I've always had a thing for heroines. When I was growing up, male heroes were everywhere: He-Man, Action Man, Transformers, Star Wars, Superman. Every franchise was built around its male heroes.
As a result, the heroes of every franchise bored the piss out of me. They were great for what they were, and made for some awesome toys and occasionally aspirational figures, but I found them all narratively tedious.
I was instead fascinated by the female equivalents / members of the male-dominated teams: She-Ra, Arcee, Supergirl, Cheetara. And that was all before I was old enough to see them as anything other than arse-kicking heroes.
Nor was this strictly down to their rarity: female-led stories have always had something more to them. While Hercules was about some noble buff dude punch bad-guys and throwing them around like unconvincing rag-dolls, Xena was about a violent warrior maiden looking to atone, and taking on a sidekick who represented those she was desperate to view her in a different light.
I have never been so eager to read a comic as when I first discovered X-23. And they all do pretty much the same thing, but just look at how a-typical Van Helsing or the Beaumont boys are compared to the complexity of Buffy.
And this love of the heroine can be traced right back to Princess Leia. A supposed damsel-in-distress, the first thing she does when being 'rescued' is insult one of her assumed captors, take the piss out of her "heroes'" poor excuse for a plan, then save them all herself, while proving a better shot than the experienced smuggler, the child of prophecy, and an entire battalion of empirical troopers.
Think about that: the Empire tortures her to discover the location of the rebels' base, and she resists; they threaten her entire planet, and she sends them to the wrong location; she sees her entire planet - including her mother and father - blown to smithereens, and the moment a pair of blundering wannbes get her out of her cell, she assumes command, questions one's ability to look after himself, and casually refers to a 7ft roaring beast with a high-powered crossbow as a 'walking carpet'.
One of her heroes sees his mentor - an old hermit he was casually acquainted with - sacrifice himself, and despite all Leia's been through, *she's* the one comforting *him*! When she should have been: "Bitch, I've just lost my family, my people and my entire fucking planet! Grow a pair and go shoot some Tie Fighters!"
She outwits the Empire's highest ranks, and without pausing for a much-deserved nap after all she's already been through, she takes command of the rebellion and helps lead them to a decisive victory.
AND THAT'S JUST IN THE FIRST FILM!
By the time of episode VII, her son's turned to the dark side, her husband's pissed off to look for his ship, her brother - the JEDI MASTER - has disappeared because it's all too much to handle, and she's COMMANDING A NEW REBELLION AGAINST AN ORDER ARISEN FROM THE FALLEN EMPIRE, LED BY HER OWN HOMICIDAL OFFSPRING!
And only someone like Carrie Fisher could have brought that to life. Only someone with that vivacity, that self-assurance, that strength and certainty of character.
Though to define her by that character is to undermine who she really was: an author; an activist; a paragon for equality. She was the go-to script-doctor for many of Hollywood's big-name screenwriters. She was an avatar for facing and owning one's emotional demons and sexual identity, and for not being defined by any of it.
Carrie Fisher was a true great of Hollywood and beyond, and a sad loss to us all.
Tuesday, 27 December 2016
Saturday, 17 December 2016
That's no Mufasa
For me, one of the most surprising things about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - which fills the gap between Episodes III and IV - is that there is so much to spoil, so I will say right off the bat that there will be none of those shenanigans going on here (those who spoil should have their fingers removed and mouths sewn shut).
Another big surprise was how both like and unlike Star Wars it felt. There's no bombastic John Williams opener, no scrolling text, and barely a Jedi in sight. This is not a hero's journey from simple every-man ignorant of his destiny, to kick-arse battle-mage saving the galaxy: it's a far more intimate tale about a plucky band of rebels coming together and risking it all for what they know is right.
And, sweet salivating monkey-nuts, does that allow it to bring the feels.
Star Wars has always had its moments in that regard, but because everything's so big, and the characters, while not simply 2-dimensional caricatures (in IV-VII at least), are nevertheless broad (gung-ho rogue; boisterous princess; farm-boy with a dream and a destiny), it's difficult to relate to everything on a personal level.
