TLJ - A great movie but an awful sequel?

Almost like several different writers and directors didn’t care about continuity and wanted to do their own thing.

 

The saber toss is the scene im most conflicted about. I thought it was genuinely funny and set up the route the character was going- but felt too much like it was laughing at TFA scene. A scene that captured my heart and imagination for two years. So I thought it was funny, first viewing- and with more viewings I got more irritated at the gravitas of TFA ending.

 

Mod approval. Do it.

MOD EDIT: Do it NOW!!

 

I felt TLJ was a great movie. Not too sure if it was a great sequel to TFA because it didn't answer so many of the questions TFA left open. This leads me to a concern... how will it connect to Episode 9? Will Episode 9 try to connect TFA and TLJ to it? Will it just focus on the issues raised (or ignored) in TLJ?

 

Which questions do you feel it left open?

 

My opinion:

Poe went from hot-head to leader. Finn from trying to save his skin (and Rey's) to be willing to fight to death. Rey no longer needs to seek her family or 'her place in all of this' and is ready to become what she's meant to be (a Jedi). Kylo achieved what he wanted by killing Snoke and becoming the new supreme leader, plus defined his actual goals which are to 'let it all die' and rebuild a new order from the ashes of it.

IMHO, this movie undoubtedly sets Ep.IX up. We will have a war with established characters that went each through their own journey of discovery.

I'm not saying everyone needs to like as that part is subjective. But saying this movie doesn't set up Ep.IX sounds crazy to me. Just because there isn't a theory for people to make Youtube videos about? Come on folks.

And finally, I wrote this on another thread so I won't repeat all of it, but this idea that RJ went "rogue" and did his own thing is pure illusion. JJ was the executive producer for TLJ, and this movie's script has been done since TFA's premiere (Bob Iger said so). Also, if RJ was just disconsidering other movies he would have had the same fate as Colin Trevorrow. People need to drop this illusion that RJ "ignored" JJ. JJ Abrams is totally onboard everything was done in TLJ and he won't be 'fixing' anything for Ep.IX.

If anything, it was RJ that was thrown a curve ball having to make a sequel to a movie that hinted at several misteries without answers.

 

More my unanswered questions I suppose. Who Snoke is/was and why he looked the way he did. Who were Rey's parents. I know we found out through Kylo but I'm not sure he is either telling the truth or that she really knows. What's up with the Knights of Ren. Just things like that.

 

1. He's old. That's my guess. And I don't think it even needs explained, in a movie. We know enough about him for the intent of this trilogy.

2. I think we found out all we need to know. Bob and Joann Drunkardson. As with above, that's enough for this trilogy.

3. Can't fix every mystery box in one film.

Maybe JJ goes back and adds more to some of this. I just don't think they are unanswered as much as, just not as important as we first thought.

I think the KOR are something that they tested but didn't work and may give another run in 9.

 

Threads like this make it clear to me that people bought into their own theories of what happened among the mysteries of TFA that some how they don't see how fully connected they are. Many of the things that TLJ confirmed were waiting to be spelled out from before TFA and TFA foreshadowed them pretty hard core.

 

Exactly this. All of our heroes and villains have finally found their place in the end of TLJ. They are no longer running from their destiny, pretending to be who they are not to be, trying to find their place in all of this. They all step up to take a responsibility, they decided where they belong and on which side they are. We also have a dramatic situation - the Rebellion is almost dead. For sometime no one will be able to oppose the First Order. So we can have a few years skip and because of all of this, JJ can do whatever he wants with the story.

 

No kidding. Dude was given nothing but mystery boxes and cliffhangers to answer.
You can't really make a full movie out of answering those so he did his best to weave it all together.

 

That's why I don't get people who suddenly like The Force Awakens after seeing The Last Jedi and hating it.. They share their problems so much to the point where they're practically inseparable. The lack of a significant skip in time exacerbates that.

 

The Last Jedi I need to rewatch(it feels like everyone else has seen it a second time before me), but my takeaway is this. It is a decent standalone movie, but a HORRIBLE continuation of The Force Awakens. Simple questions, like the Map to Luke Skywalker and Starkiller base are not answered. Plus, all that setup with the Knights of Ren and Rey's flashback, along with Snoke.

Now, I will admit; I didn't care for that setup and enjoyed RJ twisting that stuff. But I'm not stupid into ignoring why people are pissed. This entire movie and the ST just reeks of absolutely poor planning. I plan on going into depth when I do a long essay/ critique of the LucasFilm Story Group and how much they have dropped the ball. But really, the backlash against this film in my view is justified.

You do NOT put forth big mysteries like this and then simply choose not to answer them/ blow them aside. And while I liked the film, note my views could change, I'm pragmatic enough to see that Rian Johnson should have respected JJ Abrams setup in The Force Awakens.

Even if I am not the biggest fan. And why in hindsight, LucasFIlm should have had JJ Abrams direct all of them. Because, good or bad, at least those movies would have been consistent and Abrams, in theory, would have been forced(pun intended) to answer his own questions. But that's JJ for you: sets up a mystery and dashes away.

At least, he is coming back.

 

Take Rey. Ridley says she was surprised that people still questioned if she was related to anyone. It was a mystery because fans kept their fan theories going. Even JJ almost walked back his slip, "Rey's parents aren't in TFA." Saying "I meant we don't met them as Rey's parents." Sure the confirmation wasn't in but the answer was already there. Rian's full freedom was to pick up with the story already told. Meaning Rey was already no one. It was never possibly Solo except in my head.

Why was Luke on Ach-to because he left to find the Jedi Temple and in his self loathing gave up until Rey forced him to bring hope back. Luke was always a despairing on Ach-to Rian changed nothing.

Snoke has always been Snoke. Rian didn't change JJ's view. The idea that Snoke was going to push Ren to far was always there and Darth Rage Tantrum was going to have a Sabre fit on him at some point. Because Snoke was never the Big Bad. Kylo is. From the earliest moments of TFA he was the reason Han and Leia parted, Luke's students are no more all our ROTJ happy endings were subverted by the tragedy of Ben Solo.

I think JJ and Rian were firmly on the same page about these things. It was confirmation bias and fans holding out hope for pet theories that kept the dream alive. Even now "maybe Kylo was lying about Rey's parents." Maybe its DJ he left his wife on Jakku just like he left Rey."

If there is space between RJ and JJ its that whatever Snoke's mystery which is still unanswered its importance is lessened because he was simply Kylo's stepping stone.

What remains is who will they truly become?
What did Rey tell Chewy?

 

Rilly DON'T Care What AnyOne Said Before This Post ( I didn't read them .. That's How how much I Do Not Care = Yeah = for Real ! )I Ain't a Film Maker .. YOU Ain't A Film Maker ... Nor Story Teller ... NOT Yours/Mine/AnyOne Elses STORY !
THIS IS A Story BEING Told TO US ! ALL OF US !!

 

Where is the drunk rant rating?

huh?

You seem mad but you didn't read. . . . okay.

 

Absolutely agree on all of this