“Who is Luke Skywalker?” – A Review of ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’

“Who is Luke Skywalker?”

This is one question LucasFilm asked in the process of developing The Force Awakens, but once again, “Who is Luke Skywalker?” This question lies at not only the core of The Last Jedi, but for the entire original trilogy, pouring into the prequels. A character that is the centrepiece of the entire Skywalker saga; is Luke a hero, a legend? Do the Star Wars films define the character, or do the fans? This is one question that is prevalent in The Last Jedi, and it may be the deciding factor in one’s opinion of the film.

I should warn that this paragraph will be your last bastion before spoiler territory. Enjoyment of The Last Jedi is seemingly based on expectations on not just the film’s quality, but of its story. If I can make a suggestion, do not expect anything. Do not make any predictions, and do not expect a film that resembles The Force Awakens. The Last Jedi is the boldest Star Wars film to date, and also the most polarizing as evidenced by the Internet. I enjoyed the film: it is not without unfortunate flaws, but its highs are amongst the best in Star Wars. I do not like to rank these films as my rankings shift too often, but as of now it is roughly tied for third with Return of the Jedi, beneath A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.

Also, one last point before I delve into the film proper. If you expect me to either love or despise The Last Jedi, I am afraid I will disappoint you. Remember: only a Sith deals in absolutes… Even though that line within itself is an absolute. But still!

I want to look at The Last Jedi on its own, but a comparison with The Force Awakens is an inevitable point of discussion that needs to be brought up. The Last Jedi is a very interesting movie compared to The Force Awakens, to be straight. The effects of a different creative force behind the production are not only evidenced by the story, but also by filming, cinematography, tone, amongst other things. One scene involves Luke calling R2’s decision to show Leia’s message from A New Hope as cheap, which divides this film from its predecessor: its reliance on nostalgia is different. Now, The Last Jedi is still full of references and parallels to the past, but that’s what it is: parallels to tie the present to the past. There are many callbacks to The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but the film’s narrative structure does not pander to these similarities by mimicking another film’s plot.

Also, C-3PO lacks a red arm, which makes his ‘redesign’ in The Force Awakens the most pointless change in this franchise.

I Have a Bad Feeling About This – Some Shortcomings

Now, I want to get my complaints out of the way first. No film is perfect, and The Last Jedi is just another piece of evidence to this fact.

My least favourite part of this film is its humour. Now, here is the kicker: I found the majority of the jokes funny, but the manner in which these jokes are told is disappointing. A lot of the jokes in The Last Jedi are ‘laugh-out-loud’ jokes; these jokes are similar to those found in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This brings me to my first complaint about the humour: its style. In previous Star Wars films, there were mostly two varieties of jokes: wit and ‘toilet humour.’ Prequels be damned, wit is what defined a lot of the original trilogy’s charm (as well as The Force Awakens), and this came from character interactions. The ‘laugh-out-loud’ humour does have its fans, but the fact that this film has a ‘your mom’ joke in its first minutes is indicative of things to come. My first complaint on humour would be just a matter of personal preference, but alas.

My second complaint on The Last Jedi‘s humour is its timing and its negative effect on the rest of the film. One example is at the very beginning of the film. Luke tosses his father’s lightsaber over his shoulder, which does make sense from a storytelling perspective. He is not a hero; he is a troubled human being. But the timing of this scene is for comedic value, which interrupts and diminishes its dramatic focus. Imagine if in Return of the Jedi, when Luke confronts the Emporer and Darth Vader, when he threw his lightsaber away in refusal, that Luke threw it in a comedic manner over his shoulder. Sure, it might be funny, but it would disrupt the dramatic focus of such a moment, and the tone of the film would go awry. With The Last Jedi‘s brand of humour, tone and drama are sacrificed for a laugh. Just think of General Hux, and how much of a literal punching bad he is in the film. A film can be dark; it can still find moments of light when things are at their worst.

One elephant in discussions of The Last Jedi is Finn, Rose, and their detour on the casino of Canto Bight. This portion of the film does feel out of place, but I can see the potential that was untapped. The animal cruelty theme was an unnecessary detour that is out of place, however. The casino did feel a bit ‘out of character’ for Star Wars, perhaps for how ordinary it was. A ‘space-casino’ would have been a much cooler idea, but as it stands, Canto Bight is a detour that should be fun, but it adds padding and takes away focus from the rest of the film. Its role in making Finn question the nature of the Resistance-First Order conflict with the role of arms dealers is an interesting concept, but it is simply preaching that serves no purpose for the rest of the film. Breaking down the ‘good versus evil’ trope is a strength of the film, but Canto Bight is a missed opportunity to explore a more ‘grey’ side of the galaxy.

Now, this is where I am afraid to talk about one aspect that is definitely present: the role of women in The Last Jedi. I hope I do not offend you, as social equality is an issue in contemporary society that many feel strongly about on all sides. However, make no mistake; it is present in The Last Jedi, and it has a major thematic purpose. It is also NOT a flaw of the movie. My critique is in the portrayal of these two female characters who had more potential than the film let them have. If you want to, you may skip the next paragraph, but I hope this portion of the review does not lose you.

Laura Dern’s character, Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, and Kelly Marie Tran’s character, Rose Tico, are representative of social issues, and I believe one cannot deny that. However, Dern’s character succeeds where Tran’s does not. Holdo is not a perfect character, as she is arrogant and lacks the qualities of an effective leader (this point is up for debate). Holdo is interesting, as her role within The Last Jedi is to defy expectations. She may not have a flaw to overcome, but not every character needs one; Holdo instead exists as a divisive character (and a strong one at that), and that is presented wonderfully. On the other hand, Rose is quite shallow and exists as a means to supplement Finn’s arc. A personal flaw to overcome (perhaps self-doubt?) could have been an interesting justification for Rose’s development and it could have juxtaposed with Finn’s, but instead, she only exists for the film to make its point on Finn’s motivations and heroics.

