Is Star Wars losing its magic?

Originally published October 31, 2017. The second part of this thrilling saga can be found here. 

Originally released in 1977, it seemed like Luke’s voyage through the cosmos was instantly met with gratification. With visuals that were out of this world (literally) and original storytelling, Star Wars was a magical experience for the common moviegoer. With the franchise garnering both critical and financial success, it was only a matter of time before Disney’s “Corporate Mouse” got its hands on the property.

After gaining the rights to one the most recognized brands in the world, Disney agreed to release a film annually, appeasing all fans world-wide. Who wouldn’t want to see their favorite characters save the galaxy every year? Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out the way we expected. No, in fact, quite the opposite.

Instead of releasing a movie full of new concepts and ideas, “The Force Awakens” feels like a hit of nostalgia. The protagonists face the same situations: an evil Sith lord is looking for a droid with delicate information that can foil their plans. Along the way, the droid meets a force-sensitive individual, and that being is then guided by a fatherly figure in the ways of the force. During an encounter with the main antagonist, however, the mentor of that force sensitive individual is brutally struck down, sacrificing themselves so that the protagonists can get away. This leads to an action sequence in which the antagonist’s “ultimate weapon” is mercilessly shot down by the rebellion, with the antagonist getting away afterwards. The commonalities between both movies are undeniable, and I’m not the only one who feels this way- the movie even points out this fact. During a scene in the Cantina, Maz Kanata mentions to Finn that “If you live long enough… you see the same eyes in different people. I’m looking at the eyes of a man who wants to run.” She is clearly referring to Han Solo in A New Hope, a man who wanted to escape an imposing force. This makes Disney’s end goal painstakingly apparent; to milk the cash-cow as much as possible by providing the consumer with the same experience.

But let’s not just delve into “The Force Awakens.” While the films in the main saga were being developed, Disney came up with a way to fill in the yearly void, by producing separate “anthology” projects that would also be linked to the shared universe. This resulted in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” which was hotly anticipated by fans . The movie was supposed to tie into the original trilogy, yet still be entirely different in its approach. It had given avid fans hope, finally something that would be entirely innovative and unique in comparison to its predecessors. Unfortunately, this movie also didn’t live up to expectations, but not for the same reasons TFA didn’t. Rogue One was plagued with extensive re-shoots and behind-the-scenes drama, resulting in a movie that didn’t feel complete. The characters weren’t fleshed out, the plot was confusing, and the film was too dark in some aspects. The movie didn’t feel like a typical Star Wars film, and as a result, was missing that magical feeling one usually evokes in its viewers. Instead of giving the consumer a fresh and compelling new story, it focuses more on tying itself to the original trilogy. Again, Disney has milked the cash-cow without any innovative presence.

Ever since Lucasfilm was bought out by Disney, it appears that Star Wars’ essence has been sucked out of the property for the sake of an unearned profit. In the case of the “The Force Awakens”, the plot seems all too familiar with little differences to its predecessors. This is also the case for “Rogue One,” which values familiarity over substance. This leads me to my final point- the reason I believe Disney is losing its magic.

Re-watching the original films and comparing them to the new ones, I can safely say that Disney is trying to replicate the feeling of the originals by imitating them, as opposed to transforming the property with innovation. Instead of focusing on newly told storytelling, the newer films focus on incorporating the same elements of the original into their film.  What made the originals so compelling was the unique and experimental nature of them, something no one else saw before. The limited releases of its sequels also made it easier to appreciate them, something I believe the new movies lack. The pursuit of capital instead of interesting and unconventional concepts is the reason Star Wars is losing its magic.