Classic Star Wars action
The prequel films are known for their bombastic and over the top action sequences, especially when it comes to lightsaber warfare. And at the time this certainly made sense, especially during the duels, as this was a period when Jedi were ensconced in training and the world of combat. It, therefore, makes a great deal of sense that they were more adept at fancy lightsaber techniques than Luke, for example, who was trained for five minutes by an old retired Jedi and an even more decrepit swamp dwelling master. But considering the Disney era’s content has been set so far exclusively post-prequels, it was important that the traditional and more restrained Star Wars combat returned and this is exactly what has happened. The duels between Rey and Kylo, and involving the Praetorian Guard, might not be as fancy as Obi-Wan vs Anakin, but that’s because they shouldn’t be, they are, however, just as dramatic and tense in their own way and perfectly suited to the time in Star Wars history in which they exist. Disney has also excelled in returning other types of classic Star Wars action to the franchise, with space dogfights, chase scenes, and shootouts all feeling like they belong to a time when fans only had the original trilogy to enjoy.
Providing something for everyone
The beauty of Star Wars is that it can appeal to so many demographics, to all different kinds of people, who have myriad and multifarious tastes. The good news is that the Disney era of Star Wars content has not just attempted to cast a wide net but has largely exceeded in doing so. With all the different mediums that Star Wars now exists in – movies, animation, comics, books etc. – the franchise can do a little something for everyone. The live action movies all have a slightly different tone about them: the trilogy is dark and operatic with the galaxy’s fate at stake and the anthology movies are more character-driven affairs that also span different subgenres. The comics, books, and animated series also try to appeal to both adults and younger kids with their different incarnations, but they namely are an ideal place to treat the most passionate of Star Wars fans to heavy lore exploration and obscure references. No matter what you want from Star Wars, there’s a place in which you can find it. And there is no doubt for those that are fervent about the franchise that this is a wonderful time to be a fan.
Cheers to the future
Star Wars has been back in our lives on the big screen for a few years now and by also adding what I am hesitant to call supplementary content (with much of it being so excellent) the franchise is in a terrific place, and I for one am on the balance of things very pleased with what the new owners are doing with this world. Is everything as I would have designed it? No, of course not. Was that casino scene in The Last Jedi awful? Yep. Was Solo released far too soon? Yes, it was. But these are minor ripples in what is an ocean of incredibly enjoyable Star Wars content. Solo was obviously a disappointment in terms of its financial performance (comparatively to past Star Wars films anyway) but that isn’t to say it’s not an excellent film, because it is. Box office numbers don’t automatically equate to quality, this isn’t a difficult premise. And being aware enough to understand that films don’t exist in a vacuum and by not letting the mob dictate your opinion of what the consensus seems to have labelled as a fantastic Star Wars entry, the past, present, and future of the franchise is looking rather splendid. So thank you, Disney. Thank you for bringing Star Wars back. Thank you for the points listed above. There are always areas to improve, there are always lessons to learn, but I certainly am looking forward to what comes next.
Samuel Brace
A version of this article was originally posted in June 2018.
