played out was something that I liked. I didn't expect it. And that could've been it. I didn't care for the fact that she survived. I think that ruined that part of the film, and a little bit of the rest of it, actually. Just the idea that Kylo was going to kill her, then he couldn't, but then it happened, anyway. That was such a great moment to me. And it would've been greater had she died. It was a surprise and that would’ve made the impact of it stronger had she not survived.
5. The ending. Well, not the ending
specifically. But
on the way to the ending. The ending itself, with the boy, I liked. I did. We all know that is going to lead to something else. But, ignoring the boy completely, I would've liked the film to have just ended with Luke's death somehow. I have to watch the film again to get really specific on what I would've wanted (there were details that I would've omitted, but I can't really remember them at the moment - I just remember I didn't want them there). As I was watching the movie, I was really enjoying it. I was. I was enjoying it to the point of thinking that I may just like it better than TFA. And that was until that chunk of film in between Luke’s death and the actual ending. Although, I liked Rey coming back and rescuing them, but I just think it should’ve ended at some point before I thought “I wish it would’ve ended here” or “Why didn’t they end it there”. Again, let me see the film a second time so I can nit-pick this issue a little bit better. Honestly, maybe after seeing it a second time, I won't have these issues again. Who knows?
6. Maybe it is my imagination, but was there a hint at the possibility that Poe and Rey could become a "thing" in the future? I hope not! For one thing, I didn't NEED it to be a part of the story, but I really liked the idea of Rey and Finn being something. I also would've been OK if they weren't anything more than just friends. Just as a non-romantic pair, I enjoy them together. No, instead we have to have Rose and give her to Finn. Why?? Please don't pair
anyone together just so there is some sort of romance going on, and I really don't like the idea of Poe and Rey being together. They don’t fit at all. That seems like it would be a forced romance (whereas I didn’t think it would’ve come across that way had it been a Rey/Finn relationship). It would almost seem like they feel there HAS to be a romance, and why not throw those two “heroes” together!
7. You want to know what I really hated? I really did hate it. The slow motion stuff. I hate that crap in any movie. And to do it in a SW film cheapened it for me. That was a disappointment. I always hold SW at higher level than other films because they seem unique in their storytelling and the way that they are made. And then they had to go and put generic slow motion nonsense in the film. Ridiculous. I wish that technique (and the POV of a bullet) would just go away.
And with that, I will go on about what I liked:
1. I liked that Luke's character changed. He, naturally, was no longer going to be this optimistic kid anymore. As a person, he would change as he got older, and I had no problem with him becoming a bitter old man who felt he was a failure at something in life. No problem with it at all. We’re treating this character as if he were real. Well, considering various circumstances in real life, real people change, too. So that is no big deal at all.
2. Phasma is GONE!!! Thank you! I thought she was a boring character in TFA and even more boring now. I don’t have to see her ever again!!
3. Finn. I know I just mentioned how I didn’t like that they didn’t work with his character like they should’ve, but I still liked him. The more I watch TFA, the more I enjoy the movie (and I really enjoyed it the first time I saw it). And the more I see Finn, the more he becomes one of my top characters in the series. Again, I loved his moment towards the end of the film. Would’ve loved it more had things gone differently for Rose.
4. Poe. I didn’t get much with him either. I would’ve liked more, but from what I was given, he is probably still one of my favorites as well. I was hoping for more of a Poe/Finn thing going on in this film. I was disappointed that there wasn’t something, but there is always Episode 9. Oh, that’s right. There probably won’t be anything because Finn is with Rose.
5. Kylo Ren. I liked his character in TFA. He was maybe the one I liked second best. Again, the more I watch TFA, the more I like him, as I do Finn. I said that when I saw TFA that I could see him becoming an excellent villain in the end. And I can still see it. The way things are playing out for him could really help this character turn into someone great – as in evil great. Things just never seem to work out as he would like them to. So I would like all of his anger towards his various upsets in life to help him in the dark side. I am pulling for a great villain. And I am one of those people that quite enjoyed what he did with Snoke. And Adam Diver is pretty damn impressive (in my opinion) as Kylo. He is a conflicted villain (I like seeing that for a change), and he portrays that sort of character so well. The Ben Solo side creeps back into his mind every now and then until Kylo takes over again. I enjoy watching that happen. And the conflict is something else that I think could help make him one of the best villains ever. I just really hope they do something great with this character in the end.