While more disappointments than flaws, there are some miscellaneous points I have for this section. I wanted more Rey (as well as Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO) in The Last Jedi, as there are larger portions of the film that do not include her. Captain Phasma is ‘cooler’ in her appearance, but it was once again disappointing. The humanity of such a character could have been explored, but alas, she might be dead. Snoke’s background could have also been interesting to explore, but that is a minor gripe that doesn’t bother me too much. The film’s pacing is also sometimes uneven, mostly due to Canto Bight. However, it does improve in the film’s latter half. Lastly, it feels as if The Last Jedi nearly wants to unveil a grey side of the Star Wars universe, but it backs off with this and ends the film on a disappointing ‘the Rebels are back’ note.

I would have also loved to have seen Lando return, but I suppose I cannot always get what I want.

In My Experience, There is No Such Thing as Luck – The Good

Now, with all my issues one may question why I think this film is great. In truth, The Last Jedi‘s fallings are disappointing, but its strengths more than make up for it!

I have not touched upon the technical aspects of The Last Jedi, but as with its predecessor, the acting here is great. Even for characters I did not like too much, each actor pulled together an awesome performance, with Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and Mark Hammil taking the spotlight as Rey, Kylo Ren, and Luke Skywalker. The new cast members all put their own styles into their roles, fitting in naturally with established characters. Sound, props, digital shots (including one of the most awe-inspiring shots in a Star Wars film), and the score all come together to enhance the Star Wars experience, and I have no complaints regarding these aspects. Director Rian Johnson does have a distinct style of cinematography that sets this film apart from its peers, with shots I would not expect in a film like this. However, that distinction is what gives The Last Jedi so much flavour.

Visually and musically, The Last Jedi is a beauty. Noteworthy mentions go to Crait and Ahch-To, which both provide unique backdrops for action and storytelling. One notable absence in this film is a true lightsaber battle, although one scene in the middle with Rey and Kylo Ren serves as a chill-inducing substitute. The special effects are as well-done as they were in The Force Awakens, and it is a marvel that Supreme Leader Snoke looks realistic. Additionally, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Last Jedi‘s score, with many returning pieces feeling right at home and a lot of the new pieces (while more subdued than a lot of other ones) complimenting the film’s narrative quite nicely. John Williams has not lost his touch, and his score continues to enhance the experience of watching a Star Wars film. The piano rendition of Leia’s Theme in the film’s credits was also a very nice tribute to Carrie Fisher.

Perhaps another of the most contentious subjects of this movie is its treatment of Luke Skywalker’s character arc. I have seen many call The Last Jedi‘s portrayal of him as ‘character assassination’ – while I can see why one would come to that conclusion, I disagree and find this to indicate an inability to see a fictional character as an individual. “Who is Luke Skywalker?” I posed at the beginning of this review, and for good reason. This film shows him as a fallible character who deals with failure and regret, not as a mythical legend as one’s expectation (both in and out of universe) dictates. Luke Skywalker is The Last Jedi‘s hero, subverting expectation and overcoming his flaws for the better. His decision to attack Ben Solo is his sleep has also been a point of contention, but I see it as a part of his failure. Luke Skywalker is not the protagonist of the sequels; Rey is. The Last Jedi shows Luke’s growth as a person, and how a legend does not equal a man. For that, he is easily my favourite character in this film.

Rey and Kylo Ren are also highlights, as their arcs are another example of the film subverting expectations. Rey is a nobody: sorry, fan theories. Kylo Ren does not redeem himself, or even hint at such a direction; he instead plunges further into the dark side. The interactions between these two characters are another of The Last Jedi‘s strong points, carrying emotional weight and fleshing them both out as characters. Much alike to Luke Skywalker, they are grounded as people instead of larger-than-life figures, putting their stories in a very interesting place for Episode IX.

While not groundbreaking by any means, the themes in this film are the final point I want to address. Sacrifice, heroism, and failure are all present here, and they are deconstructed and examined brilliantly. With Finn and Poe (thank goodness the middle of which appears far more often in this film), sacrifice is noted as not always being for the greater good, as some sacrifices can be for nothing. Luke Skywalker portrays heroism as he did in the original trilogy, and his appearance for the Resistance was quite awe-inspiring. As mentioned with him, failure is The Last Jedi‘s grounding element that makes this film feel less about ‘good-versus-evil’ and more about the struggles of an individual.

Of course, this is all tied nicely with Kylo Ren’s assertion to let the past die, as that is what this film is about. There are new heroes to explore, new beginnings to unfold, and of course, all things must come to an end. With The Last Jedi, that process has been fulfilled. I will not rate this film, as that is cheap. However, I do encourage you to watch it, as it is both the boldest Star Wars film as well as the best of the new Disney-era films by a clear margin. Although its lows are unfortunate lows (lows which The Force Awakens did not stoop to), its highs are very high and make up for it with some of the best moments in this franchise. The Last Jedi is not the best film I have seen this year, but I am very excited to see where J.J. Abrams takes Episode IX, and where Rian Johnson takes his future trilogy.

If there are any elements of The Last Jedi that I did not touch base upon, it most likely means that I liked it, or that I did not find it noteworthy enough to talk about. Leia flying across space did not bother me, for one. On the subject of Carrie Fisher, I am somewhat surprised that the film did not address how her death will affect the future of Leia’s character, as the film’s narrative almost makes it feel as if she will appear in Episode IX. There is not goodbye scene on a highway, I am afraid.

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Anyway, if there are any additional comments you have, please feel free to comment and I will respond to the best of my ability! I apologize for lacking the ability to properly dissect what I liked in this film, as it is sadly easier for me to put my complaints into perspective. There will likely be a month-end post to collect my impressions of works I have experienced over both this month and November (which I decided to skip due to a lack of content), but who knows what the future holds?

Rogue One – First Impressions

Technically day 18, we are at.

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed my story earlier today, but now I have something hot off the theater. I have watched Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and now I am here to give my impressions of the film. I am sure they will settle down in the coming days, but I am very excited to talk about this amazing film. If you want a spoiler-free opinion, I say I would juggle it around with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back as the best film in the franchise. If you want a number rating (which I do not like) it is a 9/10, with The Force Awakens being a 7/10. I would try to make a conscious effort not to talk about spoilers, but I know I would slip. So, spoilers will be below.

Are you ready?

Unlike The Force Awakens, Rogue One is far more tasteful in its originality while remaining very loyal as a Star Wars film. It definitely strays away without the Jedi having a role in the film, but it feels like a gritty Star Wars film that is real. It respects the original trilogy and aspects of the prequels, even going as far as to include some actors and a planet from it. One thing I cannot ignore is the littering of references here and there, with characters and technology appearing in very subtle but noticeable ways, and it is welcome after last year’s film.

