Unlike many, I will NOT be seeing Star Wars: The Force Awakens today. I'm going to see it, but it will be after the Holidays, the furor, and the huge crowds have died down. In fact, it might be after the New Year before I get around to seeing it.
Fortunately, I don't care much about spoilers and what-not, because reading someone writing about a movie is totally different than watching it on the big screen. In fact, I'm hoping that the professional critics hate the thing, because that means I've got a better chance of liking it.
That said, what I will ignore are the people who try to make a political case from the world of fantasy. I'm always amazed that this happens and then I'm reminded that functional idiots like Melissa Harris Perry and the folks at Vox are still stealing oxygen. Of course, the Right has their own gang of idiots as well. Including those who (sarcastically in many cases) argue for the Galactic Empire.
I prefer to keep my sci-fi fairly politically neutral. It's a "judgment safe space" if you will. So, while I look forward to seeing the film I plan to wait a while to allow the furor to die down, for the anger to subside, and for the crowds to thin so I can sit and enjoy it in a quiet theatre.
I also have a confession to make. I didn't HATE the 2nd trilogy as much as others. Yes, there were plot holes big enough to drive a Mack Truck through, Jar Jar Binks was an utterly unlikable character and the casting decisions for Anikan Skywalker throughout were awful. But the prequel trilogy did some things right as well. The Universe was beautifully rendered, with Coruscant being exactly what it should have been. The outer-rim planets were properly developing nature in appearance and the rise of the Emperor, and his ability to outsmart and out-Force a diminished Jedi order, were well done. I also thought the fight scenes were much better, especially the light-saber duals.
I'm currently in the process of re-watching all six of the prior movies and I'm not remembering the hatred that I've been convinced I had for the 2nd Trilogy this time around. Still, there's no denying that the 2nd 3 were way below the 1st 2 in terms of quality, but I'm not entirely sure that they are all that much worse than Return of the Jedi, which was a sloppy wrap-up to two previous movies that felt rushed and more designed to sell toys than complete the story.
I will maintain, to this day, that the final light-saber battle between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi Wan Kanobi and Darth Maul is the best fight scene in any of the movies. The next three are going to have to do some work to top it. I'm not sure if they can. Also, the soundtrack, by John Williams, was spectacular in the 2nd trilogy, on-par with the first, but for different reasons.
So bring on The Force Awakens. Here's to returning to long ago, in a galaxy far, far away.
