My take on it was that they'd finally got someone on the script who had at least heard of Daoism. It's all about "what's right action?" (and about how badly preferring dignity to right action messes you up.) The mirror sequence with Rey, we get the sound of one hand clapping three times. "lifting rocks" -- before enlightenment, work hard. After enlightenment, work hard. Which are more associated with Zen now but have a long history. The tremendous clarity with which you get Rey going "there isn't a light side and a dark side, there's just the Force. You can experience it different ways". The saber-tossing in the fight scene! Yeah, light side, dark side, nope, this is all on you, kiddo. What tools are you picking up to solve what problem? Humility is essential; lofty descent is something of a hindrance.
I mean, I so regret not getting Leia beheading Snoke with a red lightsaber casually extracted from a capacious sleeve, muted Vader theme music in the background; I really wish the consequences of the mutiny were going to be more significant than it looks like they are. I INTENSELY wish the director for the next one wasn't Jar Jar Abrams. But this one? This one -- to my very considerable surprise! -- had something to say. I generally expect Star Wars to be opera; very pretty, much feels, but not substantial. I thought there was something to this one.
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Date: 2018-01-23 03:42 am (UTC)My take on it was that they'd finally got someone on the script who had at least heard of Daoism. It's all about "what's right action?" (and about how badly preferring dignity to right action messes you up.) The mirror sequence with Rey, we get the sound of one hand clapping three times. "lifting rocks" -- before enlightenment, work hard. After enlightenment, work hard. Which are more associated with Zen now but have a long history. The tremendous clarity with which you get Rey going "there isn't a light side and a dark side, there's just the Force. You can experience it different ways". The saber-tossing in the fight scene! Yeah, light side, dark side, nope, this is all on you, kiddo. What tools are you picking up to solve what problem? Humility is essential; lofty descent is something of a hindrance.
I mean, I so regret not getting Leia beheading Snoke with a red lightsaber casually extracted from a capacious sleeve, muted Vader theme music in the background; I really wish the consequences of the mutiny were going to be more significant than it looks like they are. I INTENSELY wish the director for the next one wasn't Jar Jar Abrams. But this one? This one -- to my very considerable surprise! -- had something to say. I generally expect Star Wars to be opera; very pretty, much feels, but not substantial. I thought there was something to this one.