Star Wars
In anticipation for the newest Star Wars film release this weekend for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (Already have my ticket!!!), I thought I'd give a review of my thoughts on the franchise as a whole thus far. I am no expert on the Star Wars universe, nor am I familiar with any canon or fanon material outside of the feature-length films, but I have loved Star Wars since I was a kid, so I'll do my best to speak accurately.
Premise - The force is an energy field that allows the gifted few to sense the presence of others, anticipate their moves, and feel changes in life and death. The Jedi Knights are able to control the force to fight for peace in the galaxy. However, with light always comes dark. Those who utilize the dark side of the force are always pushing back, using the force as a weapon for their own gain. The galaxy is a constant pendulum swinging between war and peace, light and dark, as it struggles to find a balance in the force.
Review - It is really difficult to give justice to this massive cultural phenomenon. It is far easier to simplify the series into its well-known tropes, so we'll start there. The force, on either side, is extraordinarily powerful. It can heal, protect, defy physics, and, in the case of the dark side, supposedly stop death. At the heart of all the wars and conflicts across the galaxy is this clash of ideology over whether the power of the dark side is worth the sacrifices in character. The light side of the force represents selflessness and control of one's personal emotions for the greater good. It's about patience, personal sacrifice, and noble intentions. The dark side of the force represents emotional impulsiveness and revenge. In many situations, the dark side can be more powerful, but it comes with a price. The dark side is not fueled by evil monsters or demons, per say, but very human emotions such as fear, lust, anger, and grief. When humans give into their personal suffering and join the dark side, they therefore become the monsters.
The characters in this series tend to fit into classic archetypes, but that does not mean they necessarily fit neatly into categories of "good" and "evil." There are characters who fall from grace and corresponding redemption arcs, for certain, so in no way are the characters doomed to be static. Rather, the characters are all incredibly dynamic, especially when they act in contradiction to their archetype. It's better to say the series neatly follows the "Hero's Journey," perhaps the most effective formula for plot. Star Wars is therefore your standard, incredible tale, utilizing the best types of characters and plot devices. It's a classic of all classics that will only continue to expand and develop across my lifetime (95/100).
Quote - "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." - Yoda
What to watch for - In this case, it's what to listen for. John Williams' musical score is a classic, perhaps one of the best musical scores (if not the best) in history.
If you liked this series, I'd recommend Harry Potter!
EDIT 12/22/2019 - I have now, years later, completed the Skywalker Saga, which I am including as the official 9 episodes + the two anthology films that have come along so far and fit within the Skywalker timeline. Since I wrote this initial review, this now adds:
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, 2017, PG-13; Solo: A Star Wars Story, 2018, PG-13; Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, 2019, PG-13
*This does not count the new Star Wars TV show "The Mandalorian" which I am going to consider, for now, its own saga within the same universe and will wait to say more until its completion. It also does not count the animated "Clone Wars" TV show which I never saw.
With the addition of these new films, my brief summary of the heart of the series does not change. Though these new films add depth to the characters, write new characters, and finish plot arcs, the films still ultimately re-hash the same themes over and over again, which are to balance light and dark, never sacrifice your character, rejoice in the shared energy of the universe, and never lose hope. I'm not complaining. I could relive different variations of these stories for decades to come if they wanted to make more movies.
Distribution Companies: 20th Century Fox, Disney
Directors: George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Richard Marquand, J. J. Abrams, Gareth Edwards, Rian Johnson, & Ron Howard
**I also want to share my thoughts on the different hierarchies of canon material within the series. My positive feelings towards Star Wars applies to the entire universe of material. When Disney bought Lucasfilm, it decided that only the feature-length films and the TV series would be considered canon, in addition to anything Disney publishes in the future. Prior to then, there had been a hierarchical system declaring levels of canon and fanon material for novels, comics, and the like. I have never been involved in the Star Wars Extended Universe, but I cannot even imagine being a dedicated fan and having canon change in definition. It feels like having history rewritten by large and powerful people just because they say so. Star Wars, as a phenomenon, is so much bigger than the films. It goes far beyond what I can comprehend and I have massive respect for the Extended Universe as a whole.
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