A long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away. Those words, etched in my memory from the first time I saw Star Wars A New Hope. Certain films mark my childhood. Luke, Leia, and Han have been a part of my life since 1977. The world Lucas created of simple good against evil is loosing its appeal. Relying more on brand worship than wondrous story telling.
Why is Disney destroying the franchise? With every recent Star Wars media franchise launched in cinema or on television, the lack of creativity pulse is painfully noticeable. Assembly line production has taken its toll. As if the creators have been digging through Lucasfilm trash bins searching for ideas. “The Last Jedi”, story plots, characters felt all piled in blender then poured on the screen. Skywalker as a crazed lone Jedi did not click. Even the most ardent fans struggled defending Rian Johnson’s eight franchise entry- A letter of apology would have been nice.
A SOLO Waste
Not sure who to blame for the $300 million “Solo”. Ron Howard deserves credit for taking over a troubled production after the firing of duo directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. However, the standard plot line lacked originality, a passable first draft. A buddy crime capper film in space lacked emotion. Alden Ehrenreich’s “lost in the headlight” performance never captured the cocky bravado of Harrison Ford’s 70’s style. It was the first Star Wars film to lose money at the box office.
The Resistance Bore
The latest Star Wars animation entry “Resistance” is annoying on all levels. The animation style is unnerving. The mixture of shadows and hues is as appealing as a used car lot. The coming of age stock characters, after watching three episodes, come across as lethargic. I hoped for their capture. Juvenile rebel pilot Kazuda Xiono leads a band of resistance against the First Order. Right! Lazy, lacking thrills, falling flat is my best review.
In essence, Disney is expecting Star Wars fans to shell out billions of dollars to justify their $4 billion acquisition. The company seems to be taking a lot for granted. Goodwill eventually ends.
This writer is a massive Star Wars Fan.