Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

There’s a great Woody Guthrie song called Jesus Christ where he sings about how Christ told the rich to give their goods to the poor; as a result, the rich laid Christ in his grave. The song ends with Guthrie’s assertion that if Christ came to modern-day New York, he would ask the same of the rich and they would follow the steps of their forebears, placing him in his grave once again.

I am confident that if the original Star Wars came out today, people would rip it to shreds. The original is itself not completely original: it borrows heavily from the space operas and radio serials of the 40s and 50s; its philosophical perspectives are Eastern theology-derived; and the dialogue is barely saved by the earnestness of its actors. Yet, most people who love Star Wars loooooooove Star Wars – why? Perhaps because most of us saw it when we were little, the height of when movies are magical: we truly believe in what is happening in the film and the characters in it are a representation of us, avatars of our fledgling personalities, helping to define who we will become.

What everyone is chasing when they complain about the new films is that feeling of wonder, of new worlds explored and friends found (then perhaps lost), of a promise that there is a fantastic life waiting to be seized when the opportune moment arrives. I found Rise of Skywalker breezy and enjoyable from a fan’s perspective: the banter was lightning quick and the speed at which the plot moved reminded me of all the planet-hopping fun that happens in every part of the main stories and especially in their many offshoots, found in a diverse set of media such as video games, television series, and comic books. The best aspect of Star Wars has always been its accessibility.

However, that approachability has led to an entitlement that leads to the gate-keeping of that much larger world from others. From a critic’s perspective, I understand the quibbles and concerns – I, too, thought that Rise of Skywalker undid most of what Last Jedi set out to accomplish, and that the execution of the film was messy. However, I’ve come to realize this: encouraging creativity costs nothing. The cast and crew on Rise took and big swing and didn’t catch all of the ball, but there was enough there to have fun. By continuing to bash creative efforts we send a message to film studios that the work of their artists is not valid. So, they will go back to what they know, or hope, will make money: remakes and sequels that are manufactured, rather than collaborated on and created.

A self-destructive and rather essential element of human nature is to pull at loose threads – we can’t get upset, then, when everything falls apart. The best artists learn to cut those threads and to focus on the whole, something I think everyone would do well to emulate.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk; Happy Holidays to all and to all happy viewings.