[setgree]

This is interesting to me because it's so at odds with how I took in the new trilogy. I thought only Johnson showed any vision at all, and I also thought his sense of small scale combat choreography was way better, e.g. the scene where Adam Driver and Rey fight those guys in the red suits.

JJ's movies were so derivative of the original trilogy I sometimes wondered if he was messing with us, e.g. the scenewhere a character says, if I recall, "it's just like the death star!" once they've unveiled...another death star.

But yes, the fact that the three movies don't gel whatsoever, in terms of tone or plot, seems like a management issue. Really puts into perspective what the folks at Marvel have pulled off.

The X-Men and DCEU movies seem like a similar story.

[D13Fd]

> This is interesting to me because it's so at odds with how I took in the new trilogy. I thought only Johnson showed any vision at all, and I also thought his sense of small scale combat choreography was way better, e.g. the scene where Adam Driver and Rey fight those guys in the red suits.

> JJ's movies were so derivative of the original trilogy I sometimes wondered if he was messing with us, e.g. the scenewhere a character says, if I recall, "it's just like the death star!" once they've unveiled...another death star.

I liked Abrams' first one best. It had some issues but it at least nailed the epic Star Wars tone and feel, and it's a solid movie and fun to watch.

Johnson's felt ridiculous and contrived, with the fake low-intensity chase, the weird dialog, the space casino, and on and on.

The third one was just an absurd mess, and involved total plot whiplash after the second one went in a different direction.

[pwdisswordfishc]

> I liked Abrams' first one best. It had some issues but it at least nailed the epic Star Wars tone and feel,

No wonder, given that it was a glorified remake of A New Hope. The sort of film for which the term "remaquel" was created.

[MattPalmer1086]

Yes. Some of my friends loved it, but I couldn't get past the fact it was literally the same story.

I mean, an orphan who becomes a Jedi, a droid who brings important information and then battles against the Empire who has a deathstar.

Where did I see that before? It wasn't even trying to be original in any way whatsoever. That said, it did a good job of capturing the star wars feel... Which is possibly not surprising.

[D13Fd]

That’s fair, but I also don’t mind much. It was a solid attempt to return the franchise to its roots, even if the other movies mostly squandered that.

I agree though, I could have done without Deathstar III.

[gjsman-1000]

> the red suits is one of my favorite fight scenes, ever.

Well, I hate to ruin it then, but the choreography for that specific scene was widely criticized for having serious mistakes and editing errors.

https://youtu.be/CI-W3BEjRtI (a bit bloated overview, skip to most watched sections)

https://youtu.be/qyzwBWsqqw8 (50 minute investigation on all the mistakes)

The first video doesn't mention it, but the constant red guard spinning, is because stuntmen are trained to quickly add spins and flourishes... when the actors are too slow and behind schedule in the sequence.

[setgree]

I watched a bit of the second vid, and I see why some people would have fun making and/or watching this; but to me it totally misses the point of what is magical about cinema.

[nordsieck]

> I watched a bit of the second vid, and I see why some people would have fun making and/or watching this; but to me it totally misses the point of what is magical about cinema.

Could you expand your point a bit more?

[setgree]

To quote Roger Ailes in 'Bombshells,' "It's a visual medium!" [0] Meaning, whether a scene succeeds or fails on screen is first and foremost about whether it looks good, and this scene looked great.

Obviously visuals aren't everything -- the story should make enough sense to be emotionally engaging, and the mechanics should never threaten your suspension of disbelief -- but they're the main thing.

This video analyzes the fight scene as though it's a text about how people would fight with laser swords, and it's not. It's a visual medium.

[0] https://www.bigissue.com/culture/film/bombshells-telling-of-...