I was incredibly excited to see Star Wars:The last Jedi on opening night. And that was my problem. I was excited to see a movie that should not have been made... luckily it wasn't.
I wanted to see a Star Wars movie that grew up with me. The original trilogy defined my childhood. The Fore Awakens felt like a love letter written to Han Solo and fans like me. I was foolishly expecting the franchise to mature just like I have. Thank goodness it didn't! (That would have been very selfish of me)
When I was a kid I didn't care that I really didn't know anything about Obi Wan Kenobi, how Han and Chewie became friends, or why dropping one proton torpedo into an exhaust shaft would detonate a space station the size of a small moon. I just sat there, watched in amazement, and enjoyed.
How did these characters all come together? What are their motivations? What are their pasts? Oh who cares?! Blow some stuff up!
That is how Star Wars movies are meant to be consumed. They are not meant to be analyzed to death. Sometimes characters don't need a back story. They just need to do cool shit.
Today, when I saw it in true IMAX, I took my own advice and turned off my brain. I stopped worry about why things happened and just enjoyed them happening.
As a side benefit, because I wasn't busy analyzing every detail, I got to enjoy the music... which was awesome!
Yes I am so much smarter than a Star Wars movie. Hurray for me! I am "too smart" for a movie aimed at 13 year olds. What an accomplishment! (What is markdown for sarcasm?)
My Geeky Dad's Guide to Star Wars: The Last Jedi made it seem like the movie was flawed.
No.
I was flawed. My expectations were preposterous. I was so busy focusing on what the movie didn't have, that I missed what it did have...
Fun!
Enough fun to fill a Corellian freighter.
Although I still believe every word of my review is true...
Who cares!?
Who cares if there are plot holes?
Who cares if there are unexplained characters?
Who cares if creatures are just thrown in to entertain little kids?
Who cares if my questions remained unanswered?
Who cares if some really, really unrealistic things happen.
It's freaking Star Wars!!!!!
Today I took my kids to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
We had fun.
Mission accomplished!
May The Force Be With You.