6. Reylo. Yes, that is a “real” thing in case you never heard about it. You see, when I watched TFA a second time, I started to think “Does Kylo have a
thing for Rey?”. And when I watched it again recently, I definitely thought they were hinting at that possibility. And the funny part, to me, is that I was looking at something online (before TLJ came out) and I discovered this thing call “Reylo”. And I thought “Well, then. I am not the only one that sees it”. And I am not going to lie here. That romance side of me was quite loving what they were doing with these two characters in TLJ. But romance aside, I just absolutely LOVED the connection, in general, that these two had with each other. I loved the way their Force-bond was portrayed. I thought that was a brilliant move right there (and I loved the whole aspect of the throne room scene - probably my favorite part of the movie). Yes, Snoke played a part and blah, blah, blah. But I would love to think that there will be at least 1-2 more of these moments in Episode 9 because that was something that felt very unique for these two characters and I loved them having this way to connect to one another. Now, the romance part of it. I am 100% convinced that Kylo has an interest in her beyond just the Force. I think his attraction to her has a lot to do with the Force, too, though, because they have this “bond” through that, but I also do think they are two lonely people. And they can sympathize, in a way, with each other. The shame of the whole thing is, though, that I think she is attracted to him, too, but ONLY as Ben Solo. Not Kylo Ren. And that is completely understandable to me, but, for me, the shame is that Ben just can’t make himself remain Ben. That Kylo side just keeps taking control of him. So, yeah, she literally “closed the door” on him in TLJ, but I really wonder if that will be it. After all, this is like some sort of Force soulmate thing going on. Again, yes, Snoke was manipulating things, but I think that just got things started for them. Well, for Kylo, at least. And I am also not saying that if they are soulmates that they will get together romantically at any point. It is possible for people to be soulmates with NO romantic connection whatsoever. That idea is very appealing to me, too. For some reason I really like the idea of these two having this connection no matter what way it will be portrayed (hoping they keep it up in the final film).
But I do have to say, and I know I am probably alone with this, that I think the moment when their fingertips touched was one of the sexiest moments ever in a film (even if it wasn’t meant to be that way). I smiled to myself when I saw it. I just want to say that.
Now, overall, I did really like the film. I probably won’t watch it again until it is released on DVD. I would much rather watch it in the privacy of my own home where I can be really comfortable and focus completely on it. So, for right now, I would give it a
.
As for where I would currently rank it (and after having just rewatched all of the films again before I went to see it):
1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. Return of the Jedi
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. The Force Awakens
5. A New Hope
6. The Last Jedi
7. The Phantom Menace
8. Rogue One
9. Attack of the Clones
Basically the list is the same since I last posted it but Rogue One and The Last Jedi have been added now. And I don’t really remember, but I may have switched my placements of ANH and TFA.
And just a few more things that I want to say. I am going to assume that The Knights of Ren will be addressed in the final film. I am assuming it so much that I am really looking forward to it. So I am really hoping I am not wrong with that. I am also really hoping Kylo doesn’t die off in the final film. I have ended up liking his character so much that I am really hoping that isn’t his fate. If he does, I hope it is some sort of light side sacrifice kind of thing, but to be honest, I like Rey a lot, and I would kind of like it if he would turn back to the light side and, despite that happening, that would somehow make Rey the one that doesn’t survive (if someone dying is necessary for whatever reason). Why these things are happening, I haven’t decided yet. I haven’t written that much of the story in my mind yet.
But this is how I want them to be. I’ll be honest. After having watched TFA a few times now, and seeing TLJ, I don’t believe Kylo is as far gone as what I think a lot of other people will think. Even having killed his father, there is a moment, briefly, where it almost seems as if he has a quick reaction with the realization of what he had just done. It is very subtle but it is there. And I think not all of what was happening between Kylo and Rey was being manipulated. And if it was, I think Kylo was aware enough of how he was feeling and I think he was really not all that bad in those scenes with her. I think he was sincerely not always thinking on the side of the dark side with her. Also, I don’t know if I buy the whole thing about Rey’s parents really being nothing special. It could be true. Very easily. But I wondered as soon as Kylo said something about it if either he was lying to her to, for lack of a better word, “charm” her into ruling alongside him by saying that they were nothing but she is not nothing to him. Or, perhaps, Snoke played a part in manipulating that so that Kylo wouldn’t know who she may be descended from. Or else she really is from nobody in particular. Either way, I wouldn’t mind seeing that addressed again in the last film. I would like Rose to meet a terrible fate, though. Just get rid of her already. Why was my time wasted watching her? I don’t get it. Also, I am still holding out hope that Lando will be making an appearance. I find it hard to believe that it won’t happen. But I think they know that there is a large part of the fan base that would LOVE to see Lando back, if only briefly, in the last film. I think there might be a good way for them to bring him back somehow through however they make Leia non-existent in the story.
Anyway, I had my bits of disappointment with the film (no movie is perfect), but overall, I did enjoy the movie and I am looking forward to watching it again. Not only that, I would like a definite idea of where I want to rank it. Until then, it will remain #6 on my list.