What Looper Might Tell Us About Star Wars: Episode VIII
Rian Johnson Review
I loved Brick, so when the trailer for Looper dropped I was incredibly optimistic. Walking out of the theater I remember thinking that it was okay, but feeling generally disappointed. I never watched it again — and rarely thought about it — until earlier today.
As a Star Wars fan I am, of course, beyond ecstatic about the new films. I had read recently that Rian Johnson listed off a number of classic war films that are influencing Episode VIII including Bridge on the River Kwai, Twelve O’Clock High, Letter Never Sent, and a few others. I plan on doing a series of posts where I speculate how these movies might play a role in shaping Star Wars, but first I thought it might be fun to look back at Johnson’s work to see what we can glean.
Spoilers for Episode VII and Looper Below!
While I found it to be hardly memorable the first time around, I have to say it definitely deserved a second shot. In hindsight I think I was a bit of a brat about the mechanics of time travel and that’s what kept me from enjoying it (though I think Johnson himself would vindicate me on this point). I also just think it’s fun/easy to make fun of the movie. I spent all day walking around the apartment screaming “Hey kid — ya gonna get loop’d!” at the cats.
Johnson has a way of making things feel old without feeling dated. Even the future feels old in Looper. Add to this his ability to write strong dialogue and clever wit and you can see why he was tapped to helm Episode VIII. I’ve picked out five things that I hope are indicative of what Rian Johnson can do for the Star Wars universe.
5. Tech As An Afterthought
One of the big mistakes I think the Star Wars prequel trilogy made was in playing too much with the special effects tools available. While on the one hand it is absolutely delightful to have the technology to make the universe look real — to really make it feel extremely advanced — on the other hand it really isn’t what Star Wars is about. In the end, much of the SFX sprinkled into later iterations of the home release of the original trilogy and that were crammed into the prequels was distracting and still looked pretty janky.
Johnson sprinkles in the tech, but at all times focuses on the characters and their relationships. High-tech devices, fancy weaponry, and other gadgets don’t really work their way onto the screen. When they do they’re integrated seamlessly. It never feels as though he’s wagging it in our faces asking us if we think it’s neat.
This isn’t to say that science fiction tech isn’t cool. It definitely is. It shouldn’t be the filmmakers’ primary focus, though, and it’s clear that Johnson is capable of focusing on characters, relationships, and story structure while sprinkling in some thoughtful inventions that add to the movie rather than hog the spotlight.
4. Better Dialogue
Look: Star Wars is what it is. I get it. I love it. It’s really not worth dissecting the original trilogy and discussing some of the more awkward lines and crap dialogue. They don’t particularly stand out in this regard when compared to other movies of their time. That being said, as we move into a new era it will be interesting to see how Rian Johnson — a very dialogue-centered writer — handles Episode VIII.
3. Awesome First Order Stormtrooper Battles
There’s a sequence at the end of Looper where Kid Blue tazes and captures Bruce Willis and drags him back to Abe like a cat with a trophy mouse. Willis proceeds to just annihilate everyone around him, and the next few minutes make it clear that Johnson can definitely deliver a Stormtrooper battle. Not long after that we’re treated to an Endor-style speeder fight (albeit a short one). Really, the last quarter of this film feels like Johnson was unconsciously auditioning to write and direct Star Wars.
2. Interesting Henchfolk and Dynamic Villains
Kid Blue (played by Noah Segan) is just such a great character. He’s a numbskull with something to prove. The foil to Gordon-Levitt’s Joe, Kid Blue is pathetic, but in a way that makes him endearing. He’s desperate for approval, cocksure without the skill to back it up, and incorrigible despite his pleas to the contrary.
While he may not be the central antagonist of the movie, Abe (played by Jeff Daniels) is phenomenal. Much like the Kingpin in Brick, Abe is confident in his throne, cool under pressure, and multifaceted. Action movies typically get away with a cardboard villain single-mindedly chasing a goal. Abe is a refreshing departure from the cartoonish bad guys we’ve seen in many box office shoot ’em ups.
Now look at Abrams’ treatment of Captain Phasma, FN-2199 (traitor stormtrooper), and General Hux. All three of them are enticing characters, but the need to introduce three new protagonists plus Kylo Ren, lay the groundwork for Han’s demise, and redeem the franchise left little room to flesh them out. If we’re lucky Johnson can bring Phasma and Hux to life — though it’s unlikely he’ll bring Nines back to life.
While he’s at it, despite the fact that Episode VIII picks up at the precise moment we left off, we’re undoubtedly going to see growth and maturity in Kylo Ren, and as he develops as the primary antagonist it’s exciting to think that his personality is in the hands of Rian Johnson.
1. Force Rage
We’ve seen Kylo Ren go nuts on a console with his lightsaber. We’ve seen his childish temper tantrums. But have we seen his cold, dead eyes and simmering rage while his incredible grip on the dark side of the force absolutely ravages everything around him?
The thing about the Star Wars cinematic universe is that we really haven’t seen much in the way of interpersonal devastation. Darth Vader doesn’t show us much — just your run of the mill lightsaber battle and a little force choking. We get a lot more flip-jump-spin-slash stuff in the prequels, but we still haven’t truly seen a Star Wars villain straight up terrify our heroes with their power. Here’s hoping that instead of another planet-destroying superweapon, Johnson turns Kylo Ren into a one-man-army with unbelievable power.
Bonus: Space Drugs
