The following blog post, amalgamated from a fascinating Facebook conversation I lurked through on my esteemed associate Ilya’s wall, as well as another article and discussion I nabbed from my other esteemed associate M. “Cat Protocol” A.’s wall, requires very little in the way of Star Wars familiarity but quite a bit of time and willpower to do some reading.
Apparently the Star Wars fandom is now very neatly divided over whether or not Disney / The Last Jedi / someone called Kathleen Kennedy has destroyed Star Wars forever and also retroactively into the past which as we all know is absolutely a thing that can happen.
Now of course I automatically discounted this whole idea as absolute bullshit of the lowest possible grade, because whiny little buttweasels have been crying about their favourite things being “ruined” ever since the second thing was made (ruining the first thing, which I believe was the concept of banging a rock on stuff). Although yeah, banging a rock on living things really did sort of ruin the concept of banging a rock on stuff forever, so maybe that was a bad example.
Still, fast-forward a few tens of thousands of years to the arrival and surprising flop (read with as many grains of salt as required) of Solo. The conversation has continued and the probably-not-half-but-certainly-noisy-so-that’s-something segment of the Star Wars geek community has used the movie and its reception as further proof of the franchise having been murdered back in time like Disney is some kind of balefire-wielding Asha’man in Mickey Mouse ears (you’re welcome, literally three people who just got that reference).
This article outlines why maybe the aforementioned case isn’t the case.
This article talks more about the horrible world you might find yourself falling into if you really start talking about Star Wars movies in detail, to anybody. Or talking about anything that has a grimy little fanboy base, really. It’s well worth a read. “Long-standing franchises (like Star Wars) often carry modern political baggage by nature of being made in earlier eras when men, white people, straight people, etc. were even more socially privileged, and thus overrepresented in media,” KR&I’s Rachel Aparicio, a media studies scholar, told Observer. “Newer iterations of these franchises have often responded to those critiques by being somewhat more inclusive. However, this leads to the (arguably correct) perception that modern media is responding to a social justice agenda. This has made popular culture a lightning rod for conservatives—particularly conservative, white men—who see this process as symbolic of their (perceived) lessening of social and political power.” Spot on as far as I can see.
This article is an amusing look into the festering mind of an aging Star Wars fanboy who just plain doesn’t like The Gays. And it brought another author named Chuck to my attention, and that ain’t nothin’. I will have to look into his stuff.
So. There we have it.
Now I admit to not being particularly invested in this. I have seen Deadpool 2 twice, and plan on seeing it a third time, rather than going to see Solo, although I would still like to see Solo too if the opportunity arises and that opportunity isn’t stuffed groaningly, borderline-pornographically full with Deadpool 2. So put some of the box office blame on me, if you are one of the “a vote for a third party steals votes from the main contender and aids the enemy main contender” psychology group. Seems to me that Solo just wasn’t a main contender this time. But whatever, nerds.
I can’t say why I’m not interested. The movie looks fun. I’ve been told by basically every trusted and respected source I have at my disposal that it’s worth seeing. I didn’t hate The Last Jedi. I don’t love the old Han Solo with the nostalgic yearning and adoration of an Eighties Kid. And yet … I’m just not interested in this one.
Part of it is that I have little time or money right now, and absolutely love Deadpool, so what am I gonna do – not see Deadpool 2 a bunch of times? *Geeksnort* to that laughable idea. I’m gonna do what I want, which is my right as a consumer. That leaves no time or money for runner-up summer blockbusters. It’s just that simple.
Do I think Star Wars is dying? Oh Hell no (to quote the Ghost of Summer Blockbusters Past).
Do I think the “problems” can be laid at the feet of Disney, Kennedy, The Last Jedi or shitty fanboys? Meh. Probably most of them belong somewhere there, yeah. Apportion blame as you consider appropriate. That’s all I’ve got time for today.
It didn’t seem like much effort went into Solo getting a good reception, that’s all – but I’m still burned up over John Carter so take your marketing and your hype and ship it to Barsoom using my tears as fuel.
Seems like a measured response from RussianBot-497. And SithLordLukeSkywalker, for that matter.
– Posted from my Huawei mobile phone while sitting in my car in the carpark after work.
