Star Wars Musings

I have now seen Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker three times. By choice. In three different movie theaters, in two states and two countries. This is remarkable, at least to me, because I had given up hope on ever really enjoying a new Star Wars film again.

Being born in 1983, I discovered Star Wars as most kids born in the 80s did - through watchings on television. For Christmas one year (in the 90s) Santa brought the Anderson family the VHS boxed set of the trilogy and it was the best Christmas ever. I remember once telling my mom, in all my pre-teen earnestness, that my only wish was to go back in time and experience Star Wars for the first time on the big screen.

My wish sort of came true when the films were re-released in 1997 as the Special Editions. I remember my excitement still now about seeing them on the big screen. Then everything really changed when three brand new prequels were announced. Revenge of the Sith was released in 2005, and that was really the last time I remember really enjoying a Star Wars film.

Perhaps as I've gotten older I've just become much more difficult to please (this is likely very true). I can be a tough critic. I've changed over the years, and I began to wonder if I just wasn't a Star Wars fan anymore. Or a true Star Wars fan. Whatever that means.

The Force Awakens was exciting in that it brought new Star Wars into my life, but the film didn't quite do it for me. I read a tweet that I wish I could still find that summed it up like this: the new trilogy erases the happy ending of Return of the Jedi and for that I will never forgive it. I was displeased that the new trilogy decided to tell, at least in The Force Awakens, a very similar story to the original: a band of rebels fighting against an empire. We have the Rebellion, the First Order, Starkiller Base, Kylo Ren as Darth Vader-lite. It all felt like a story that had been tread before, and I wanted something different out of the new trilogy.

The Last Jedi never clicked for me. It did try to tell a broader story within the Star Wars universe, but I didn't care for it. It didn't feel like a Star Wars movie to me, and the only parts I liked about it were the Rey/Kylo Ren mind-melding and their fight in the throne room. Coupled with my disappointment in Rogue One and Solo and I was pretty sure Star Wars and I just weren't compatible anymore.

I dutifully made plans to see Rise of Skywalker with my best friend Lindsay in Pocatello to continue the tradition. We had come so far, I certainly wasn't going to end everything now. Seeing it with Lindsay is always the best, because we have shared our love of Star Wars since becoming friends in 8th grade. Sadly our theater audience was kind of lame and didn't react near enough to the movie. I think I reacted plenty for everyone.

I walked out of the theater mostly liking it (even with the truly terrible twist of Rey's parentage), and it was the first time since Revenge of the Sith that I wanted to see a Star Wars movie again in the theater.