J.J. Abrams Defends ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ Amid Growing Criticism
Written by SOURCE on December 22, 2019
**Major Spoilers Ahead**
Director, J.J. Abrams, was prepared for the criticism that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has received before the film even hit theaters.
During a recent event hosted by Vanity Fair’s Anthony Breznican, Abrams said that he knew that “pleasing everyone” would be impossible. He explained that he appreciates those who didn’t like the movie just as much as he does the fans who loved it.
“No, I’d say that they’re right,” Abrams said when asked if he thinks the critics stem from a problem with fandom. “The people who love it more than anything are also right.”
Abrams went on to explain that he understands the magnitude of the Star Wars franchise, and that with the rise of social media, fans have more of a voice than ever before. “We live in a moment where everything immediately seems to default to outrage,” he explained. “There’s a kind of M.O. of either it’s exactly how I see it, or you’re my enemy.”
His defense of the film comes after it was virtually panned on Twitter, and beyond. It currently sits at 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is one of the lowest scores ever for a Star Wars film. Despite the obvious disappointment in some circles, the film had a huge weekend at the box office, pulling in close to $179 million.
And while the film is poised to be a huge success, some fans can’t get over Abrams’ decision to rewrite Rey’s origin story, especially after the lengths Rian Johnson went to subvert audience expectations in The Last Jedi. One feeling is that Abrams tried to course correct many of Johnson’s decisions after some fans left The Last Jedi feeling cheated. Abrams also addressed that notion on Saturday.
“It would be a much more interesting answer if there were conflict,” Abrams said. “The truth is when I was getting [The Force Awakens] up and running, I was nothing but grateful that a director and writer I admire as much as Rian was coming in to do [the next one.] Not expecting to come back to this, it was just fun to watch what was happening and get to respond to it”
He then went on to praise Johnson for the way he developed Luke Skywalker’s character.
“I think for a kid to hear Luke Skywalker say I was wrong, I think is a beautiful thing,” Abrams said. “And I think it’s something we could all probably do with, a little bit.”