The characters are likable, and very well acted. They feel like ordinary people amidst a war for a greater cause, and an ugly side of rebellion is shown as well. The film ultimately was not very grey, however, despite this. It is still a tale of good versus evil, which is to be expected. Jyn Erso does carry the film well, and her development and charisma work for a one-off appearance. K-2SO will be a fan favourite for sure, and Director Krennic is a classic Imperial officer who serves well as the main antagonist. Appearances from returning characters are also very tasteful, with Darth Vader fulfilling his role in spades, Tarkin fitting into the film very naturally. The same can be said for Mon Mothma and various cameos such as C-3PO and R2-D2.

The fact that all the main characters die at the end of the film help to elevate the gritty feel that war is hell, and also that hope remains in the Rebellion. The final battle over Scarif may be my favourite battle in the films, as it is grand without the clutter of the prequels (yes, even the opening from Revenge of the Sith is probably not as good as popular opinion deems it to be) and the limitations that faced the originals. It does not shy away from battles on both ground and air and shows both the Rebels and Imperials turning their own tides in a balanced fight that serves as a victory for both.

The portrayal of the Empire in this film is also one of its strong suits. They are a totalitarian body that encompasses all, and this film shows that the are to be feared. Normal Stormtroopers are backed by bulkier counterparts that do serious damage to the main characters, and the Death Star proves to show how inevitable death may be for some of the Rebels.

To end off my first impressions, I can say that the score was very good even without John Williams and that the CGI was well-implemented as well. Emotions existed, character motivation existed, and heart existed in this film as well. I was smiling at the end, which does say something that not a lot of films are able to.

In this moment of time, I can finally say we have a good Star Wars prequel. It flows into A New Hope perfectly, in every sense of that word. I will let that sink in, and I will see you tomorrow.

Good night. 🙂

What Makes a Good Sequel?

Day 16. The weekend is now here, and it is time to relax. Winter break has begun, and for many of us restful waters are ahead. I now have the time to create longer posts, and that should start today. We are heading towards the end of the 25 Days of Stadarooni, and it is surprising to me how far it has come since December started.

As you are aware, the past weekend has seen an abundance of analytical posts that are a bit smaller in scale. While these are fun to make, I can assure you that there will not be too much more after today, as I take a step back into storytelling and a retrospect I am excited to write and share with you all. The last story on this blog has had a great response, and tomorrow’s will have a similar tone and mood behind it.

Now, why don’t I answer the question in the title?

As I am sure all of you have a story that you adore to no end. I want you to imagine what you loved about it. Was it the characters that grasped your attention, or perhaps the setting? And if it had a stellar ending, did you want it to continue? Or is it like a Pixar movie, where a sequel is ultimately unnecessary?

For beginners, a sequel should be its own story. It should continue threads and aspects of its predecessor, but not be a continuation. This may be argumentative when trilogies such as The Lord of the Rings exist, but it is important to note that they are a grand story told in three parts rather than three separate stories. Such sequels should have a resemblance to what they follow, but it is fantastic for them to try new ideas and concepts, and evolve those from its predecessor. There are some examples of perfect sequels, one of which is The Empire Strikes Back.

Perhaps Star Wars may be seen as overrated or overdone these days with a film coming every year for the foreseeable future, but it remains a classic for good reason. A simple story with relatable contexts to the real world, and deeper philosophical meanings hidden away in grander places. It is a classic tale of good versus evil, and it has the necessary scope, scale, and pacing to tell its plot from the dunes of Tatooine to the trench run of the Death Star.

How does The Empire Strikes Back eclipse the success of (at the time) immeasurable greatness? It is important to note that making every ‘bigger and badder’ is a terrible way to evolve a story’s formula, and can keep immersion and investment away from their audience. The Empire Strikes Back has a much smaller scale than A New Hope, and it focuses far more on its characters than everything else. It is darker in tone, as the totalitarian force of the Empire triumphs over the rag-tag Rebellion and is always one step ahead of them. This is beautifully shown in both the Battle of Hoth and the events that transpire in Cloud City, as every victory is no match for the Empire’s brutality.

There are no Darth Star-esque mega weapons or elaborate new plans to destroy the Rebels once and for all in this film. It develops the Empire and Rebels in meaningful ways and pushes the characters in areas where they can grow immensely. The introduction of Yoda is the most ingenious part of the entire Star Wars saga, and for good reason. World-building is put into center stage as the mythology of the Force is perfectly blended with Yoda’s character and Luke’s deeper character development. Luke’s character arc also culminates with one of the most memorable moments of the original trilogy, where Darth Vader utters his famous line.

The darker tone of this movie is an amazing twist on A New Hope’s more light-hearted tone, but it remains consistent. The Empire is given time to be shown as a great threat, and Darth Vader is made even more menacing and complex by his relationship with Luke and the subtleties in his character. His relationship with Luke is revealed very naturally and is a twist that does not come out of left-field. It may be shocking, but it is logical and adds more layers to both characters.

The Empire Strikes Back is a great sequel and stand-alone story, which is why it is one of a very few ‘perfect sequels.’ It further examines elements and ideas from A New Hope, continues developing the original cast in meaningful and unexpected ways, and more importantly takes risks to be different. This includes tone, the complexity of its story, new characters, and the fact that the good guys do not win in the end.

While trying new ideas are novel when making a sequel, there is a limit that can be hit. To callback once again to my first post, I present The Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Now, I believe I said Age of Ultron is a pretty good film, but it does not soar to the greatness of the first. This is partly due to the fact that The Avengers is a film that should have failed, as its plot is not very strong and is full of a hundred holes. The reason why it stands above most other MCU films is due to how awesome it is. Yes, that is the massive appeal for The Avengers. It is an awesome film.

Age of Ultron sadly is more of a ‘milestone’ sort of film for the MCU as a whole rather than a strong sequel to its predecessor and is only such as the Avengers have assembled. The scale is lowered from aliens to a rogue AI, but the sheer amount of heroes makes the film lack focus and cohesion. It attempts to weave together too many different plotlines around, but most are half-hearted and only exist as a setup for future films. Why is Age of Ultron not a better sequel?

