Okay, it’s been two months now, it’s safe to talk about the latest installment of the "Star Wars" franchise. "The Last Jedi" dominated the box office at the end of last year. It became the second highest-grossing film ever, making over $1.3 billion worldwide (second only to the previous film, "The Force Awakens"). While it has received mixed reviews from die-hard fans, critics across the board have raved about. In fact, it is the highest-rated "Star Wars" film ever by critics. It is certainly different, full of plot twists that keep the audience on their toes. From Luke’s little shoulder-brush to Chewbacca’s snacking on a porg, the reactions of people in the theater was inimitable. Still, the film received extreme backlash from fans. After leaving the movie theater, I was scratching my head. I had heard that it was controversial, but I could not quite grasp why. I enjoyed it, and felt compelled to see it again.
Although I don’t agree, I can take a step back and look at why it may be a disliked film. It had a darker tone, a long runtime padded with what some would call unnecessary storylines, and took a few surprising turns. Yet, it was not until I saw an interview with JJ Abrams that I realized what truly got people worked up.
Although Rian Johnson directed "The Last Jedi", JJ Abrams directed "The Force Awakens" and the upcoming final installment, Episode IX. Abrams was asked if the backlash would affect his plans for the next film, and he responded:
“There’s a lot that I would like to say about it, but I feel like it’s a little early to be having the Episode IX conversation… I will say that the story of Rey and Poe and Finn and Kylo Ren — and if you look, there are three men and one woman, to those that are complaining that there are too many women in Star Wars.”
That’s it. Male audiences feel “threatened” by the leading women in the film, according to Abrams. The new franchise has more women in leading roles than any "Star Wars" before it. Rey is the protagonist, the likes of which we have never seen in the franchise. The late Carrie Fisher played Leia not as a princess, but a war general. Laura Dern played the stern, courageous Admiral Holdo. Kelly Marie Tran portrayed unlikely hero Rose, who fights the First Order from within. The women of the film are tough, individual, and unafraid to be themselves. And apparently, this has terrified parts of the fanbase.
Sexism in the film industry isn’t new. It’s one of the most talked-about social issues of the year, in fact. But this reaction serves as overwhelming evidence that women leading a “masculine” film such as "Star Wars" is something that audiences are still getting used to. In this case, the franchise has a greater female audience than ever before. Showing women on screen in this capacity is a great thing. Last year’s "Wonder Woman" proved that leading female characters can make a film successful. The audiences of "Star Wars" movies have changed since the first one came out in 1977. Women are starting to move to the forefront of media and pop culture, and these movies are no exception.
For me, I could not be more excited about the direction the new trilogy is taking. I grew up with "Star Wars". My younger brother was obsessed, I was a more casual fan. We would have lightsaber duels in the backyard, play with the action figures, and watch the movies together frequently. Yet I always felt like I wasn’t meant to like it. Whenever we would play pretend, my brother would say I wasn’t allowed to use a lightsaber because girls can’t be Jedi. Granted, this is never said in the films. There were female Jedi, but they didn’t even have a speaking role in the films. I kind of agreed with my brother. But now, young girls can watch Rey onscreen and see themselves. I have seen it in action; young girls dressing as Rey for Halloween, rooting for her in the theater, finding a character they can relate to. And that’s a wonderful thing.
