One big thing Star Wars is getting WRONG

PG-13 rating

SPOILER ALERT! This post discusses specific plot points of the first SIX Star Wars movies, but it DOES NOT include spoilers for Episode VII: The Force Awakens. If you haven’t yet seen Episodes I-VI, consider yourself warned that key details will be discussed below. 

 

I love “Star Wars”. I remember seeing the original trilogy at The Uptown Theatre in DC when I was a kid, loving every minute of these amazing space spaghetti Westerns that George Lucas created for us. The popularity of the original “Star Wars” even earned it a posthumous retitling, where “Episode IV: A New Hope” became part of the name in all of the marketing material instead of just the opening crawl. “The Empire Strikes Back” (Episode V) is one of the few sequels to be truly on par with the original (if not, in some ways, better), and “Return of the Jedi” (Episode VI) was a solid end to the original three, marred only by the Ewoks’ ear-clogging “Jub Jub” song.

Fast forward 14 years, and “Special” editions are rolled-out: enhanced, re-CGI’ed, and–unfortunately–altered states of reality, such as one where Greedo shot first. (I don’t care what manner of Sith torture they aim at me, HAN SHOT FIRST and you’ll never get me to believe anything else.) Lucas used the new technology of the time to rewrite canon, not even deigning to feed us all retcon in our popcorn; the best part of these films was getting to see the majority of the movies we loved on the big screen again.

Starting a mere two years later, we got the prequels: Episodes I – III. These movies were problematic from start to finish. “Episode I: The Phantom Menace” was largely useless, introducing a character we’d love to hate (like Jar Jar Binks) and providing only minimal buildout of the Skywalker clan’s backstory. “Episode II: Attack of the Clones” fared better, although the brutally written love story of Anakin and Padme was enough to make Shakespeare spin in his grave; let Lucas build a universe, but for the love of all that’s holy, please never let him write another “romantic” line in a screenplay ever again. And then we come to “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith”, where Lucas finally had to finish what he started. It was at this point where he needed to show how Anakin became Darth Vader, and he also had to give out more doses of retcon when it came to the birth of the Skywalker twins, Luke and Leia.

(In “Return of the Jedi”, Leia explains to Luke that she only remembers her mother very slightly, and how beautiful and sad she was; we expect that this was supposed to be Padme–who later we see died in childbirth–so it’s either a continuity error or Lucas meant for that other woman to have been her adoptive mother, Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan.)

So, after all my complaining about Lucas’ poor writing skills and his being so utterly hypnotized by CGI advancement as to wreck key plot points, what is it that bothers me?

It’s the escalating violence–because it’s unclear that it consistently serves the plot although it does potentially jeopardize younger viewership.

The new film, “Episode VII: The Force Awakens”, received the same rating as Episode III: PG-13. These are the only two movies in the released slate of seven that have such a rating; the others were all PG (the original trilogy completed a year before the PG-13 rating was introduced). Now, granted, bad things have to happen to Anakin in order for him to turn into the part-metal Sith Lord that we would see from Episodes IV-VI. And it’s totally understandable that it couldn’t all happen off-screen; you need to see the impassable breach between Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan mutilating Anakin and leaving him for dead certainly provides ample justification. But still, there’s plenty of violence and death in Episodes I and II, and both sported PG ratings. In fact, when “The Empire Strikes Back” was re-released in the “Special Edition” format, the rating was reaffirmed as PG, even when PG-13 was a possibility.

DD wanted to see “The Force Awakens” when it came out, so we got her caught up using the “Machete” order (IV-V-II-III-VI), and she was distressed by the violence at the end of Episode III. Truth be told, the Emperor’s torture of Luke at the end of “Return of the Jedi” didn’t sit too well with her, either, but at least it wasn’t nearly so gory as a half-melted, de-limbed Anakin flailing on a beach of cooling lava.

Without getting spoilery on “The Force Awakens”, I can say that it earned its PG-13 rating. Much like Episode III, “The Force Awakens” features scenes of “science fiction violence”, and it isn’t always pretty. Should a nine-year-old see this film? Well, that depends on the nine-year-old, doesn’t it? DH and I went to see the movie Saturday night because YEAY DOUBLE DATE NIGHT and also because we wanted to screen the movie for dd to determine whether it would be suitable for her. It wasn’t at “Game of Thrones Level” (a show dh has long-since stopped watching because the amount of violence and gore exceeded his tolerances by Season Two), but there were a few scenes where it was clear why the MPAA rated it PG-13 instead of PG.

I talked about this a bit on my personal Facebook account, and one of my friends wondered aloud if I thought this way because I am a parent, if my judgment on this was clouded (or biased) by the fact that I was trying to shield my child from something that may be disturbing to her. That’s fair, but it doesn’t diminish my belief that if they could do five out of six films at a level that was rated PG (or if we go with the “modern era”, two out of three), they could make this one PG, too. Did the manner and level of “science fiction violence” advance the plot or contribute in some major way, as it really had to at the end of “Revenge of the Sith”? In my mind, no.  I think it could’ve been toned down ever so mildly to get it to a PG and keep the audience options a bit more open.