The answer is that it goes nowhere. It stays in its own bubble and does not correlate with the events of its predecessor. It is a bit tricky to draw the line of ‘predecessors’ and ‘successors’ in the MCU due to its interconnected stories and universe, but it certainly does not have much to do with the characters and their development from the first film. It opens with a fight against a Hydra cell that is just a cool fight scene for anyone that did not know that, but the context behind its importance is missing.

Compare this with The Empire Strikes Back. It is a self-contained story, but also a sequel to A New Hope. You can watch it without any prior knowledge of Star Wars and appreciate every single detail without having to do homework on your understanding of lore. Age of Ultron is inconsequential, too safe but also too wandering, and relies too much on other films in the MCU to the point where I can say it falls flat as a nice, self-contained sequel to The Avengers.

With a sequel, don’t be afraid to be fresh. Don’t be afraid to introduce new elements to shake up your setting, but don’t change it to the point where it is completely unrecognizable. A sequel should still feel like its predecessor, but not be constrained by its existence. A layer of creativity still exists, as characters can be taken to places unexpected that still falls in a logical sense to their development. There is a reason why franchises and series’ exist, and these long-term sagas and arcs attract so many people for good reason. Some of them may be overdone, but isn’t that always the case when you love something a bit too much?

What Importance Does Atmosphere Hold in Storytelling?

With day 12 of the 25 Days of Stadarooni upon us, we are pretty much at our halfway point for this month. I thank you for the immense support over the past several days, and I welcome any new readers that have stumbled across this blogs corner of the internet. Today we focus back on analysis and talk about one aspect of storytelling that can be pivotal in creating a legendary story.

The days are getting shorter, the winter is getting stronger, and frost blankets the air. How does this make you feel? Do you think of shivering, of darkness, or of freezing? Simple words that may invoke feelings provide enhancements to writing and give an image. If one cannot express atmosphere in conventional ways, then perhaps an image is what you need.

I apologize for the lame joke, but what is atmosphere? To many, it may just seem to be a synonym for mood in literary terms, and in essence, they do have a stark comparison as they are both in relation to emotions. The difference is that mood is the direct emotions from an artist or character to the audience, and atmosphere is the ’emotion’ that is given off from mood.

For instance, why not look at this literal picture of the atmosphere? This can be from the viewport of an aircraft, and maybe someone is in a state of bliss. They are going on a vacation to Fiji, and it represents freedom from the cold landscape of Nunavut. Warmth and ecstasy and other moods from this person, and they all relate to the vibrancy of this image and the setting I provided.

So, where does this leave us with atmosphere? The answer is that it can be of emotional joy, with light and tranquility being key in what is happening for this person. It does not have to stay restricted to this one scene in particular: it can be present throughout this film (which we will assume it is) and make it one that makes the audience feel positive and invigorated. Maybe the atmosphere will shift, but it should do so naturally. Maybe the positive atmosphere gets turned into a hopeful one, as this character spends time with the people of Fiji rather than the resorts. Either way, it should feel natural, and not change from A to B on a dime.

Look at Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. While a great film in its own right, the crucial Battle of Endor has issues in atmosphere and mood, which stems from the Ewoks. These creatures are meant to cater to a younger audience as they strongly resemble teddy-bears. They are tribal, and make noises that spell out ‘cute.’ In comparison to the rigid and all-powerful Empire, the Ewoks are innocent underdogs which serve a purpose of appeal (to younglings) and more light-hearted comedy.

The only problem is the discrepancy that pops up in both mood and atmosphere as we see these Ewoks both defeat Stormtroopers in ‘silly’ ways, but then see the Imperial forces slaughter them by the numbers. For the defining last battle of a trilogy (especially after coming off the darker The Empire Strikes Back) this imbalance causes the tense weight of the battle to be lost. The intent of the film is not for the viewers to be left in suspense when the Ewoks are in battle, but instead for us to laugh at their childish and primitive techniques that overcome the well-equipped forces of the Empire.

The mood shifts between lighthearted and in some cases unintentionally dark, which does not match earlier scenes in Jabba’s Palace, and definitely does not match the tense confrontation between Luke, Vader, and the Emperor. This mismatch of atmosphere and mood is what really jumbles around the third act of the film, and clutters it with distracting shifts in emotion that ultimately take away from a film that plays its other pieces in a right way. It cannot choose its atmosphere between deep emotional confrontation and lighthearted warfare with teddy-bears, and this should not be a problem in the third entry of a seasoned film saga.

While shorter, that is due to the nature of these weekdays. I hope you found value in why atmosphere can create such a vivid story that remains solid throughout, and not waver into a mess of great ideas. Tomorrow will bring a very interesting topic on endings to the table, and I hope you tune in. If you have experienced Mass Effect 3’s soul-shattering ending, well… You may have a better idea of what to expect.

Farewell for now, and make sure you don’t lose your sled. 🙂

Why Villains Matter More Than You Think

Day 7, and now at 25 posts of my own and 30 including my friends.

One of the reasons in which this blog was created was due to analyzing interesting questions when it came to storytelling, and I will not lie in saying that I have drifted away from this quite early into our time together. Interconnected and emotional storytelling are aspects that I find appealing and have quite a few flaws that may be overshadowed by good things, but are nonetheless present and perhaps more easily picked up by the more observant. This is why I come to an issue in many stories that may not hinder the execution of plot or characters, but is something that deserves to be so much better and amazing.

The villains.

As a counterpart to a protagonist, an antagonist is just as juicy in terms of storytelling opportunity if they are used effectively. They are not only a mere physical obstacle for the protagonist to overcome, but they serve as a character in a narrative. They have motives, backgrounds, power, and should serve as intelligent. If an antagonist in a film is just a bully at school, they may serve their purpose as an antagonist. However, a bully that has been neglected by their parents and forced his misery onto others makes a character with understandable motives and may even lead to something far more memorable than the protagonist, as many works have done before.

To begin, we will look at what doesn’t work.

In the MCU, many of the superheroes are very compelling characters with complex backgrounds, conflicting loyalties, and are most of all flawed. While the above example of Loki is a very effective villain, (and overshadows the slightly duller Thor) it is no lie that the MCU has struggled to make its villains into compelling foils to its heroes. Why is that?