In Rogue One, the characters feel more grounded; more real. When they laugh and cry and throw a tantrum, it has significance because the reasons for those reactions are often personal to the characters, rather than funny thing was said so everyone laughs, or bad thing happens so everyone cries.
Even the main bad-guy has nuance. Not that he ever waivers in his convictions, but unlike Tarkin or Palpatine, he does show fear and uncertainty - even desperation - as well as an arrogant wit.
Paradoxically, however, the main issues I have with the film also stem from the characters. This being a stand-alone with an ensemble cast of newbies to the series, certain things feel rushed or underdeveloped. Why was that person a prisoner? How did these two meet? Why's he such a mess? Every one has a history that is only hinted at, and it makes me wish that, rather than a single film, the studio had followed through on that long-promised live-action TV show, with this as the template.
Fortunately, the performances are strong enough that, even without their histories being fleshed out, the characters are still well-rounded and interesting; the stand-outs being Alan Tudyk's K-2 - a hilariously sociopathic droid - and Donnie Yen's Chirrut Îmwe - an admittedly clichéd, but still awesome wise old blind badass, with a lighthearted humour I wouldn't have expected from the usually stoic Yen.
If there's one weakness - and I can't believe I'm saying this - it's James Earl Jones. It's no secret that Darth Vader makes an appearance, but the appearance he makes is...weird. The voice sounds like an impersonator trying too hard, the suit looks ill-fitting - as if made by a cosplayer in a hurry - and the physical performance is far too fluid, lacking David Prowse's almost robotic steadiness and menace. Even the CGI face-mapping of certain characters is more convincing.
And he makes a pun! What in the name of holy smegma is Darth Vader doing making a pun?!
He does get a little redemption later on, but his main scene is an awkward one that simply does not work.
Of course, this being a Star Wars film, we're not just here for strong characters in a great story, and when it comes to outer space shooty epicness and Storm Troopers being used as cross-eyed cannon-fodder, Rogue One delivers in spades, with a particular moment with a pair of Star Destroyers being up there among the entire saga's all-time greats. Gareth Edwards may have bored us all gormless with Godzilla, but he did at least prove that he could do grand-scale action when (finally) called upon to do so, and that eye for the epic set-piece is exercised with aplomb against the backdrop of space.
In terms of where the film as a whole stands within the Star Wars ranks, I find that difficult to gauge. As I said, this is a different type of film to the main saga, and it's fitting that it's titled A Star Wars Story rather than Star Wars episode III.V. And I also hesitate to rank it along side Empire Strikes Back as others have done, as I don't see this achieving that level of classic status; nor did it enjoy so many iconic, unforgettable moments. That said, it is certainly on a par with The Force Awakens in terms being both new and feeling like a strong continuation of the saga. It too outshines the prequels on every level (including its continuity), and would make a fitting start to any Star Wars marathon.
**UPDATE**
I follow a lot of reviewers with diverse opinions, and no film has shown that more than Rogue One; and in a surprising way. Those I'd expect to love it were underwhelmed (one downright devastated), and others I'd expect to be more critical have actually found far more to love.
Because of the way this film is put together, and its story is told, it lives and dies by its characters: those who were put off by the thinness of their backstories, or found them dull or one-note, seem to have been bored by the film as a whole, while others (like me) who could look past the admittedly thin back-stories, and could engage with the characters through the actors' performances (which I personally found universally fantastic (Donnie Yen especially)) loved the film, sometime to a near-Empire-Strikes-Back degree.
The opening act is rushed, every character could have done with more fleshing out (I still feel like this would have made a better mini-series than a film), and that first Darth Vader scene was terrible, but I love the cast, I love the story, the action was phenomenal and the climax had me physically shaking.
Another big surprise was how both like and unlike Star Wars it felt. There's no bombastic John Williams opener, no scrolling text, and barely a Jedi in sight. This is not a hero's journey from simple every-man ignorant of his destiny, to kick-arse battle-mage saving the galaxy: it's a far more intimate tale about a plucky band of rebels coming together and risking it all for what they know is right.
And, sweet salivating monkey-nuts, does that allow it to bring the feels.
