Trilogies are difficult to watch, mostly by the third film, the events of the first one become hazy. Unless you are fan of the franchise, you are handicapped as you enter the theatre.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was painful (sorry fans!). I mean, the first movie began with a promising scene of a war, and a particular scene caught my eye, which had the frontline of soldiers swinging their swords in a rapid anti clockwise manner. I thought WOW!, great movie, war movie, fast movie….. and the war never came!!
The compound the agony, the extension of the franchise came with ‘Hobbit’, and they cut the final part and released it as two separate films, just to milk more money from the fans of the franchise (and avid movie goers like me!) Naked commercialization on full display
Milking more!
And I have similar sentiments of the Star Wars franchise, the original is “original”- in terms of ideas, plot twists, the way its filmed. The recent extension of the franchise is for milking money or rather printing money. This film got branded as “too big to fail”, with no competing release, massive publicity and jam packed show times, all the ingredients of success, unless a major blunder
Digressing back to the Movie now!
In one sentence, the movie is Good. A good watch, the directors and producers have taken ample care to ‘refresh’ the memory of the audience and hence the film works as a standalone film. Done in an intelligent manner, like for example Kylo Ren’s back story, relayed to us in flash backs, and you go “oh, that’s why he is angry on Skywalker!”, and then intelligently the back story is “corrected” with an alternate version, so for true fans it makes it worthwhile to watch the flashbacks and it’s not a drag for them.
Philosophical Notes
Ever since Nolan, reinterpreted Batman with a heavy dose of ideas, philosophies, the trend got set for fantasy movies to have deeper implications in them with “darker” ideas embedded in the story. Guardians of the Galaxy and more recently Thor: Ragnarok broke the mould and gave us simple fun movies. Star Wars the last Jedi, casually flirts with deeper ideas, with lessons of Skywalker, and briefly when a character displays that the same arms dealer sells to both the Resistance and the dark side. Additionally, some momentary reflection or satire on the organized, glossy society, exposing the dark underbelly and those exploited violently to achieve that peace and harmony on the surface. However, it’s just touching those points, and does not bother to probe deeper. Hence for a person with a philosophical taste, the movie will be eating the cream of a cake only to find no sponge cake below it.
The Animals
The Porgs have broken the internet (I am told) certainly the trailer, however rather disappointingly they don’t in the movie!. The Crystal Foxes also face a similar fate, though at least they get a got plot point. Rest of the animals are not that memorable. Though it must be said, that these creatively generated characters are a hallmark of the movies, and you do admire the detailing work and imagination going into create them.
Humor
Again recent superhero movies have spoilt us, and I do expect a little bit of good humor, some slapstick in fantasy movies unless it is totally philosophical like Blade Runner. Again here the movie is casual, the Porgs seem a wasted opportunity, some laugh scenes are there, but it is not a laugh riot.
So in summary, the movie is a bit philosophical, bit humor, laden with small bits of Easter eggs (for the fans), a bit of flashback (for the casual viewer), good 3D (I am a sucker for 3D!), bits of action, fights, bits of the light saber!… bits and bits of many things
The movie probably had too much to do, and that’s why it does not have a central theme. To many characters are experiencing their own journey or end of those. The movie seems to be in transition….. Oh that means A ninth is on the way!
No Comment