‘Taylor Swift: Bad Blood’ Director Joseph Kahn Describes The Last Jedi’s Interpretation of The Force as “Meaningless Participation Trophy”
Taylor Swift: Bad Blood director Joseph Kahn took Disney and Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi to task with its depiction of the Force describing it as a “meaningless participation trophy.”
Kahn, who also directed the the R-rated Power Rangers fan film, praised Mark Hamill for his criticism of The Last Jedi and its treatment of Luke as well as Hamill’s acting.
Kahn began his critique of The Last Jedi praising Hamill.
Mark Hamill spent 4 decades with Luke Skywalker. Lucas created the character but Hamill brought him to life. If anyone knows what Luke would or wouldn’t do, it’s him. Actors are not props, they are storytellers.
— Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) December 12, 2019
Related: Mark Hamill Once Again Criticizes Luke Skywalker’s Portrayal in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
In fact, Kahn believes Hamill’s acting is underrated especially his portrayal of Luke’s reaction to the Vader reveal in The Empire Strikes Back.
Not enough credit goes to Hamill in bringing humanity to Star Wars. In a world of aliens and robots, Luke is a real person. Hamill’s performance in ESB during the Vader reveal is historically great acting. His reaction is pitch perfect, organic, heart breaking.
— Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) December 12, 2019
Kahn even credits Hamill’s acting and his portrayal of Luke Skywalker as a symbol of hope the reason why there are nine movies about the Skywalkers.
Why are there nine movies about Skywalkers? Because through Hamill, Skywalker is a symbol for hope. Each episodic branch leads back to him – the beating heart of the story. If you don’t love Luke, you don’t love Star Wars. You just like spaceships.
— Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) December 12, 2019
Related: 5 Reasons The Last Jedi Was The Worst Star Wars Movie Ever
Kahn would then target Disney and its “The Force is for everyone” tagline. He describes it as a “marketing gimmick.
“The Force is for everyone” is not a philosophy, it’s a marketing gimmick. Movies are told subjectively through a protagonist’s journey. We identify with Luke and relate to his underdog status. The Force is a metaphor, not a literal collective video game achievement.
— Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) December 12, 2019
He continues critiquing The Last Jedi and its depiction of The Force. He describes how The Last Jedi uses it as a “something to dole out to random broom kids.” He then adds, “It’s just a meaningless participation trophy that anyone can win. It’s removed of all metaphor or meaning.”
When we root for Hamill/Luke we are already rooting for ourselves. After Last Jedi, the Force is impersonal. Just something to dole out to random broom kids. It’s just a meaningless participation trophy that anyone can win. It’s removed of all metaphor or meaning.
— Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) December 12, 2019
Kahn concludes by offering his own hope that J.J. Abrams will contradict The Last Jedi and retcon Rey’s origin so that will be more “in tone with the classical hero’s journey.”
What is Star Wars about after Last Jedi? WhoTheFuckKnows.
In conclusion, Mark Hamill rules.
— Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) December 12, 2019
One last thought: I suspect JJ will contradict Last Jedi and retcon Rey’s origin to a more meaningful subjective metaphor in tone with the classical hero’s journey. It may work, but maybe not as well if they just told that story in the first place.
— Joseph Kahn (@JosephKahn) December 12, 2019
Bionic Woman Producer Kamran Pasha Uses Star Wars: The Last Jedi To Teach About Bad Screenwriting
Kahn is not alone his criticism of The Last Jedi. Bionic Woman producer Kamran Pasha revealed earlier this month he uses the film to teach about bad screenwriting.
I’ve done screenwriting seminars at Columbia, University of Chicago and other great schools. I always use STAR WARS to teach students how to write a screenplay. Now I add: “THE LAST JEDI will show you how to do it wrong.”
— Kamran Pasha (@kamranpasha) December 3, 2019
John Boyega Describes Finn’s Role in Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi as “A Bit Iffy”
Even John Boyega, who plays Finn threw some shade at The Last Jedi describing Finn’s role in the film as “a bit iffy.”
Boyega also noted that he “didn’t necessarily agree with a lot of the choices” in the film.
“I didn’t necessarily agree with a lot of the choices in that and that’s something that spoke to Mark [Hamill] a lot about and we had conversations about it. And it was hard for all of us, because we were separated.
What do you make of Kahn’s comments regarding The Last Jedi and how it treated Luke Skywalker and The Force?
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