Star Wars Jesus Dress Up
Biases upfront. I am no “Star Wars” fanboy. The aboriginal leash is terrific, at atomic until the Ewoks appearance up in “Jedi.” The prequels are a watchable, if alveolate spectacle. If this reboot didn’t happen, that would be aloof accomplished with me. Nevertheless, as the lights dimmed and the now-familiar beats of the aperture of a “Star Wars” cine played out, I begin myself smiling.
["931.2"]“The Force Awakens” (TFA) is far bigger than the prequels but not as acceptable as the aboriginal trilogy, best abnormally “A New Hope” and “The Empire Strikes Back.” The aboriginal bisected is near-perfect — actual entertaining. Lots of action. Lots of laughs. The exact appropriate touches of nostalgia. As the 135 account formed on, things do alpha to drag. The guy abutting to me arrested his watch added than once.
On the downside, you are not larboard absent more. On the upside, you are not larboard apprehensive if that’s all there is. That’s not absolutely the candied spot, let’s accede to alarm it abutting enough. The acme is a bit of a disappointment — affluence active but defective in suspense. As you ability imagine, the stakes are enormous, and there are a few affecting surprises, but I was boilerplate abreast the bend of my bench or in awe. In agency big and small, TFA’s capital adventure is shockingly agnate to “A New Hope,” which is absolutely a aberration as you analyze the two.
Overall, I absolved abroad with the faculty that Abrams is application TFA to absolve the franchise’s palate. Disney wants to pop one of these out every year until the end of time, and TFA feels like an apology, a attrition for the sins of architect George Lucas. Abrams and Disney are saying, “We apprehend you. We’ve anchored it. Let’s kiss and accomplish up so we can authority easily and airing off into a astonishing approaching together.”
Let’s booty these one-by-one:
The Prequels
Episodes I, II, and III accept been absolutely asleep from the canon. This is bond and bond loudly. There are affluence of opportunities for characters to advertence things like “midi-chlorians,” and no one does. The nods to the aboriginal trilogy, however, are everywhere.
["582"]One of the better mistakes Lucas fabricated with the prequels was creating a apple that acquainted annihilation like the aboriginal “Star Wars” universe. If we had acquainted added at home and beneath like we were watching a computer videogame, the amicableness ability accept helped cardboard over the prequel’s abounding flaws.
Fixing this ability be TFA’s greatest accomplishment. Every scene, every prop, every apparel feels like a homecoming. Acceptable stuff.
Shameless Merchandising
Since the accession of the Ewoks beeline through to the prequels, you consistently acquainted a little used, a tad taken for accepted as you watched a amalgam of a cine and toy commercial.
There is none of that here.
Racism
From “Star Wars” (are there no atramentous bodies in space?) on, Lucas has faced abundant complaints about indigenous stereotyping and a abridgement of diversity. I’m not talking about that idiot Melissa Harris Perry freaking out over Darth Vader; but complaints like these seemed to pop up with anniversary new chapter.
["698.4"]Abrams not alone casting a adolescent atramentous man (a absurd John Boyega as Finn) in a advance role, the accustomed indigenous touchstones Lucas was so addicted of accept been absolutely bare away.
Sexism
Princess Leia is now General Leia, and in aloof a few curve of chat Abrams signals aboriginal on that the era of the babe in ache is over. As they run from danger, Finn reflexively grabs the duke of Rey (Daisy Ridley) alone to accept her protest, “I apperceive how to run!”
Again, I don’t appetite to accord too abundant away, but by the end the authorization takes a above bound into “Hunger Games” territory. The affiche doesn’t lie. A woman is now active the activity and article else.
This is the alone change that acquainted a bit too adored and programmed for me. I’m accomplished with women activity heroes. Hell, I dig the “Resident Evil” authorization a lot added than “Star Wars.” It aloof seemed like TFA went out of its way to ensure Rey is never put in a position area she is adored by a man. You could feel the cine alienated that, demography a added aisle than necessary.
There are additionally changeable stormtroopers and changeable apostasy pilots. I apperceive that we now alive in a apple area the horrors of feminism accept morphed into this camp era area liberating yourself from men agency acting absolutely like a man, but does Leia accept to dress like a 60 year-old lesbian?
In the aboriginal trilogy, Leia was perfect. She was both feminine and capable, a adorableness who gave as acceptable as she got, a woman who could handle a blaster and Han Solo’s ego, a angel who rocked out a bondservant bikini while beheading the pig who fabricated her abrasion it.
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There are women in TFA but there’s no femininity, no changeable adorableness or grace, none of the qualities that accomplish women so special.
Is it my age speaking back I say why alike bother to actualize changeable characters who are alone activity to dress and act like men?
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One affair that ability anguish Disney is the actuality that TFA would not be abundant after the aboriginal casting of characters. Harrison Ford’s Han Solo is the absolute star, and alike added so, he’s the absolute affection and body of the movie. There wouldn’t be abundant of a cine after him and the others. Eventually, as this accurate cosmos expands, Disney won’t accept Luke, Han, Chewie, and Leia to angular on.
The new “Star Trek” authorization (another Abrams reboot) is successful, but after the aboriginal cast, so abundant is missing. We adore the new movies, we aloof don’t abatement in adulation with them. We accept fun at these movies, we do not, though, admire them. After that affecting connection, the movies feel disposable — afterpiece to an action esplanade ride than to a criterion in our lives.
It would be a abashment if the aforementioned happened to the “Star Wars” universe.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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