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Question: Can a firmly entrenched Hollywood series movie be highly entertaining even if it is filled with micro plot-holes and tiny flaws? I am happy to report that the answer is a resounding YES. Let me state first for the record: I am not really a die-hard Star Wars Fan. I am not in the habit of doing lip service for any entertainment outfits. However, I am a sci-fi movie fan, and I appreciate when a director takes the time to actually tell a thought-out story instead of setup a framework for CGI effects artists. This movie succeeds where George Lucas and JJ Abrams failed - that is, instead of monetizing this series to the point where it only served as a catalyst for Christmas toys and Lego sets, Gareth Edwards and Lucasfilm manage to tell us an adult fairy-tale and a space odyssey that teens might even enjoy. Let's be frank here: this ain't a movie targeted for little kids. Which is why it's not only refreshing, but also successful. Gone is the sugarcoating of the rebel forces and the cutesy aliens (which none of us actually liked) have been cut as well. This turns out to be a good thing, as the Star Wars universe is actually more believable when there are genuine human characters we can connect with, and they aren't usurped by their scripted lines. The premise of this movie works because the actors play what amounts to "normal" people put under some difficult circumstances. The Jedi would probably have approached the same scenario with a more "superhuman", mystical, and powerful approach, but that's not the story here. This is about a group of outsiders that get tied in tangentially to the fight against the dark side. This is also a story that feels more natural and organic because the main characters are not overly stylized in mannerisms, or exaggerated. They are what they appear to be. Let's talk for a moment about the matter of War as depicted in this film. One of the reasons why the first movie is so good is because we are given a reason to cheer for the heroes. Not just their likeability, but their sense of purpose as well. This movie capitalizes on this concept with (mostly) realistic action sequences, and a focus on the hazards of war, including death, of which there is quite a bit. The stakes get raised when you see the difficulty level increasing, and what you get is a dose of bravery interjected into the construct of the battle scenes. This is a smart move on the part of the script, and it makes the movie 100% more successful than The Force Awakens, which avoids this type of direct confrontation, choosing smchaltz over substance. Another successful element is the avoidance of the watering down of the evil characters. This is, ultimately, a story about good versus evil, right? So, then show us how evil the bad guys can be! And, thankfully they do this time. The return of Vader and his role in the finale demonstrates just how ruthless and powerful the dark side is. It is a thrilling thing to watch. In a nutshell, there are many things about this film which are enjoyable to watch. Despite the fact that the movie has a few flaws, the pacing and production level of the film are good enough that you wouldn't normally feel the need to overthink what is happening. Once again, the script helps immensely in that regard, as it allows you to suspend your disbelief. Other reviewers are lamenting this movie as too war-like or humorless. I would like to disagree completely and say for the record that this is probably one of the best Star Wars films made so far because it actually has a well developed story. It was obvious to me months before the release that this movie was different, more serious, and perhaps darker, which is exactly what was needed to drown out everything that was wrong with the previous four movies. Thank goodness someone had the balls to deviate from the recipe this time, it revived a franchise that had become a caricature of itself. 4.5/5
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Dec 31, 2016 06:14
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| # ¿ May 3, 2024 02:35 |
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