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Director Rian Johnson defends the controversial goofy humor in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and argues that is in keeping with the original trilogy.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson defends the film’s goofy humor, which proved controversial for some fans. Released in 2017, Johnson’s film marked the second entry in Disney’s sequel trilogy, but the eighth film overall in the Luke Skywalker saga. The movie picked up after the surprising ending of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, which saw the return of Mark Hamill’s Luke. Although faring well with critics, Johnson’s film proved divisive for many fans, with some taking issue with his portrayal of Luke and his perceived upending of beloved aspects of franchise lore.
While Luke’s journey in Star Wars: The Last Jedi was the source of many fan complaints, the film’s humor was also heavily criticized. In a recent interview with GQ as part of their popular series in which actors and directors break down their most iconic films, Johnson defends his movie’s goofy sense of humor, arguing that it’s actually in keeping with the tone of the original trilogy. Check out Johnson’s full comment below:
“Everyone has a different take. I know there are Star Wars fans who somehow think that Star Wars was a serious thing, like the Batman movies or something. I was so young that when I watched Empire Strikes Back, it had this deep, profound impact on me because it was terrifying, because I was just young enough to not experience it as watching a Star Wars movie, but to have it feel like too real.
“Anyone who thinks that slightly goofy humor does not have a place in the Star Wars universe, I don’t know if they’ve seen Return of The Jedi. Even the first movie, they’re in the heart of the Death Star and they’re trying to do this desperate gambit to get out with their lives and save the princess, where they’re pretending that Chewbacca is their prisoner. The little imperial droid comes up, Chewbacca roars at it, and the droid, like a scared dog, goes [screeching].”
Why The Last Jedi Was A Controversial Star Wars Movie
Although many fans enjoyed Star Wars: The Last Jedi and continue to see it as a high point of Disney’s sequel trilogy, the film did not sit well with others. One of the biggest criticisms of the film is its treatment of Luke, who is no longer the fearless and heroic figure that he was in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. After starting a Jedi school and seemingly facilitating the rise of a monster in the form of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), Luke becomes disillusioned with the notion of the Jedi, choosing to seclude himself on a remote island. This drastic departure from the “old” version of Luke didn’t sit well with many fans, despite the fact that Hamill’s Jedi does eventually embrace his role as a legendary and heroic figure at the end of the film in order to save the Rebellion.
In addition to Luke’s character arc, another criticism levied at Star Wars: The Last Jedi has to do with the film’s big bad, Snoke (Andy Serkis). Snoke was established as a Palpatine-like Sith Lord in Abrams’ movie, but, in a surprise twist, Ren kills his leader in order to take the throne for himself. The decision to kill Snoke in Star Wars: The Last Jedi is part of a larger issue, for many fans, in which Johnson seemingly subverts and changes storylines and characters established in Abrams’ 2015 movie.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi will always be one of the most controversial films in the franchise, with fans seeming to either really love Johnson’s approach or completely hate it. While it’s unlikely that the two sides will ever agree, Johnson’s argument about the film’s jokes does track, with the movies in the original trilogy indeed boasting a goofy sense of humor. It remains to be seen if Johnson will return to the Star Wars universe for another film (or trilogy of films), but it’s clear that the director had a profound impact on the franchise and its fans.
Source: GQ
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