For starters, the motivations of antagonists do not venture beyond being simply evil or revenge. While revenge can be done very well in storytelling, we do not experience the grief and trauma that these characters go through, and they mostly come across as unfeeling. In the case of an antagonist such as Ultron, an alternate world-view is a very good idea in concept. However, the idea of making humanity better by destroying them and ‘rebooting’ evolution does not appeal to our human emotion and intelligence and also comes off as dispassionate. A character such as Loki serves as an important foil that compares and contrasts to Thor, but one such as Whiplash or Red Skull may be a match of might for their counterparts and ignore the other aspects that would make these characters far more compelling.

To contrast with these examples here is a very strong one which most of you will be familiar with.

Yes, Lord Vader himself.

Whatever your opinion on the Star Wars saga as a whole, this is an absolute prime example of what an antagonist should be. Throughout the original trilogy, he is an antagonist which Luke Skywalker must train to defeat, as his imposing nature and indestructible wake make him a menacing villain that is proficient in many skills. His worldview may be twisted by manipulation and hate, but there is a glimmer of good and hope within him that is further elaborated in Revenge of the Sith and furthermore Return of the Jedi. He begins to have doubt, showing flaws that do not compromise his character and intimidating demeanour, but rather make him more human. The audience can feel emotion for this character, and his death and scenes with the Emperor serve as the emotional peak of Star Wars to this day.

While this post was short, I hope that you learned something about villains and that you enjoyed today’s serving. Tomorrow will be the last of such until the weekend, and there may even be a little surprise waiting on Saturday or Sunday. I hope you join us! 🙂

The Force Awakens: A Review

Dark chocolate is rich. Its taste is an aroma of both sweet and bitterness, combined to make a very delicate delight to enjoy. At the same time, milk chocolate is an everyman. It swirls on your tongue as it breaks into crisp pieces, melting and oozing its bold taste and texture into your thought process. Despite this, it is not pure in the same way dark chocolate is; it is far more artificial and less vibrant as it fades into the realm of ‘cliché’.

So… How does this relate to Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

Before I answer that question, welcome back. After some feedback and reflection on the first post of the 25 Days of Stadarooni, (This is the second post, by the way) I realized that it may have been a bit too nice and without the substance you should expect me to provide. Bite-sized posts are nice, but I will ensure better ideas throughout the coming weeks. (Suggestions are always welcomed!) Of course, this ‘review’ of sorts is one I promised last month when analyzing how The Force Awakens works as a soft reboot of the Star Wars franchise (Which I encourage you to read before diving into this), and that retrospect will be the topic today. Please remember that if your opinion differs from mine, that is awesome and I am glad that feelings are not synonymous between every single individual. Otherwise, the world would be a lot duller.

I am assuming that the majority of you are familiar with this film, and have watched it at least once. I do apologize, but if you have not watched it I strongly suggest that you do before reading this post.

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Firstly, what are my thoughts on The Force Awakens? Overall, it is a very enjoyable movie that is immensely entertaining and makes you feel (simply) good. Objectively, it has many flaws which can be pointed out and may raise an eyebrow when you think about them. This is why I feel The Force Awakens falls short of the original trilogy as a whole and is in league with Return of the Jedi. This is definitely not a bad thing, but the film has a lot of potential that it either did not use or will be used in Episode VIII or IX.

The film’s strongest suit is by far its acting. After the wasting potential that was the prequels, The Force Awakens is a very stark contrast from the robotic and overly dramatic performances of Samuel L. Jackson or Hayden Christensen. (Which may be due to direction) Daisy Ridley perfectly captures the role of Rey from the action, emotions, drama, and being awesome. She is very well-rounded and works to create a very dynamic character, and the same can be said for John Boyega and Adam Driver for Finn and Kylo Ren, respectively.

The acting may be something to gloss over, but these performances are outweighed by the way in which these characters interact. Finn and Rey working together to shoot down a TIE Fighter, and every scene with Finn and Poe are examples of what makes this film work so damn well. They feel organic, with chemistry that instantly brings a smile to your face as these conflicting personas work together and react in very human ways, such as cheering or sharing a somber moment together. Perhaps that may seem rather obvious, but plenty of films fail to capture what The Force Awakens does so well in this respect.

Another compliment to give is the film’s humour. While the tone may seem a little too light-hearted in a story where a galaxy is essentially plunged into anarchy, it works in tandem with the aforementioned character interactions as well. A moment to point out when BB-8 gives Finn a thumbs-up with an integrated lighter, which caused the audience in my theater to laugh absolutely hysterically. It is not that the other films lacked any sense of comedy, but it absolutely enhances the presentation of The Force Awakens.

Tone and production wise, this is Star Wars. John Williams’ score may be slightly underwhelming due to how safe it is, (the only new track that sticks out to me is Rey’s Theme) but it still has a healthy dose of nostalgia in returning pieces. The art style of the film also closely resembles the more gritty aspects of the original trilogy, and computer animation has been much improved over the prequels. (Although Maz Kanata and Snoke are quite distinguishable from more practical effects in the background of their scenes) The film also knows that it is a fun adventure, and is something that does not cater to a specific age group in that regard. There is a balance between drama, action, exposition, comedy, and dialogue that propels The Force Awakens upwards.

With all this positive feedback, how could I believe that this is not the best Star Wars film?

The answer is nostalgia.

The Force Awakens features plenty of returning characters, many of which were the main characters of the original trilogy. Han Solo is a mentoring figure a la Obi-Wan in A New Hope, Leia returns as a general with a few appearances here and there, Chewbacca is Han Solo’s partner in crime as always, C-3PO simply exists in this film, R2-D2 is a convenient ex Machina for the plot, and Luke Skywalker is the overall force that hangs over the plot until the very end.

The inclusion of these characters in not a bad thing, and in Han Solo’s case he was used in the plot to a great extent. The problem stems from that many of these characters have no reason to be in the film besides to serve as reminders of the original trilogy. This is the case with many artifacts such as Anakin’s lightsaber or the Millennium Falcon. (Then again, both of these do serve the plot) Sadly, the reintroduction of classic elements brings down the story of the film to varying degrees, making it feel more cluttered than it should. I will not lie in saying that there was one instance where I was just waiting for another appearance from a returning character, which is not a very good thing to say.

