So, I saw Star Wars... [Spoiler free, but opinionated]

[blamebrampton]

I did not expect to see Star Wars. But when I got home from work just before 8pm because I NEED A NEW JOB, poor old Mr B who has been sick as a dog since Boxing Day, leapt up and said MOVIE NIGHT! And given his state of illness (throaty, chesty, achey horror), I felt I had to go along with this plan.

I thought the writing was really lazy, though competent, but I liked the direction, acting, design, editing and music. And I am prepared to give a bit over two hours of my life for the sight of two stormtroopers backing away Slowly and Quietly. I laughed vey loudly.

However. If you're a writer, give your readers a reason for things. A real reason, not 'he's the best pilot in the Resistance' – that's a description. Something like "Poe grew up in the Resistance. He's been flying these planes since he was eight. Stealing them since he was nine, but he never broke one, so we didn't complain …' or 'I met a pilot from the Rebellion when I was 16, and while he told me stories of laying down covering fire on the Death Star attack, I realised, that's what I really wanted to be. So every minute since then, that's what I've trained for. I found out years later that he just ferried the X-Wings around, but by then, I was flight leader, so I didn't hold it against him.'

I just want films that acknowledge that, most of the time, you get good at things by doing things. And that work has worth and value to it and can be a part of the story that makes your character a person.

Which, obviously, means I should say 'Oh, let's watch something small' the next time Mr B has a hankering for big budget. But it was fun, and I didn't need to worry my poor overtaxed brain, and those stormtroopers will bring me joy for years to come.

Comments

[anna-wing.livejournal.com]

There's a tie-in novel (or rather, three novellas) by Greg Rucka, called "Before The Awakening", about Poe, Finn and Rey, giving a fair amount of the background that they left out of the film.

Since Poe was a bit part, really, perhaps they will expand a bit on him in the next ones. I don't like having useful information conveyed only in ancillary material but the needs of marketing override all else.

I was still not convinced at Finn's sudden change of heart. Allegiance yes, the boy is obviously desperate to attach himself to something, having left the First Order. The absolute antithesis of a loner. But surely their training and indoctrination would have dealt with basic things like "How Not To Be Upset About Shooting Civilians, Whether Innocent Or Not".

At least the film showed a fair bit of how tough and clever Rey has had to be to survive her life, which made sense of her competence in the film (the book explains her piloting skills too - a scavenged New Republic flight simulator training programme).

[ravurian]

I agree with you: the writing was utterly lazy. What this means in practical terms is that there is a lot of room for fandom to come in and fix it, which I suppose is ace in terms of those interacting with the fandom. For myself, though, I just want the writers to do their job and do the work. I don't want the heavy lifting to be outsourced to the fans. The thing that I most missed from this film was the politics, I think; the why of it all. Politics was a huge part in the previous films, even those dodgy ones we don't like to talk to. This one had a whole load of hand-waving, and no one cared that the seat of power for the republic was destroyed. No one reacted to those billions of souls who presumably cried out and were silenced. And, you know, 30 years after their victory, the rebel fleet is still around (what are they rebelling against now?) and the republic is not synonymous with the rebels, and the First Order stands for... what, apart from a rather sleek aesthetic? Ugh. I should back away because this film was not talking to me, and I should be fine with that. Um.

[snegurochka_lee]

most of the time, you get good at things by doing things

a;lskdjfsl;dj. I haven't seen the movie yet (I know, I know), but I was JUST having a convo with the S.O. yesterday about this! What is with pop culture books/TV/movies where people are just magically good at things without putting any work or practice in?? Is this why my students all want As for no reason??! I don't know where it comes from, other than fantasy wish-fulfillment, I guess, but damn, is it ever maddening. And I agree with you, character development would be all the richer if we could see how people who are good at stuff got that way. Graaah!

And oh hey, hi! :)

[(Anonymous)]

YES! so much better if the work to aquire skills is at least nodded to, better if properly acknowledged.

All the best for this new year to you BTW

Perfect description

[kestrelsparhawk.livejournal.com]

which means it fits my reaction entirely. Except I love how you took it one step further and showed how they could have improved. I'm so disgusted with popular screenwriters these days. I suspect they all had one workshop at Clarion and think they know everything about writing -- and the others who hire them believe that because they haven't any idea about how to write character either. We have several channels here with very old movies, and I'm always struck how comparatively good the writing is even on series like "Perry Mason" compared to the "top level" stuff these days.