Star Wars has always had its moments in that regard, but because everything's so big, and the characters, while not simply 2-dimensional caricatures (in IV-VII at least), are nevertheless broad (gung-ho rogue; boisterous princess; farm-boy with a dream and a destiny), it's difficult to relate to everything on a personal level.
In Rogue One, the characters feel more grounded; more real. When they laugh and cry and throw a tantrum, it has significance because the reasons for those reactions are often personal to the characters, rather than funny thing was said so everyone laughs, or bad thing happens so everyone cries.
Even the main bad-guy has nuance. Not that he ever waivers in his convictions, but unlike Tarkin or Palpatine, he does show fear and uncertainty - even desperation - as well as an arrogant wit.
Paradoxically, however, the main issues I have with the film also stem from the characters. This being a stand-alone with an ensemble cast of newbies to the series, certain things feel rushed or underdeveloped. Why was that person a prisoner? How did these two meet? Why's he such a mess? Every one has a history that is only hinted at, and it makes me wish that, rather than a single film, the studio had followed through on that long-promised live-action TV show, with this as the template.
Fortunately, the performances are strong enough that, even without their histories being fleshed out, the characters are still well-rounded and interesting; the stand-outs being Alan Tudyk's K-2 - a hilariously sociopathic droid - and Donnie Yen's Chirrut Îmwe - an admittedly clichéd, but still awesome wise old blind badass, with a lighthearted humour I wouldn't have expected from the usually stoic Yen.
If there's one weakness - and I can't believe I'm saying this - it's James Earl Jones. It's no secret that Darth Vader makes an appearance, but the appearance he makes is...weird. The voice sounds like an impersonator trying too hard, the suit looks ill-fitting - as if made by a cosplayer in a hurry - and the physical performance is far too fluid, lacking David Prowse's almost robotic steadiness and menace. Even the CGI face-mapping of certain characters is more convincing.
And he makes a pun! What in the name of holy smegma is Darth Vader doing making a pun?!
He does get a little redemption later on, but his main scene is an awkward one that simply does not work.
Of course, this being a Star Wars film, we're not just here for strong characters in a great story, and when it comes to outer space shooty epicness and Storm Troopers being used as cross-eyed cannon-fodder, Rogue One delivers in spades, with a particular moment with a pair of Star Destroyers being up there among the entire saga's all-time greats. Gareth Edwards may have bored us all gormless with Godzilla, but he did at least prove that he could do grand-scale action when (finally) called upon to do so, and that eye for the epic set-piece is exercised with aplomb against the backdrop of space.
Quick side note: due to issues with Cineworld's projector, I got to see this
in IMAX 2D, which was awesome!
In terms of where the film as a whole stands within the Star Wars ranks, I find that difficult to gauge. As I said, this is a different type of film to the main saga, and it's fitting that it's titled A Star Wars Story rather than Star Wars episode III.V. And I also hesitate to rank it along side Empire Strikes Back as others have done, as I don't see this achieving that level of classic status; nor did it enjoy so many iconic, unforgettable moments. That said, it is certainly on a par with The Force Awakens in terms being both new and feeling like a strong continuation of the saga. It too outshines the prequels on every level (including its continuity), and would make a fitting start to any Star Wars marathon.
**UPDATE**
I follow a lot of reviewers with diverse opinions, and no film has shown that more than Rogue One; and in a surprising way. Those I'd expect to love it were underwhelmed (one downright devastated), and others I'd expect to be more critical have actually found far more to love.
Because of the way this film is put together, and its story is told, it lives and dies by its characters: those who were put off by the thinness of their backstories, or found them dull or one-note, seem to have been bored by the film as a whole, while others (like me) who could look past the admittedly thin back-stories, and could engage with the characters through the actors' performances (which I personally found universally fantastic (Donnie Yen especially)) loved the film, sometime to a near-Empire-Strikes-Back degree.
The opening act is rushed, every character could have done with more fleshing out (I still feel like this would have made a better mini-series than a film), and that first Darth Vader scene was terrible, but I love the cast, I love the story, the action was phenomenal and the climax had me physically shaking.
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