This leads to another point, which is the story itself. The film does have the classic ‘good vs. evil’ storyline, but it repeats too many beats from A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. An escape from a desert planet, the death of a mentoring figure, and meeting with an old and wise alien are just a few that are very clearly not meant to be subtle in the slightest. If it were not for this film’s strong suits, these repeats would hinder it far more.

Another thing is this film’s role as a sequel to Return of the Jedi: it really is not. Sure, it picks up thirty years later, but it does establish the state of the galaxy or anything that happens in between the two films. This film is enjoyable enough to the point where these may be non-issues for many, but it does not strive to fill in this gap of history. And for those of you who play Halo, using “read the books” is NOT a good excuse or justification for this kind of storytelling. As Episode VII of the Star Wars saga, it should be expected to connect to it in deeper ways.

The last point is quite mute, but it is Starkiller Base. While these repeats may be inoffensive to many (and I did not mind too many of them) Starkiller Base is another doomsday weapon that is too similar to the Death Star in its purpose to the story. It makes little-to-no-sense to my sense of logic and immersion in the Star Wars universe. Lightsabers and the Force may be more fantasy than sci-fi, but a weapon that extinguishes the sun to destroy a few planets simply does not make any sort of sense whatsoever. I do not watch Star Wars for logic, but immersion is important within the context of a singular franchise.

I will go ahead and say that the ‘Rey is a Mary Sue’ thing is not a problem for me, but I can see why it would be for some people. She is quite proficient at everything she does compared to plenty of other characters, but I do feel as if this film cannot be truly judged until the rest of the sequel trilogy is complete. Story elements in Episode VIII and IX may change our outlook on this film in retrospect, and maybe some other weak elements such as the villains (minus Kylo Ren) or underutilized elements such as Poe will be further expanded on and made amazing.

As I said, this film is great and vastly entertaining. I can say that I love it and I can see exactly how it has inspired a global resurgence in Star Wars’ popularity and culture. Rogue One comes out later this month, and I am excited to see the franchise from another perspective that seems to work so well as a spin-off while not being completely detached and irrelevant to the main films. (Quite the opposite in fact)

There will be more of these reviews/retrospectives to come, and this is the first. I also know that I had promised my thoughts and feelings Halo 5: Guardians from a story standpoint, (I am still heartbroken by how bad it is) but I feel as if a proper look at every aspect of the game would be nice as well. I do hope that you are enjoying the 25 Days of Stadarooni thus far, and I will see you next time.

Oh wait, that is tomorrow.

Why Fandom is Awesome

With day one of the 25 Days of Stadarooni upon us, we come to our first entrée. This will be more of a bite-sized showcase of appreciation, and nothing too critical or deep. Instead, we will be looking at answering the title: why are fandoms awesome, with such dedicated and hard-working people? Why is it that a single work of art can bring so many together to create amazing things? Perhaps this may seem like juxtaposition to the last post before yesterday’s announcement, but fans themselves create their own following.

Above, you can take a look at the 501st Legion, a dedicated fan organization that makes appearances in bulky Stormtrooper armour to fulfill an authentic experience of having the Empire at one of your own very events. Accuracy is one of their aims, and they make appearances completely free of charge, showing how their immense love for Star Wars outweighs all else with fans doing work for fans. They welcome new members and do plenty of charity work to further everyone’s aims. Their work has even landed them a spot in the official Star Wars canon by their titular name, and you may recognize them as ‘Vader’s Fist’ in various sources such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the original two Battlefront games, and Revenge of the Sith.

Other examples of devotion exist such as the community on Pottermore, or theonering.net. Perhaps a message board or any community site may not seem like much, but they form a culture that cannot be broken. Role-playing, cosplaying, and even lets-plays are a few of many ways in which people show their love of these works.

One last success story I want to point out is Rooster Teeth. If you have not heard of them, they are a production company based out of Texas, responsible for the hugely successful and long-running Red vs. Blue. (I would be surprised if you have heard of the latter and not the former, however) They have moved on to making plenty of videos showcasing a plethora of video games, a few shows, (such as the American-anime RWBY) and even a feature-length film. They are a company that went from zero to hero (heh) and they themselves represent why fandoms are so awesome. It is an insanity to think that a few friends who made a comedy series that stems off of their love for Halo have led on to create a highly successful web-series recognized by millions and continue to find achievement and growth since their inception. If you ever want to see where fandom can lead one, look no further.

From the 405th.

With that, the first day of Stadarooni has come to its close. The chocolate has been unwrapped for your taking, and more delicacies small and large, narrative or analysis or milk or dark are on their way, and this is just the beginning to a much richer experience as well.

Enjoy. 🙂

Reestablished Grounds – Problems in Soft Reboots

Well, I finally made my promise of weekly posts. 🙂

Welcome back, all! Today we will be taking a step back to a more traditional topic for this blog, which is analysis (of course). This is one topic I have wanted to touch on for a while, and I have a feeling this may be a more controversial one depending on your opinions. I recommend you to keep an open mind as always but to also debate your own points towards mine as well. With that, we will begin.

For today, we will be focusing on a few particular cases of soft reboots. For those of you who do not know what this is, a soft reboot is when a ‘completed’ franchise picks itself back up with a new story that continues its narrative past its previous ending point, often opening up new possibilities, characters, lore, and directions to touch base on. Instead of a true reboot, this may be used to reinvigorate a franchise or pick it off the ground and will have a varied degree of success in doing so. Will you continue to march the flame, or will you change it to a flag?

All of the examples here will be of new heralds coming to give their spin on an established franchise. When constructing a story that continues past the end, an important question to ask is why it should exist. For a story such as Star Wars, is there any reason to potentially rob viewers of a happy ending after Return of the Jedi? Is there any reason why a new conflict would erupt, and will it have strong connections to previous events to push the story past them in a logical way? And for new heralds to a franchise: Can you make something worthy, respectable, and fresh for a franchise and stays within its bubble of tone, art style, and previous story development?

What would happen if a movie like The Force Awakens had an entirely new cast of characters against an entirely new enemy? What if the state of the galaxy post-Return of the Jedi was acknowledged, but nothing else was? Would you feel invested to know that you’re watching a movie happened to be set in the Star Wars mythos, but isn’t a sequel to anything you have experienced?

