Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been proving somewhat controversial ever since it was released last week, with the general consensus being that the ninth and final chapter is okay at best. However, this being the internet, where every piece of pop culture is either heavily-praised or the victim of a targeted online hate campaign, The Rise of Skywalker is being absolutely slaughtered by certain sections of the fanbase.
J.J. Abrams has been very diplomatic in his response to the criticism so far, arguing that everyone who has an opinion on the movie is right. And if it seems like we’ve been here before with Star Wars, it’s because we have. The Rise of Skywalker is turning out to be the most divisive Star Wars movie since, well, the last one, with Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi generating levels of hate the likes of which the long-running sci-fi series had never seen.
The backlash against the movie was so widespread, in fact, that it became a recurring question in interviews, with the cast and key creatives frequently addressing why The Last Jedi turned out to be so polarizing. With the focus now shifted to The Rise of Skywalker, fans have been voicing their displeasure by getting the hashtag #ThankYouRianJohnson trending on Twitter, leading to the filmmaker to respond, which you can see below:
Endlessly awed by your passion, creativity, anger, joy, positivity, excitement, engagement and love. You continuously defy every cynical narrative. You’re the best. #thankyoustarwarsfans
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) December 24, 2019
Things have certainly changed in the fanbase if Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now being praised, especially given the sheer volume of abuse the eighth installment received following its release. Modern fans can be so fickle at times, and the fact that the most hated Star Wars movie ever made is now being subjected to overwhelming praise in the wake of reactions to The Rise of Skywalker only serves to illustrate that point.