If the marketing is any indication, Star Wars is being targeted at both the parents and the kids, with the sweet spot for the kids’ merchandise being below the age range generally able to handle a PG-13 film. A quick search of Target’s website showed that the largest age group targeted for Star Wars products is 3-9 years old. A similar search of the Kohl’s website showed the target age range as “Little Kids” (typically sizes/ages 7 and below), and the number of “Toddler” items was nearly the same as that for “Big Kids” (8 on up). Of course, the Disney juggernaut also paints the world Marvel every time they release a new MCU film, BUT those movies were PG-13 from the get-go and never had a claim to a straight-up PG. They started at the higher rating and stayed there. It’s a matter of consistency in messaging; the merchandise is a signal for the positioning in terms of accessibility and target viewers, as well as who holds the wallet.

Now, I say all of this not having been in the room with J.J. Abrams and Co. as they saw what they would have to do to get to PG and made the decision not to go there. I’m sure they had their reasons. But, much as sex is used to sell everything from burgers to automobiles, I’d like to hope that the violence will be used only as it’s actually needed and that it will only be employed to advance the plot–not to distract from a lack of it. Part of what made “Star Wars” such an incredible franchise, aside from the depths of its philosophy and richness of storylines, is that it’s accessible. The PG-13 rating may seem like no big deal to those of us well past that age, but if the filmmakers want to keep opening this up to the next generation as soon as possible, they need to make sure that they’re doing a bang up job of balancing the needs of the Jedi masters with those of the younglings.

Movie Review: “He Named Me Malala”

He Named Me Malala

“It is better to live like a lion for one day than to live like a slave for 100 years.” The soft, high-pitched voice of Malala Yousafzai opens the documentary of her extraordinary life so far, “He Named Me Malala”. At age 15, Malala was shot by Talibani fighters who wanted to silence her message of empowerment for girls. There’s no way these men could have envisioned how much power she would wield in the aftermath.

Her father, Zaiuddin–an educator and activist, encouraged her to speak her mind. When she was approached to ghostwrite a BBC blog about life under Taliban rule, she knew that she was putting herself in danger. Still, she struggled against the prohibitions and restrictions of the Talibs (as she referred to them), so the blogging provided her a necessary outlet for venting her frustration by exposing what was going on in her town, which is situated about 100 miles from Islamabad, Pakistan, in the Swat Valley.

 

Zaiuddin and Malala

Zaiuddin and Malala

 

Malala admits that were her father a more traditional man, things would have been different. “If I had an ordinary father,” she explains, “I would have two children by now.” Bear in mind that Malala is only 18 years old. Her father’s influence is inescapable, as they are seen cuddling, chatting–even, amusingly, navigating Zaiuddin’s first tweet.

From the beginning of her life, Zaiuddin was there to set her on a path to be out front. He named her for a martyred female fighter because he expected her to be an activist. When she was born, Zaiuddin sat down with the family tree and pondered the complete lack of any women’s names on the page. He then added the name of the girl who would become his eldest child: Malala. Her mother, Toor Pekai, had attended school when she was younger, but she dropped out early when she realized she was the only girl. Settling into their exile in Birmingham, England, Toor Pekai seems to have the greatest difficulty adjusting to the new life, although even Malala admits that it’s hard to fit in among the English girls. Her voice is tinged with sadness as she describes that she doesn’t fit in, but she can’t go home. Perhaps that’s the lot in life for someone so remarkable.

 

Malala explains where she grew up

Malala explains where she grew up

 

Zaiuddin addresses the attempt on her life by saying, when asked who shot her, “It is not a person–it is an ideology.” Her very existence is a nose thumb to the idea that girls (and women) are somehow lesser. The Nobel Prize she won at 17 is further testament to that. At one point, when considering the importance of speaking out, Zaiuddin explains, “If I don’t speak, I would be the most sinful and guilty person in this world.” It’s clear his ethos is carried well forward in his daughter.

It would be easy to reduce Malala to a living doll, a cardboard cutout that gets trotted out whenever there needs to be representation of a girl who survived adversity and challenges antiquated notions of women’s roles in society. When Boko Haram kidnapped hundreds of young girls in Nigeria, Malala was asked to come and intervene. “I’m still 17. I’m still a teenager. What can I do to help?” she wondered. Her very presence inspires confidence that things can be different.

 

Atal and Malala Yousafzai

Atal and Malala

 

Even so, she’s still a teenager and a human being. Good portions of the movie are devoted to showing her clowning around with her brothers (who give as good as they get when it comes to snark and sarcasm). She searches online for pictures of Brad Pitt and Roger Federer. She’s a sweet young lady who has the poise of a woman easily twice her age.

Interspersed throughout the movie, as the story moves through the details of the attempted assassination, her subsequent rehabilitation, and the seemingly non-stop world tour that followed, animations are woven throughout to illustrate more vividly the experiences that shaped her existence. In drawings reminiscent of Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis”, you see the story of the Malala for whom she was named, as well as the dejection of Toor Pekai at the point when she abandoned her own schooling.