While I apologize for the barrage of questions, it is important to ask them. It can be a disastrous, inconsequential, or brilliant thing to have a soft reboot, and you can probably guess what the first example is by the image above.

Yes, The Force Awakens was produced by Lucasfilm, yet the amount of new influence put on this film leads it to be a soft reboot with the pressure of igniting a new generation of Star Wars. The expanded universe was done away with, throwing out years upon years of peripheral media that fans have put countless hours into. While this is not an issue for the casual movie-goer, does this movie justify such a measure? We will not be looking to criticize The Force Awakens here, but instead look as if it does its job of a soft reboot well. (And for the record, I do like this film. My opinions are a bit lower than the general consensus, but that is another post for another time)

As a way to make a judgement of the film, we will be looking at the questions I asked before and answering them to the best of my ability.

Firstly, the film does not rob the happy ending from the previous film. It made sense that the Empire was not single-handedly crushed after Endor and that there would still need to be plenty of work done before they would topple over. It is important to acknowledge that The Force Awakens does not truly act as a sequel to Return of the Jedi in a traditional sense, but instead picks up many years later when a new (yet very familiar) threat comes from the shadows. As this film is constructed as a way to continue Star Wars and also heavily cherish its past, it succeeds in this aspect with flying colours. The past repeats in a grander way, yet what makes this film stand out in comparison to the original film is that it was constructed as the first act of a larger trilogy: a larger story.

While the movie is completely deprived of background details and lore that would make it far more cohesive and connected to its predecessors, the movie is Star Wars. It looks the part, feels the part, and resonates in ways that recapture some of the magic of the original films. It respects them, perhaps a bit too much for its own good. The new characters are in the spotlight, yet they are just as endearing as the old. While many of the returning characters only appear for fan-service, (minus Han Solo and arguably Luke Skywalker, whose presence is very much important to the film’s plot) they are respected in feel like old friends being reunited with the viewer.

While the argument of whether or not The Force Awakens should have resembled A New Hope (and The Empire Strikes Back to a lesser extent) lies in the background, it cannot be argued that it is a strong soft reboot for someone who wants to watch more Star Wars. Whether or not the more devoted fans of the franchise will be pleased with a sound movie with a shallow mythology in its connection to the rest of the universe is up in the air, and the next two films in this new trilogy may change the outlook on this film’s story in significant ways.

On the other side, we have Halo 4. I wanted to refrain from using Halo again, but it is quite a different example in soft rebooting from The Force Awakens, and it would be a missed opportunity for myself to not use it.

Unlike The Force Awakens, Halo 4 takes the Halo franchise in a bold new direction. This is a point where 343 Industries had to take the realms of the franchise from Bungie and cement their place as the developer of the franchise for the foreseeable future. They changed Halo’s art style, tone (to an extent), and removed much of the comic nature present in the earlier games. It is also reveled in lore, taking the story a lot more seriously than previous games had in relation to the larger universe. How does it stack up to Bungie’s work?

And no, I will not bash The Force Awakens and compliment Halo 4. This will be an honest look at Halo 4, and comparison between the two will make sense due to how polar the style of soft rebooting is here.

To set the tone of polarity between old Halo and new Halo, I have provided two examples of Forerunner architecture above. On the left is Halo 3, and Halo 4 is on the right. Like before, we will also be taking a look at the initial questions I posed.

In Halo 4, the story is taken into a logical step past its end. Questions are answered, such as: What happened to the Master Chief and Cortana? What will happen next with the legacy of the Forerunners? What state is the galaxy in now that humanity and the Covenant are no longer at war? All are threads left off from Halo 3, which are utilized here in order to continue a narrative. These all connect Bungie’s trilogy and the first entry by 343 Industries, yet there is a departure from what is familiar to the player as well. The art style has been cleaned and altered in almost all aspects, and sound design has changed heavily as well. Electronic elements are introduced into Halo’s music, and much of the ethereal Gregorian chants have been done away with. Sounds that have remained consistent throughout the entire series have suddenly changed, which may turn some off from the new Halo.

In terms of characters, the core duo of the Master Chief and Cortana are present, and strengthened as the writers are comfortable with expanding these characters and pushing them into much more emotional and uncomfortable places than before. The rest of the cast goes to support their development and characterization, propelling a plot that ultimately revolves around the dynamic of their duo. Halo 4 does push Halo into new territory that it has never gone to before, yet such boldness will not have everyone agreeing as I mentioned before. The amount of expanded lore in this game is astounding compared to previous entries, which is an unfamiliar aspect for previous fans of Halo who are not versed in the expanded fiction but care about its story anyways. While the question of “why not just read the books” comes across, it is true that a story should be able to stand on its own without any peripheral fiction involved. While this is more of a problem pertaining to Halo 5: Guardians, it still exists within Halo 4 as well.

Halo 4 is an overall strong soft reboot as well, but it acts as an evolution rather than a defining act of reigniting passion towards it. It is bold, yet it stands on its own merits to create something unique. It may lose some due to how alien it may seem, yet it is Halo to its core. The question remains if it is Bungie Halo to its core.

And with this, today’s blog post comes to a close. There are many more franchise soft reboots out there, I feel as if these two showcase many ways in which they can be, for better or for worse. Many other examples exist, which include Jurassic World or Gears of War 4. (The latter of which I considered until I realized how similar of a soft reboot it is to The Force Awakens) Some may be good, some may be bad, or some may just be regurgitation. Whatever the case, they will continue to exist long into the future and most likely dominate entertainment as artists become more and more afraid to make new content.

And to not end on a depressing note, I would just like to add that my plans for this blog in December are still very much a secret, and I also still very much want them to happen. I do hope that this month will be a great change of pace for this blog. Of course, I also hope that you enjoyed today’s offering.

Until next time.

Star Wars and Gaming

As a certain character once said in a famous movie, “do or do not. There is no try.” These words cannot be truer for plenty in life, from our decisions to actions. In the world of gaming, however, there is a certain discrepancy that has claimed many titles that had the full potential to be masterpieces and go against this line. They instead are pushed over the edge by limitations, greed, or exterior manipulation.

Oh, wait. I described gaming as a whole.

