Many fans have had issues with the sequels. Movie elements, such as the writing, strained plots, and uninteresting characters, are among the criticisms. We may also pinpoint JJ Abrams as the worst choice for director of The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, which set a tone for the other two films. Here are some compelling reasons to take that position.
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Abrams as the Worst Choice for the Sequels
Among the reasons why we may think that JJ Abrams was the worst choice to direct and co-write two of the sequels is his apparent dislike of the prequels. He seemed to want to ignore “anything from the PT” and made audiences “feel completely disconnected from the place the previous films took place in.”
Other fans share this criticism. One post specifies how it seemed that Abrams was “rather vindictive about the prequels, wanting to blow up Coruscant” and include “a dead Jar Jar as an Easter egg.” These points add up to the idea that Abrams sought to preclude the prequel era, which shut out connections to the larger galaxy.
This video elaborates on Abrams’ desire to destroy Coruscant, but how LucasFilm decided against this move. After watching The Force Awakens, some fans were upset because they believed that Coruscant had been blown up. But the critiques continued when it seemed apparent that Abrams wanted to do away with any connection to the prequels.
As for the Jar Jar easter egg, Abrams commented on how he wanted to put this character’s bones in a desert scene. Not all fans may have objected to this decision, but it tended to reflect a distaste for the prequel movies.
According to the top Reddit discussion, another reason why Abrams was the wrong choice was how he cast aside what the original trilogy had done with “ending the empire.” Not only did the First Order rise quickly, but we also encountered “no patience for setting up a story” with areas like Rey knowing the Force. The premise appeared shaky and rushed from the start.
In this Critique of the Sequels, we may place at least some of the blame on Abrams for not “competently” building on the original and telling a unique story. If we felt strongly enough, we may agree that “a foolish approach to creating a trilogy hurt every film in it.” We can recognize the lack of planning and “absence of direction” for turning the sequels wayward.
One point in particular is how Rian Johnson had to figure out why Luke was off on an island. We can see how little to no collaboration occurred from director to director. Moreover, we could argue that “every problem” with the next two films “originates from The Force Awakens.”
Other Reasons for Abrams as the Worst Choice
After Abrams returned to direct and co-write The Rise of Skywalker, he talked about how he clashed with Kathleen Kennedy and LucasFilm over the vision for the film. In essence, he placed “blame on Kennedy and those at LucasFilm” for the entire sequel series. Abrams may have a point, but this discord reflects that he probably bears a good portion of the blame.
As this article claims, “the overarching issues present in the sequels can be traced back to Abrams.” Having Luke “disappear” is one of the underlying problems, which stems back to Abrams’ creative decisions. So too, we may argue was the decision to “split up the main trio in the first act” of Force Awakens. This decision undermined cohesion among the new heroes and was only corrected by the third movie.
Opinions will continue to be divided over Abrams, with some pointing more at LucasFilm or The Last Jedi as the root of the problem. Yet, the lack of a “coherent plan” from the start has to be attributable to some degree to the director of the first movie.
Abrams and the Sequels
While fans critique the sequels for several reasons, we can make a valid case for why Abrams was the wrong choice for them. From distancing the first film from the prequels to not effectively building on the original movies, we can see shortcomings. Other areas include a lack of collaboration and coherence across the three films.