I recently wrote a short review of Star Wars Episode VII, highlighting just a few of the many structural issues the film has. It's entertaining, sure, but so much relies on coincidence, and so much just doesn't make sense based on what's come before. Plus there's the huge lack of originality and all that. If it was up to me I'd rewrite the entire film to tell a different version of the same story (adding in some actual danger and removing that annoying predictability). But for now, in no particular order, here are a few suggestions on how to fix the film as it went out...
1. The Millennium Falcon is just there.
Just have Poe put in a call to the Resistance for help after crashing on Jakku and have Han and Chewie land to pick up Poe along with BB-8, Rey and Finn. This would also sidestep the pointless CGI fest that is the Rathtar sequence and do away with Han and Chewie having lost the falcon in the first place. I mean, if Ben's going away drove a wedge between Leia and Han, couldn't the latter just go on more long-term hauls for the Resistance?
2. Establish the new political status quo.
The opening crawl did a terrible job of bringing us up to speed. One short scene after the Jakku village attack on the new Senate world (it was Hosnian Prime in the movie, but it just so happened to look exactly like Coruscant). This would eliminate not just the issue of us having no idea what was happening, but would give us better insight into what the First Order actually is, maybe how they come to have so many resources, and give weight to the planet's destruction. It also allows some of the past three decades' worth of backstory to be broadly filled in, and acknowledge just how much time has passed since Return of the Jedi.
3. Revise the opening crawl.
From the film:Luke Skywalker has vanished.
In his absence, the sinister
FIRST ORDER has risen
from the ashes of the Empire
and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi,
has been destroyed.
With the support of the REPUBLIC,
General Leia Organa leads a brave RESISTANCE.
She is desperate to find her
brother Luke and gain his
help in restoring peace and
justice to the galaxy.
Leia has sent her most daring
pilot on a secret mission
to Jakku, where an old ally
has discovered a clue to
Luke’s whereabouts . . . .
My suggested revision:
The rule of the Galactic Empire has ended. After the destruction of the second Death Star, the Rebellion defeated the remaining Imperial forces, finally starting a new era of peace.
Following this victory, a new Republic was formed. Keen not to repeat the mistakes of the past, the new senate vowed full demilitarisation, winning the hearts of the people.
But General Leia, knowing it was foolish to discard all weapons, went against the will of the new rulers and mobilised the remaining Rebel fleets, keeping a watchful vigil over the outermost reaches of the galaxy. Rumours have been spreading of a new threat that wears a very familiar face….
Yes, I know I ignore Luke's disappearance, which brings us to...
4. No Luke/Han dialogue.
This is a real tragedy. Had I written this movie, I would have made it about Ben Solo's fall to the dark side after Luke wrestles with his conscience training the young man. And there would have been a scene that went something like this...
Luke Skywalker sat crossed-legged, floating in the air. Han Solo opened the door behind him. Without opening his eyes, Luke said, “What is it, Han?”
“Leia told me you had something of a problem with Ben during your mission.”
Luke said nothing.
“I know you’re afraid because of what happened before, but you weren’t around then. He won’t turn to the dark side.”
“I wish I had your confidence, but I’ve never trained anyone before Ben.”
“I get that. But what happened to your father… he was manipulated by a Sith Lord. Those were very different times.”
“They might not be as different as you think.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s something out there.”
“Something evil?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, when did you first notice it?”
“That’s just it… I think I’ve felt it before, years ago, without even knowing. Like it’s always been there.”
“Luke, I know what you’ve been through, but you can’t let Vader cast a shadow over your whole family.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
“At least you knew your father.”
“I wish I felt the same way. You don’t understand the pull of the dark side. I’ve felt it… it’s hard to break away from.”
“Ben needs a teacher, Luke. Someone to steer him away from the darkness. Without you, I’m afraid he might not be able to resist. I mean, when that kid loses his temper…”
Luke turned to face Han. “You need to speak with him.”
“Me? Why me? I don’t know anything about the Force!”
“You’re his father, and I sense resentment in him. Ill feelings towards you.”
“What did I ever do?”
“He feels abandoned, Han.”
“I’d never abandon my son. Leia was the one who said it was better if I kept my distance during his Jedi training.”
“It’s not Leia’s fault. She doesn’t know what I do. Just trust me. You need to talk to him. Before it’s too late.”
5. Death Star 3.
Honestly, it added nothing to the film. It was like a bad joke, being so easily dispatched and all. And now it can't be outdone for Episode IX unless that film does something really stupid. As for stars being sucked in to charge it... this film has some very un-Star Wars-like visual moments, but this one took the cake.
If JJ was hellbent on Hosnian Prime being destroyed, why couldn't the First Order just jump a Star Destroyer in behind on of its moons and have Snoke (possibly channelling his power through Kylo Ren) push the moon out of orbit, dropping it on the planet. It's more believable than a laser blast that somehow separates on top of its target. Also, the final battle, if indeed there had to be one (the one on Takodana could -- and should -- have been it, really), then an attack against a First Order base that isn't a super weapon would suffice. Just their presence alone is enough.
6. Jakku.
It's Tatooine 2. Sullust would have made more sense, being the location of Imperial weapons factories and all (according to Battlefront, Jakku was also home to an Imperial weapons factory, but Jakku is the Hutt word for "junk", and surely no Hutt would have stood for that? The Empire seemed very unwilling to go to war with the gangster species). There are many different desert planets that could have been used if Sullust's lava rivers are too dangerous -- a barren rock world, for example. This just smacks of no imagination.
