Star Wars Hype Rising...Rising

The title of the new Star Wars film is The Force Awakens and to me, that reveal is more exciting than any Avengers trailer or Batmobile unveiling.  Star Wars titles are never the best as I remember complaining about how dumb Attack of the Clones sounded and how that movie would have a lot to make up for.  Unfortunately, the title was the best part of that film which contained scenes of Jedi/Queen/coarse sand seduction that I have blocked out of my mind.  Otherwise the once dormant Star Wars obsessive in me is growing and I am drinking the Star Wars is back kool aid.  First, it was the announcement of the originals returning and the old school filming and set techniques being utilized that slowly nudged my Star Wars beast awake.  Next, it was involvement of actors I generally enjoy like your Adam Drivers and your Lupita Nyong’os.  The final awakening of the beast moment came with the leaked concept art footage which looked bizarre and fascinating.  A cyborg holding and nearly fondling Darth Vader’s rusted helmet?  Scavengers living in downed AT-AT walkers?  That was the moment when my caution turned into cautious optimism and excitement for the holiday season of 2015.  The fact that C3P0 himself says that this film will be better than The Empire Strikes Back warms the heart that has been betrayed by midi-chlorians and a certain character whose name starts with Jar Jar.  Even as a kid I knew that Jar Jar Binks was an abomination and it only took me ten theatrical viewings to confirm my belief on the matter. 

I’m excited about Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens or Star Wars 7: Quest to Remember Why We loved Star Wars in the First Place.  If you thought the Marvel Avenger’s preview was a thrill ride wait till we get a little teaser for Episode 7.  People will be rioting in the streets.  None of the these superhero movies can compare to the original Sci-fi fantasy blockbuster (it’s fucking Star Wars with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia, what more do you people want?).  Plus when will the movie going populous feel superhero blockbuster fatigue?  Marvel has pumped out quality movies for over a decade, but fatigue of seeing the similar characters and stories must pump in eventually.  All these new Marvel films are going to have some sort of overlap and crisscross which will make it impossible to view one film without viewing them all.  These films are going to become more complicated than the comics they’re based on.  DC hasn’t had the movie success of Marvel (they succeed mostly on the smaller screen), but still the fatigue factor has to be in play with these films.  DC adheres to a formula of gritty and serious with a corollary of absolutely no humor of smiling (or so is their plan for the future).  How many gritty comic book movies and stories can the public handle?  Even Batman the Animated Series had episodes that weren’t all dark and brooding.  Why the Joker sometimes was interested in living up to his namesake as a comedian and not just a cold blooded anarchist killer.  Superhero films are big now but so where westerns for a great while.  I’m curious to see the day that the superhero film falls out of favor and I’m curious to see what could replace it as the dominant movie genre/tentpole film?  But those are questions that will be relevant in around 40 years after Marvel’s phase 12 and DC’s 4^th across the board gritty reboot.

Star Wars is not the antidote for those feeling superhero film fatigue.  Again, it’s still Star Wars and is one of the biggest grossing series of all time.  People aren’t as up on this film as they were the first prequels because they saw the prequels.  But regardless nothing can compare to the hype of a new Star Wars film and the promises it holds.  I’ll be there on opening night with the rest of the fans waiting in nervous anticipation that we don’t have another Phantom Menace debacle.  Otherwise I say it’s time to get hyped for Star Wars because again, it’s fucking Star Wars.