The Force Awakens Again
This evening we took the children, and my mother in law, to see “Star Wars : The Force Awakens” for a second time. This post is going to have spoilers. I'm also going to nerd out. Just warning you.
I'm not sure if it's a “second time you see a movie” thing, but the second viewing of The Force Awakens was far more powerful than the firstcertainly emotionally. If I were to give examples, I might cite “What Dreams May Come”, or “Forrest Gump”both movies that tear me to pieces more and more as time goes on, because I know what's coming. It wasn't so much Han's deathit was more the love theme that kicked off whenever Leia and Han were on screen, Luke's theme that kicked in when the lightsaber appeared, or particularly the moment when Rey cleared her mind while fighting Kylo Ren. She may as well have been channeling Yoda.
Once again while walking home we had the same conversation about what might happenand who Rey might be. Just for the recordwe're fairly certain (based purely on gut instinct) that she's Luke's daughter. She can fix anything at a young ageshades of Annakinand she is coming late to the force, much as Luke did. Alsoand this is perhaps tellingthe lightsaber called to her.
The prospect that Rey may be stronger than any of the remaining Jedi is awesome.
If Rey isLuke's daughter, it opens more questionswho is her mother? why did Luke leave her on Jakku?. No doubt the screenplay writers are picking that to pieces right now (or did some time ago).
I was interested to see George Lucas in the press this weekexpressing his disappointment with The Force Awakens. I can understand it. Disney has made the movie the fans wantedessentially a re-make of the first Star Wars moviehistory repeating itself. George would rather have challenged the audience. All great creators are the sameyou only have to look as far as Steve Jobs for another example of somebody that told people what they needed, rather than giving them what they wanted.
On a final note, I would just like to express huge personal disappointment in the various clothing chains churning out Star Wars branded clothing. Why are all the clothes for boys? Finally we have a kick-ass female role model in a movie that is going to capture generations of children's imaginations, and all of the clothes are for boys. All of them. It's ridiculous. (and yes, I am biased being the father of three girls).