There are many more suggestions I have, rewriting the entire movie being the top one in my mind, but I shall leave it there for now. I just hope Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow can salvage the train wreck JJ started us on.
1. The Millennium Falcon is just there.
Just have Poe put in a call to the Resistance for help after crashing on Jakku and have Han and Chewie land to pick up Poe along with BB-8, Rey and Finn. This would also sidestep the pointless CGI fest that is the Rathtar sequence and do away with Han and Chewie having lost the falcon in the first place. I mean, if Ben's going away drove a wedge between Leia and Han, couldn't the latter just go on more long-term hauls for the Resistance?
2. Establish the new political status quo.
The opening crawl did a terrible job of bringing us up to speed. One short scene after the Jakku village attack on the new Senate world (it was Hosnian Prime in the movie, but it just so happened to look exactly like Coruscant). This would eliminate not just the issue of us having no idea what was happening, but would give us better insight into what the First Order actually is, maybe how they come to have so many resources, and give weight to the planet's destruction. It also allows some of the past three decades' worth of backstory to be broadly filled in, and acknowledge just how much time has passed since Return of the Jedi.
3. Revise the opening crawl.
From the film:Luke Skywalker has vanished.
In his absence, the sinister
FIRST ORDER has risen
from the ashes of the Empire
and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi,
has been destroyed.
With the support of the REPUBLIC,
General Leia Organa leads a brave RESISTANCE.
She is desperate to find her
brother Luke and gain his
help in restoring peace and
justice to the galaxy.
Leia has sent her most daring
pilot on a secret mission
to Jakku, where an old ally
has discovered a clue to
Luke’s whereabouts . . . .
My suggested revision:
The rule of the Galactic Empire has ended. After the destruction of the second Death Star, the Rebellion defeated the remaining Imperial forces, finally starting a new era of peace.
Following this victory, a new Republic was formed. Keen not to repeat the mistakes of the past, the new senate vowed full demilitarisation, winning the hearts of the people.
But General Leia, knowing it was foolish to discard all weapons, went against the will of the new rulers and mobilised the remaining Rebel fleets, keeping a watchful vigil over the outermost reaches of the galaxy. Rumours have been spreading of a new threat that wears a very familiar face….
Yes, I know I ignore Luke's disappearance, which brings us to...
4. No Luke/Han dialogue.
This is a real tragedy. Had I written this movie, I would have made it about Ben Solo's fall to the dark side after Luke wrestles with his conscience training the young man. And there would have been a scene that went something like this...
Luke Skywalker sat crossed-legged, floating in the air. Han Solo opened the door behind him. Without opening his eyes, Luke said, “What is it, Han?”
“Leia told me you had something of a problem with Ben during your mission.”
Luke said nothing.
“I know you’re afraid because of what happened before, but you weren’t around then. He won’t turn to the dark side.”
“I wish I had your confidence, but I’ve never trained anyone before Ben.”
“I get that. But what happened to your father… he was manipulated by a Sith Lord. Those were very different times.”
“They might not be as different as you think.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s something out there.”
“Something evil?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, when did you first notice it?”
“That’s just it… I think I’ve felt it before, years ago, without even knowing. Like it’s always been there.”
“Luke, I know what you’ve been through, but you can’t let Vader cast a shadow over your whole family.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
“At least you knew your father.”
“I wish I felt the same way. You don’t understand the pull of the dark side. I’ve felt it… it’s hard to break away from.”
“Ben needs a teacher, Luke. Someone to steer him away from the darkness. Without you, I’m afraid he might not be able to resist. I mean, when that kid loses his temper…”
Luke turned to face Han. “You need to speak with him.”
“Me? Why me? I don’t know anything about the Force!”
“You’re his father, and I sense resentment in him. Ill feelings towards you.”
“What did I ever do?”
“He feels abandoned, Han.”
“I’d never abandon my son. Leia was the one who said it was better if I kept my distance during his Jedi training.”
“It’s not Leia’s fault. She doesn’t know what I do. Just trust me. You need to talk to him. Before it’s too late.”
5. Death Star 3.
Honestly, it added nothing to the film. It was like a bad joke, being so easily dispatched and all. And now it can't be outdone for Episode IX unless that film does something really stupid. As for stars being sucked in to charge it... this film has some very un-Star Wars-like visual moments, but this one took the cake.
If JJ was hellbent on Hosnian Prime being destroyed, why couldn't the First Order just jump a Star Destroyer in behind on of its moons and have Snoke (possibly channelling his power through Kylo Ren) push the moon out of orbit, dropping it on the planet. It's more believable than a laser blast that somehow separates on top of its target. Also, the final battle, if indeed there had to be one (the one on Takodana could -- and should -- have been it, really), then an attack against a First Order base that isn't a super weapon would suffice. Just their presence alone is enough.
6. Jakku.
It's Tatooine 2. Sullust would have made more sense, being the location of Imperial weapons factories and all (according to Battlefront, Jakku was also home to an Imperial weapons factory, but Jakku is the Hutt word for "junk", and surely no Hutt would have stood for that? The Empire seemed very unwilling to go to war with the gangster species). There are many different desert planets that could have been used if Sullust's lava rivers are too dangerous -- a barren rock world, for example. This just smacks of no imagination.
There are many more suggestions I have, rewriting the entire movie being the top one in my mind, but I shall leave it there for now. I just hope Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow can salvage the train wreck JJ started us on.