Adam T

So this is what the fans wanted? A turgid rehash of the original trilogy? Well then, the message from Disney is loud and clear!- Capitalism will always prevail over artistic integrity. The blame cannot of course be aimed at director J.J. Abrams. His task was impossible, unenviable and probably resulted in many sleepless nights. True artistry and film-making innovation was something that set these films apart in the first place. In the '80s and '90s, George Lucas was a pioneer in the use of Digital animation technology. His Special Edition release of the original trilogy in 1997 demonstrated how much care and curation he had invested in the franchise. This was followed by a prequel trilogy of films which while cramming stunning effects onto the big screen within an inch of its life like a Thanksgiving turkey, largely failed to recapture the warmth and spirit of the original films. A decade later, Disney (with Abrams at the helm) unleashed 'The Force Awakens' the first instalment in a new sequel trilogy. The film itself was nostalgic but offered some great new characters such as Kylo Ren, Finn and Rey. The new energy was palpable and the movie was a success critically and commercially. Abrams was perhaps the perfect choice for restoring some warmth and humanity to the franchise- despite a slight over-compensation for the notoriously wooden, sterile prequels. Then came 'The Last Jedi' two years later, a film directed by Rian Johnston which seemed to create a chasm between the fans. It's apparent crime was daring to take some chances and show us other possibilities in this largely formulaic cinematic universe. On that level I applauded it because in the words of Mark Hamill himself "(Re-creating the original films is like) catching lightning in a bottle". Now, in the warp-speed world of the Disney production house, we arrive at the final chapter of the Skywalker saga- a mere four years after the new trilogy began and the sixth Star Wars release in as many years (including the highly watchable space-western series 'The Mandalorian'). Yes folks, those new characters we only met a few years ago are now bidding us adieu! It is this factor alone that diminishes the potential sentimentality that Abrams desperately wants us to feel. Even George Lucas gave us three year gaps to forget about the fate of his characters for a while! Six new Star Wars releases in just four years doesn't justify Abram's intentions. It only made me think "Not another bloody Star Wars movie". Indeed after this film, I'm kind of glad it's all over to be honest.. Apart from some isolated moments between Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) which unexpectedly made my eyes water, this movie was a numbing, charmless experience that tripped over its own feet while trying to tie some very big shoelaces. It is essentially an exercise in deconstructionism- the most shamelessly awkward plot point of all being the return of Emperor Palpatine (not a spoiler unless you've been living on another planet!). The presence of the emperor- while brilliantly staged and superbly acted- feels like a very desperate ploy to give us familiarity and therefore instil some security that this is indeed, "classic Star Wars". It is this very cynical mentality that gave us films like 'Guardians Of The Galaxy'- the premise being to set a movie in space with a motley band of human and alien characters, add some cocksure humour and then if that fails, give the Gen X-ers a 'mixtape' of songs that remind them of their childhood. Instant formula! And despite all genuine intentions, this finale is a formula movie. It has nothing more to do than wrap up a hastily released trilogy with a pretty little bow.