text: Posted in Grumblings with tags movies, Rise of Skywalker, Science Fiction, Star Wars on December 25, 2019 by chemiclord
  (Note: This will NOT be entirely spoiler free. I really can’t avoid it in this case, I’m sorry.)
  Let’s get this out of the way. “Rise of Skywalker” is an entirely average Star Wars movie.
  Kinda like the other eight.
  It’s end goal is to keep you mildly entertained for two hours without having to think too hard. It does that. Rian Johnson wanted to try and make it broader than that, but the old guard clearly refused to allow that, so… here we are. Back to the old formula.
  That’s something to keep in mind as I proceed through my thought space here. For as much as I scoffed at Episode 7 (https://tkocreations.com/2015/12/29/on-an-awakening-force/) or lauded Episode 8 (https://tkocreations.com/2017/12/17/on-the-best-last-jedi/), there’s really not all that much of an overall quality difference between any of the Star Wars films.
  Because there is a problem that really emerges with this trilogy especially; Rise of Skywalker suffers for it, and I fear every successive film is going to suffer even more as inevitably this story continues.
  It is trying way too hard to placate a segment of the fan base that is frankly going to be impossible to placate. Rise of Skywalker does everything it can to get back in the good graces of the “long time fan.” You guys had a big problem with Rose? Okay, she’s a bit player now. Hated that Ray was just a nobody without any ties to a noble bloodline? Hey! We fixed it! Couldn’t stand that some woman that could have been Ackbar tried to tell Poe what he couldn’t and couldn’t do? He’s the general now! We brought back all these old faces that you remembered from thirty years ago! Isn’t that awesome?
  Guys? Please, don’t be angry anymore! We’re trying to give you what you want!
  The problem is what the “old guard” wants isn’t something that they’ll ever get. They want to be 10-15 years old again watching “A New Hope” for the first time. They want that magic back. But they can’t get that feeling back. They are going to be perpetually enraged no matter how many times you try to callback.
  Stop trying. Let Star Wars be for a new generation. Yes, the perpetually online old guard will be pissed about it. But guess what? They’re gonna be pissed at anything you do.