torode

In evaluating this film I think it is necessary to identify what it set out to be from the outset, and whether it successfully executed that in an entertaining way. I don't think many people went into the theater expecting to see a mainline Star Wars film with broad in-universe repercussions. None of the marketing, down to the visual tone of the posters, suggested anything other than a golden age popcorn action flick. I think the movie executed on its vision successfully. The linear narrative gave this movie the fast pacing that is needed for this kind of movie. The things we didn't need to know happened off screen, and the plot points simply helped the story get to the different action set pieces. There were obviously fan-service references and homages smattered throughout. This is unmistakably occurring within the Star Wars universe. Would I have liked to see a couple of things new or unexpected, or perhaps a little more evolution in the main characters? Sure. But if you do that, the movie could end up leaving too many questions unanswered, and it stops being a standalone story. I have spoken.

An unashamed John Wick action clone, but without the world building to make the story compelling. It is also peppered with certain camera framings you can tell the director insisted on only to clumsily recreate their anime inspirations. It is also painfully clear which scenes were filmed in another country due to the unrealistic emphasis on neon signage. The bright spot was the above average acting of the Japanese cast, despite some accent issues.