I went to a Star Wars movie that turned into a Harry Potter movie

Rating: 1/10 (29 December 2017)

When I walked out the movie theater with my friends and we discussed what we thought of the movie the first words out of my mouth were "I thought I bought a ticket to a Star Wars movie, but halfway through it turned into a Harry Potter movie". The scene I'm referring to where the franchise really "jumped the shark" is where Rose and Finn break those animals out of the stables and ride them out trying to escape. And that to me is the big disconnect with this film. On a very surface level, there is no denying that it is an entertaining film. Big space battles that blow stuff up? Check. Lots of laser blasts from one batch of toys fighting another batch of toys? Check. Great sound and special effects? Yeah this movie had it as well. But at the end of the day, the plot, acting, and everything else about this movie was something I would have expected from a Harry Potter movie not a Star Wars movie. I'm not saying that as a slight to the Harry Potter films at all (I enjoyed them), but that's not what I want from a Star Wars movie. But sadly this is what we should all expect from Disney's future direction for this franchise. And as long as these films make oodles of money at the box office (which they will since they are Star Wars after all), Disney will feel justified in making these decisions. I'm just incredibly sad because I thought this franchise was going in a much better direction a la Rogue One (an incredible Star Wars film in my opinion). I highly suspect the upcoming Solo movie is going to be a similar disappointment where they retcon Han Solo as a carbon copy of Star-Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy...