‘Star Wars’: Kevin Smith Weighs In On The Backlash Against ‘Last Jedi’

Star Wars: The Last Jedi has prompted passionate debate since it was released exactly one month ago, with many asserting that the latest chapter of the saga is one of the worst films in the franchise. Now, filmmaker Kevin Smith has commented on the strong negative reactions to the film and discussed why he believes The Last Jedi was a disappointment to so many viewers during his Fatman on Batman podcast.

Smith weighed in on the backlash against the film, calling certain reactions to the film “vitriolic”:

“Some people, it hit them the wrong way in a big way. I’ve seen, it’s not just people going like, ‘Oh, I didn’t like it,’ when they don’t like it. It’s vitriolic, as if somebody fucked up their childhood.”

The fan-favorite director explained why he believes the promotional material for the film played a role in the backlash:

“I think at the end of the day, audience expectation plays into [the backlash]. Like when, you know, you’re like, ‘Alright the next movie is going to be all about Luke and I’ve seen Luke in the trailer and I know exactly who Luke Skywalker is and now he looks like Obi-Wan so he’s going to be like this version of Obi-Wan,’ and then they give you a version of Luke that even Mark Hamill reportedly was like ‘I don’t know, is this really supposed to be Luke Skywalker? He’s not the one I remember.’”

Despite the polarizing reactions, The Last Jedi recently became the 10th highest-grossing film of all-time.

In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern, Kelly Marie Tran and Benicio del Toro.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now playing in theaters!

Source: Fatman on Batman (via Indie Wire)