Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

[Mellowtron11 180]

Rogue One was banal and felt dull.

 

TFA was unoriginal but it was fun, had interesting moments and good new characters.

 

TLJ needs to blow the door off the building and shatter all the windows if it wants me on-board with these new films. 

As for my own opinions, I enjoyed TFA during its release in theaters. But by the time the hype died down, I felt that TFA was literally just ANH 2.0 and obviously was disappointed.  I really was hoping for something new.

 

Rogue One was a predictable film for obvious reasons, but I personally felt that the filmmakers really brought that 70's feeling back to Star Wars, which was a good thing. You can see those influences from the hair styles and mustaches, to the little cameos and easter eggs and even down to the 70's Vietnam-era surplus gear on the Rebel commandos' costumes.  I also really liked how the filmmakers made the battle at Scariff a Pyrrhic victory for the rebels- All the main characters die,  most of the Rebel Fleet gets blown to hell and Vader nearly captures the plans in that hallway. 

 

But I understand why people are worried about TLJ. I too hope that it's not another rehash of ESB, but the shots of the new walkers on a white plain, and the Millennium Falcon flying through what looked like an asteroid tunnel are making me very skeptical that this film won't be ESB 2.0. However, it seems Luke has serious doubts about the Jedi as an organization, much like Kreia did. That gives me a little hope

[Mutilator57 140]

As for my own opinions, I enjoyed TFA during its release in theaters. But by the time the hype died down, I felt that TFA was literally just ANH 2.0 and obviously was disappointed.  I really was hoping for something new.

 

Rogue One was a predictable film for obvious reasons, but I personally felt that the filmmakers really brought that 70's feeling back to Star Wars, which was a good thing. You can see those influences from the hair styles and mustaches, to the little cameos and easter eggs and even down to the 70's Vietnam-era surplus gear on the Rebel commandos' costumes.  I also really liked how the filmmakers made the battle at Scariff a Pyrrhic victory for the rebels- All the main characters die,  most of the Rebel Fleet gets blown to hell and Vader nearly captures the plans in that hallway. 

 

But I understand why people are worried about TLJ. I too hope that it's not another rehash of ESB, but the shots of the new walkers on a white plain, and the Millennium Falcon flying through what looked like an asteroid tunnel are making me very skeptical that this film won't be ESB 2.0. However, it seems Luke has serious doubts about the Jedi as an organization, much like Kreia did. That gives me a little hope

If you think they're planning to go down a route bearing even a skerrick of resemblance to Kreia's philosophy then you are very optimistic indeed!

[Mellowtron11 180]

If you think they're planning to go down a route bearing even a skerrick of resemblance to Kreia's philosophy then you are very optimistic indeed!

I guess I think that Luke's current mindset reminds me of Kreia's criticisms of the Jedi Order, but you're probably right. Kreia's philosophy would be very hard to get put into a standard 2.5 hour long Star Wars Film. And keep in mind that Chris Avellone wrote up Kreia to address what he considered flaws of both the Jedi and the Sith. Picking apart the flaws of two conflicting organizations wouldn't exactly make for big screen movie material that would draw people in. And Kreia is nowhere near a sympathetic character that audiences would care for.

 

I will say this too- it would be very neat for Luke to at least mention events where the Jedi Order nearly collapsed like, surprise surprise, the 1st Jedi Purge in K2. Probably won't happen given how all the old EU stuff is no longer canon.  Hey, we can dream, right?

[ADG12311990 21]

I feel like I might be in the minority of this thread, but I actually really liked TFA and R1, and am really looking forward to TLJ.

[Todd Hellid 16]

Either the Timothy Zahn novels or the Dark Empire comic books would have been good for post Return of the Jedi movies.

[Guest]

Lol nope, glad we didn't get that.

[Mellowtron11 180]

Lol nope, glad we didn't get that.

Glad we didn't get what? Sorry, just unsure what you meant.

[Guest]

Either the Timothy Zahn novels or the Dark Empire comic books would have been good for post Return of the Jedi movies.

This is what I refer to.

[DarthVarkor 384]

Looks like I'm also in the minority here, but I really don't get what everyone's beef with The Force Awakens is. Yes, I'm fully aware that it has many parallels to not just A New Hope but for the the original trilogy in general. But what no one seems to notice is all of the Star Wars films mirror each other. Yes, TFA takes a bit too far in some places, such as Starkiller Base being another Death Star, but how people can dislike it so much amazes me. When the prequels came out, everyone said "this doesn't feel like Star Wars, too much CGI", etc. and now TFA is out, everyone said "this is too much like ANH, the prequels were bad, but at least they were something new". No one seems to hate Star Wars more than Star Wars fans it seems. Sure, JJ could have done something more experimental with the story, but can you really blame him for playing it safe after the backlash the prequels got? It's a retro movie, sure, but it was a return to practical effects, real sets, some great acting, likable characters and good film-making. Compared to some of the mindless CGI crap Hollywood churns out at the moment (looking at you, Transformers), TFA is a great movie with some flaws.

