It's been months since its release, but cinephiles and Star Wars fans alike haven't stopped dissecting every frame of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Rian Johnson's explosive sequel purposefully subverted fan expectations, and delivered a ton of plot twists that just about nobody was expecting. Its because of these twists that some hardcore fans have taken umbrage with The Last Jedi, with purists claiming its shouldn't even be included in the beloved catalogue. This hasn't seem to have affected the cast or crew, including the legendary Frank Oz. Oz voiced and operated Yoda in the latest sequel, and recently addressed all the backlash still surrounding The Last Jedi.
Yeah, there's a whole backlash. I couldn't understand that whole backlash. I didn't get it. I thought it was a great piece of work. I never understood that backlash. I'm somebody that works with the script, and if the script is there and I believe the script is organic and right for the moment and the character, then that's kind of all I think about. I don't think about extra powers or anything, I just go with it. I just don't consider that really.
It looks like Frank Oz believes moviegoers should simply suspend their disbelief and enjoy the latest installment in the galaxy far, far away. After all, there's already light up swords, space battles, and robotic both and alien sidekicks. Just go with it.
Much of the fan complaints around Star Wars: The Last Jedi has to do with Rian Johnson's liberal use of Force abilities. The rules of The Force have never really been established, as it has ranged from a mythical lifeforce to microscopic lifeforms known as midi-chrlorians. As such fans have never truly understood all The Force was capable of in the film canon.
That being said, some of the new abilities worked better than others. While fans were bummed to see Luke pass away at the end of the film, his Force Projection to Crait was a fantastic twist that allowed fans to finally see him back in his former glory. Leia's abilities are where things get a bit murkier, as most people do not seem fond of her survival in space in the film's first act. Part of this may have been related to Fisher's untimely death, but Leia had also never shown any real connection to The Force throughout the franchise, aside from being able to sense her loved ones.
Ultimately Star Wars films are meant to be enjoyed without too much though, although the hype for each new installment can set expectations that are impossible to be met. Fans complained that The Force Awakens was too formulaic, and that The Last Jedi took too many risks. Frank Oz's comments to Collider seem to implore the community to go for the ride, but that's up to each individual moviegoer.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is available On Demand and for home purchase now. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
