The ‘Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy May Have Flaws, But It Also Has the Best Acting in the Franchise
The Star Wars franchise is beloved by fans all over the world. Even if critics have not always agreed, fans love the films, the characters, and the incredible scenarios. Still, the sequel trilogy, consisting of the films The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, have become notorious within the fan community for how divisive they are. While there are many fan theories about why the sequel trilogy fell flat, fans are united on one thing at least — and that is the quality of the acting in the three films.
‘Star Wars’ has always caused fan controversy
From the very beginning, Star Wars has been the subject of intense conversation. In 1977, when the very first film was released, the internet wasn’t available for fans, so they discussed every aspect of the movie in person, at fan conventions, and at crowded bars. These days, with over nine films and a wealth of related materials in the Star Wars universe, fans have endless subjects to discuss, and generally, these discussions take place on the internet.
Fan theories abound when it comes to Star Wars, with viewers weighing in on the characters, the storylines, and the scripts. Still, the fan community has gotten a bad reputation over the past few years. Some online discourse has proven to be remarkably negative, with fans speaking out aggressively about certain actors and directors. Sadly, a fan community that once started out of love for the movie-making process has now become known as “toxic,” according to Esquire, especially after the release of the sequel trilogy. In spite of it all, the actors in the franchise have risen above it all, with many of them going on to become massive stars, including Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill.
The ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy was very divisive
The first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy was released in 2015. The Force Awakens was a huge moneymaker, and many fans loved it, but others were not so sure. With Disney’s recent acquisition of the franchise, many fans accused the studio of “ruining” Star Wars and of not truly understanding what the space saga is about. Others complained that the storyline was too similar to 1977’s Star Wars, and didn’t have enough originality to make the film interesting.
With the release of The Last Jedi and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, the fan community gained even more ammunition. Many were angry about various aspects of the films and about the trilogy, in general. Still, once again, the acting has proven to be a redeeming factor in the community.
Fans think that the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy has great acting
In a recent Reddit thread, fans dissected the quality of the acting in the sequel trilogy. There’s no doubt that the films have featured some incredible talent, including the up and coming star Adam Driver, and the charismatic actress Daisy Ridley. As one poster stated, “Adam Driver is on another level.” Another fan said that “definitely some of my favorite acting moments of the ST are the simmering rivalry between Kylo and Hux.”
Many other fans praised Adam Driver, while others pointed to Mark Hamill’s turn in The Last Jedi, saying that “Mark Hamill killed it in The Last Jedi. Everyone was exceptional but I think that is a shining performance of his already illustrious career.” Another poster said: “Hamill deserved an Oscar for that performance. End of story.” Clearly, while there is a lot of discord surrounding the sequel trilogy, the acting is one thing that has the ability to unite otherwise divided fans.
