#KeepStarWarsFun
Does the Star Wars franchise need to grow up? | The Tylt
Does the Star Wars franchise need to grow up?
Geeks are celebrating the release of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." Rumors about the much-anticipated film have been sending fans into a frenzy all year. The film's logo changed from the franchise's traditional yellow to red, leading some fans to speculate it'll be a darker film like "The Empire Strikes Back." But diehards are split between the desire for a grittier war epic like "Rogue One" or a lighthearted fan-pleaser "The Force Awakens." What do you think? 🚀
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Does the Star Wars franchise need to grow up?
Here's the synopsis of the original 40-year-old "Star Wars: A New Hope," per IMDB.
Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle-station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the evil Darth Vader.
But also be sure to check out the synopsis of the upcoming "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," also thanks to IMDB.
Having taken her first steps into a larger world in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Rey continues her epic journey with Finn, Poe and Luke Skywalker in the next chapter of the saga.
Watch the trailer to "The Last Jedi" below.
So, what makes "Star Wars", "Star Wars"?
The original trilogy was stuck with limited technology and traditional filmmaking techniques. Both those limitations, coupled with a relatively low production budget, helped give "Star Wars" an iconic, grounded and lived-in aesthetic (an aesthetic "Rogue One" nailed btw).
But the franchise has an overarching lighthearted tone that borders on campy at times (and amplified by the much-maligned prequels). Fans love "Star Wars" because it's a big, loud space opera that nails those fun adventure beats. We want to cheer, not to cry.
Just like those who shall not be named, the "Harry Potter" franchise started off the same way—a light tone gave way to and more mature, darker themes with each subsequent installment. "Rogue One" also veered away from the main storyline and got into the realities of what war is like for everyone else in the galaxy. Maybe we all need to grow up someday.
Is this darker tone more fitting, or would it get away from what makes a "Star Wars" film?
#MakeStarWarsGritty
Opinionated uber nerd Kevin Smith thinks a darker tone is exactly what "Star Wars" is all about!
Holy Sith! @RogueOneMovie is unbelievably wonderful! No lie: it is #EmpireStrikesBack great! An excellent chapter in the @starwars Universe! pic.twitter.com/Lb0vQ06ifh
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) December 11, 2016
#MakeStarWarsGritty
The most talked about scene from "Rogue One" was also the franchise's most brutal and terrifying to date.
Yep, ROGUE ONE was spectacular. The Vader-as-Vorhees sequence was genuinely terrifying.
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) December 19, 2016
#MakeStarWarsGritty
"Rogue One" literally took a big leap based on a single sentence from the original opening crawl of the first film. It received high praise for what is essentially a war epic.
ROGUE ONE = excellent. People around me saying even better than THE FORCE AWAKENS. Congrats Disney/Lucasfilm/amazing talent involved.
— Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) December 11, 2016
But it would seem that "The Force Awakens" is just what some people are looking for. "Star Wars" is best as a light adventure fare, not a nihilistic war drama.
Rest easy: #TheForceAwakens is 100% #StarWars, and something new. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac: welcome.
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) December 15, 2015
Out of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This about sums it up: pic.twitter.com/BPECdYffYy
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) December 15, 2015
Some critics have real issues with the new, darker direction the series seems intent on taking.