 

Look at Kylo Ren alone; compare him in TFA to Vader in ANH, who is the better character? Not who is more iconic or "cooler", but who from those two films alone is a better character? People whine because Kylo was "weak" and a joke compared to Vader, but that's exactly what he was meant to be, he literally wears a helmet to hide how he looks. It's a pretense, he's trying to be as intimating as his grandfather. If Kylo had just been a generic bad-ass in black with a mask, everyone would be saying "he's just a Vader rip-off". What's wrong with a flawed villain done right? We don't know what Kylo will evolve into yet, he is how Anakin should have been written.

 

As for Rogue One, I like it, I have some issues with its pacing particularly around the middle section, I also didn't care much for the characters, though it was pretty much a given from the outset that they would all die. But the final act on Scarif is Star Wars at its finest. Anyone who says they didn't get goosebumps during that final sequence with the planet's destruction and THAT Vader scene is lying. For me, it was a fun, exciting prequel that nailed the 70s look of the original trilogy perfectly.

 

Now, if Episodes 8&9 were to be simple re-hashes of Empire and Return of the Jedi, then I would have some issues. But, I can honestly say I am excited for TLJ, Rian Johnson is a fantastic director when it comes to Sci-Fi, and from everything I have heard about it, it sounds like we're in for something quite different. As others have mentioned in this topic, Luke's views on the Jedi Order seem very similar to Kreia's philosophy, and if it's anything like that, then I'm game. While I'm glad Colin Trevorrow is no longer directing Ep9 (Jurassic World was very...meh, big dumb action, no substance) I do have some concerns about J.J. Abrams coming back, I'd much rather let Rian Johnson handle the film. But, I guess only time will tell. 

[dg1995 28]

Either the Timothy Zahn novels or the Dark Empire comic books would have been good for post Return of the Jedi movies.

Well, I Would love the Timothy zahn's Novels but I didn't like the Dark Empire that much.

[revan21 22]

Either the Timothy Zahn novels or the Dark Empire comic books would have been good for post Return of the Jedi movies.

Then people would say the movies suck because they wouldn't be original. we would already know what happens. It would be the same thing we have now with Episode 7 where people say it's too much like ANH. And Dark Empire would be even worse because a lot of people don't even like the comic for ressurecting Palpatine, making Anakins sacrifice in ROTJ almost worthless.

 

I think you can't fault JJ Abrams for playing it so safe with TFA as much as some people do if you consider the backlash the Prequels got. Disney was probably also breathing down his neck because they spend 3.5 Million Dollar on this franchise and want to see profit.

[Malkior 476]

Then people would say the movies suck because they wouldn't be original. we would already know what happens. It would be the same thing we have now with Episode 7 where people say it's too much like ANH. And Dark Empire would be even worse because a lot of people don't even like the comic for ressurecting Palpatine, making Anakins sacrifice in ROTJ almost worthless.

 

I think you can't fault JJ Abrams for playing it so safe with TFA as much as some people do after the backlash the Prequels got. Disney was probably also breathing down his neck because they spend 3.5 Million Dollar on this franchise and want to see profit.

I respectfully disagree. Heir to the Empire is almost entirely from the perspective of the new Empire and Luke being abandoned alone on a dangerous mission. He never gathers a crew nor ends up on the Chimera (Thrawn's flagship) to rescue anyone. The New Empire doesn't even rely on Superweapons but rather on secrecy and superior maneuvering. The New Republic only wins because of dumb luck (Leia not being discovered by Thrawn and his misinterpretation when he finds out she was there) and because Luke saves another super powerful force user who may or may not be more powerful than himself.

 

The Thrawn Trilogy had an entirely different tone with large space battles and technology its biggest ties to even being a Star Wars series.

 

While I would love for them to be adapted as the New Trilogy, IMHO Disney has made it clear that the sort of exposition and characterization from Zahn's writing would be far too complex for their far more polarized view of character and story.

[VarsityPuppet 1,085]

Not to mention the movie adaptation would probably be subpar, and most likely, many would be disappointed

[revan21 22]

I respectfully disagree. Heir to the Empire is almost entirely from the perspective of the new Empire and Luke being abandoned alone on a dangerous mission. He never gathers a crew nor ends up on the Chimera (Thrawn's flagship) to rescue anyone. The New Empire doesn't even rely on Superweapons but rather on secrecy and superior maneuvering. The New Republic only wins because of dumb luck (Leia not being discovered by Thrawn and his misinterpretation when he finds out she was there) and because Luke saves another super powerful force user who may or may not be more powerful than himself.

 

The Thrawn Trilogy had an entirely different tone with large space battles and technology its biggest ties to even being a Star Wars series.

 

While I would love for them to be adapted as the New Trilogy, IMHO Disney has made it clear that the sort of exposition and characterization from Zahn's writing would be far too complex for their far more polarized view of character and story.

I'd argue that many people who know the story would be unhappy with the adaption or say that Disney is just making money of Zahn's works because their story team can't come up with something of  their own or whatever. The Thrawn Trillogy just wouldn't be good start for this new generation of Star Wars movies.

Maybe we'll see a movie about it if Legends Nostalgia becomes profitable ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[milestails 264]

New teaser out:

 

[RLG 6]

Yay. Let's disavow the EU, then bastardize the crap out of it and re-release it as something new and original!

 

<shudders>

 

Disney sucks.

 

I'm an Disney canon denier (except for what Timothy Zahn writes because he's a awesome writer).