At times brutal in its honesty, “He Named Me Malala” is a breathtaking salute to a young woman who has defied every odd set against her. It creates context for those who haven’t heard the breadth and depth of her story, and it is–at times–unrelenting. You see Malala with her family, enjoying moments as any family might, but it is impossible to escape the knowledge that the self-imposed exile is all that saves her from the Taliban finishing the job they started a few years ago.

An author and Nobel laureate before 18 years old, Malala has a story worth hearing. One can only hope that this is just the first chapter in a long, long series.

 

4 out of 4 stars

“He Named Me Malala” opens nationwide on October 9, 2015. This movie is rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving disturbing images and threats.

Movie Review: “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation movie poster

It’s been a few years since we last saw Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), and very little about him has changed in the intervening period. He’s still the same (mostly) stoic fellow, leading a team comprised primarily of the tech-savvy Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), with field-agent-turned-high-ranking-analyst-slash-desk-jockey William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) back stopping things from the DC-area. In this fifth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise, Hunt squares off against The Syndicate, a shadowy organization introduced at the tail end of 2011’s “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”.

 

William Brandt, played by Jeremy Renner, and Luther Stickell, played by Ving Rhames

William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames)

 

The Syndicate is busy shaping the world through the deliberate sowing of chaos and destruction–or so Hunt thinks. As he chases down what others consider merely a phantom or a figment of his overactive imagination, he crosses paths several times with the just-as-mysterious Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), whose steely gaze, badass moves, and strange unwillingness to pick a side both attract and confuse Hunt.

 

Ilsa Faust, played by Rebecca Ferguson

Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson)

 

Further complicating matters is that Hunt is collecting nemeses all over the place. Just as The Syndicate is trying to shut him down, so is CIA Director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin). Hunt dives headlong into a search of missing and presumed-dead agents from intelligence agencies worldwide, as he runs into several of them while pursuing The Syndicate. The trouble with The Syndicate, though, is that Hunt always seems to be one step behind them–an infuriating position for an agent typically used to being several moves ahead of his opponents.

Faust pops up periodically as Hunt chases The Syndicate through London, Vienna and Casablanca–including a stunning performance backstage at “Turandot” in Vienna, where Ferguson is wearing a silk dress as though she’s doing it a favor. The symbolism of the opera isn’t lost; in fact, the leitmotif of the eponymous character follows Faust throughout the movie from that point on, as she routinely leaves Hunt questioning her motives and allegiance.

 

Ilsa Faust, played by Rebecca Ferguson

Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) proving sisters are doing it for themselves

 

“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” succeeds spectacularly is in its stunts and action sequences; it charges hard and fast throughout the majority of its two-hour, eleven minute run time, and Ferguson displays as much grit as she did in her title role as STARZ’s “White Queen”, but with far more gymnastic ability and an excess of endlessly impractical sky-high heels. Baldwin chews scenery with glee, relishing the opportunity to play the spoiler for Hunt, and Sean Harris’s turn as Solomon Lane makes one wonder if he has ice water running through his veins.

 

Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) hanging off the side of a plane, because starting a movie off calmly isn’t the “MI” style

 

As much as I loved this movie–and while I truly do believe this is the “Mission: Impossible” franchise’s best outing since the first in the series–its greatest failing is in how it handled some of its actors. Cruise couldn’t be more wooden, although he clearly enjoys his time as a stuntman. Renner is effectively wasted as Brandt; for a character introduced only one movie ago as having serious field agent skills, he’s relegated mostly to staring at Hunt with moony eyes, wishing he were that cool. He’s never let off leash, and that’s a terrific shame for an actor who sports both acting AND action chops.

 

Alan Hunley, played by Alec Baldwin, and Benji Dunn, played by Simon Pegg

CIA Director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) interrogating Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), in a rare serious and emotive moment allowed of Pegg

 

But the worst crime is in the handling of Pegg’s Dunn. Introduced in 2006’s “Mission: Impossible III”, Dunn is seen as a standout technology whiz in an organization with more than its fair share of smart people. Over his three movies, his lines increased in direct proportion to his application as comic relief. Benji has only a few scenes where he gets to be as serious as the material and, though Pegg is a brilliant comedian, it’s just unfair to make him the constant punchline when he has the capacity to be just as steely as the rest of the crew.

Of the veterans, Rhames, at least, seems to get exactly what he wants, and he approaches his role with the relish of a man knowing he’s collecting a good paycheck no matter how much time he has on-screen. He seems to be having nearly as much fun as Ferguson, and his ease at fitting into Stickell’s skin is highly evident.

“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” is a fun thrill ride, despite its failure to capitalize on its talented stable of actors, particularly Renner and Pegg. What it does do, rather nicely, is provide some incredible action sequences and stunning performances by the likes of Ferguson and Harris, breathing new life into a franchise that’s perhaps not yet seen its last mission.

 

3 out of 4 stars

“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” opens nationwide on July 31, 2015. This movie is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and brief partial nudity.