Jokes aside, it is good to be back. I know I said I will be back at a more regular pace in the last post, however for now I will say that the next blog post will come when it comes. Sorry for those of you who like to read them, but these definitely take the time to fully jot down. I do promise that every entry will still be worthwhile, of course.

Going back to my previous tangent, you probably already know what today’s subject will be judging by the above image and title. I have mentioned Star Wars in the past, (and one of my friends made a blog post on it in six-week absence) and it is definitely a franchise I quite enjoy. I am not well-versed in its lore, and outside of the movies and the imminent lore surrounding them, these video games are the only other aspect of the franchise I have some greater experience with. Today will mark the first time I will not be solely taking a look at story-related elements of these games, and my retrospect will not be too focused either.

I have played quite a few licensed games, and most are quick cash-grabs to exploit advertising as many of you may already know. Many lack severely in quality, being made with little effort and dedication, only to disappoint and leave fans craving what could have been. With Star Wars, this trend would seem to be natural considering how colossal it is compared to nearly everything else. However, the franchise has shown again from time to time that it cannot only give players endearing content, but also provide some video games that can be considered the best. The range of genres is also impressive, going from first-person shooters to role-playing games to dogfight simulations.

While the header image for this post is eye-candy to catch your attention, (we’ll get to the new Battlefront soon enough) the above image symbolizes what I believe to be the pinnacle of licensed games and something everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. If there are two Star Wars games that I imagine people may feel tired of hearing, it’s this one and Battlefront.

To me, that is an honour for this game to have.

Released in 2003 from BioWare, (also responsible for Mass Effect and Dragon Age) this game is set thousands of years before the events of the movies and follows the Republic in their destructive civil war against a legion of fallen Jedi. You play as a soldier in the Republic, caught in the middle of a raging battle above the urban sprawl of Taris, and here the journey begins.

One thing to love about this game is the freedom it gives you in player choice that affects the plot. It may not be Undertale levels of the entire plot changing upon a wide spectrum of decisions, but for its time I imagine that it must have been quite a deal to go into the path of the Light or Dark sides. This encourages players to replay the game to discover little secrets that come with both sides of the same story, and to venture beyond where you may have progressed to before.

It is Star Wars by the books, being rooted deep in its mythology and looking the part as well while having its unique spin on an already established art style. The music is also phenomenal as well, and the only aspect of the game that may be off-putting is the turn-based gameplay. For what feels like a real-time game, this may kill the game for some and ruin a masterpiece that is otherwise near-flawless in many areas. Dare I say, the story is far more immersive and of a higher quality than all seven movies, but that is another discussion for another time.

I apologize for my gloating, but KOTOR is a gem that I do not want to taint with spoilers. For those of you who have not played it, I would highly recommend that you do. Of course, there is a sequel as well…

Now, this is a very interesting and tragic story. For what The Empire Strikes Back did for the films, Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords does for the games, and perhaps even western role-playing games as a whole.

Gameplay-wise, the turn-based system is back and mostly unchanged. Soundtrack-wise, maybe not as spectacular. Graphics… Same as well. So what makes KOTOR II the unsung swan of Star Wars games?

The story. I know I said story would not be too much of a focus, but the story just wins so much here. Has someone ever told you that Revenge of the Sith is extremely dark and amazing for it? This game sits that movie down, and teaches it a proper lesson on how to make a story dark. Isolation. Eerie atmosphere. Grey morality. Hopelessness. Even the Jedi are not entirely cast in a positive light, and the Sith in a negative one. It is a game rooted in a well-established mythology, and questions it by twisting the very core of what makes Star Wars the way it is.

Grey-storytelling is a region that must be done with proper care, or else the blur between good and evil may not even appear at all. This game accomplishes it by pitting you in the shoes of a character who has an uncertain past, while knowing that they were at odds with doing what seemed to be right. Decision-making only propels this game forward: deciding on which path to take through worlds filled with corruption, desolation, crime, and scars of war. If you have not played KOTOR II, it may be the essential game to play if you want your mind to be blown. Make sure you download the Restored Content Modification as well, as this game had the restriction of one year of development time.

This is the tragedy. A masterpiece that did not have enough time to complete, leaving the player to ponder at what could have been. Of course, another tragedy is the lack of a KOTOR III, or my doubts in EA making a Star Wars game with a story as intelligent as this one.

There are many more Star Wars games, but to end this off I would like to focus on one that leaves me worried about the future and how the franchise may spiral down into another exploited licence property for those looking to make a quick buck.

Star Wars Battlefront was released last year, developed by DICE and published by EA. Yes, the game has a very high production quality and looks and sounds the part. As many have said, it is almost as if you are placed into the events of the original trilogy due to how authentic everything looks and more importantly, feels.

Why do I have a qualm with this game? Because despite what this entire blog may suggest, I mainly play games for their gameplay, not story. I am fine that this game does not have a single-player campaign, as I do not feel as if a retelling of old battles is worthwhile, or that DICE has the capability to create a narrative that is both immersive and compelling that upholds the Star Wars license. (Battlefield 3’s story is just… no) Of course single-player content would be appreciated, and not necessarily a campaign. Something in the vein of cooperative missions would have been great, with the option to play with or without other players.

What irks me is the lack of content here. It feels to me as if EA wanted to get the game out of the gate as quickly as possible to coincide with the release of The Force Awakens, and in doing so they made content that should have been available to the game at launch paid ‘expansions.’ (the mishandling of this term is a problem with smaller pieces of DLC) Another problem stems from the name. The game is similar to the original two Battlefront games in terms of concept, but beyond that they are very different games. Whether or not you are a fan of games that are casual, this game is undoubtedly one made for Star Wars fans of all types, and not video game fans necessarily. Through this, I believe DICE has made a game that focused far too much on its presentation, rather than the intricacies that really make you crave a game and keep you coming back.

While you may enjoy this game, it is a lot like iOS: It is very appealing to the eye, yet functionality is something that came second-priority and makes the overall package come down more than it should.

And with that, we come to our close for now. While this is more of a tangent than a true retrospect/review, I do plan to go with these sometime in the future. I also am aware that there are many Star Wars games I missed, and we will definitely browse those at a future date and give undivided attention as well. I apologize for a lighter serving this week, but I am quite excited for the ideas I have conjured up for the future. May the force be with you!

…And I think I may be using that last line again sometime as well.