Generation Gap

I braved my fatigued physique and drooping eyelids to watch the night screening of the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Although it was the second day of screening in this serene town, the crowd somehow was pathetically dismal and lukewarm. No long queues or ostentious dressing up. People here do sleep early.

It was an average movie, from my point of view. Rather disappointing, but anticipatory. It did provide a good closure to the 6 series, which I would proudly boast of having seen all of them.

I am not a Star Wars fan frankly. But it has been a childhood fantasy for me, and my Generation X. It was afterall nostalgic. I remember vividly how my brother and I would plant our bums 1 metre away in front of the box, intensely following every episode and favourite character of the series. The familiar soundtrack became a classic, as did the movies. We even read the book to keep up with the hooks and details of the saga. And I wonder why we would become densely myopic at such a young tender age...

The leading actors and actress were charismatic and endearing. I do recall having a big crush on Mark Hamil...or his charming character of Luke Skywalker...whatever...And the delightful chemistry between Princess Leia and Hans Solo. The Ewoks were reminiscent of my cute little teddy bears and R2D2 was simply a legend! Yes, yes, there were the quietly humble Yoda, and the reverent, older and less handsome Obi-Wan of course...

The newer modern versions were obviously letdowns, masqueraded by the stunning and somewhat excessively confusing special effects. The pretty-boy/girl castings of Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman were perhaps the only saviours of the series. The "extracurricular" creatures like Jar Jar Binx , General Grievous or their likes were extremely fake and irritating to the core. The stories were so entangled and complex that they paled miserably in comparison to the simplicity and yet sophisticated touch attached to the earlier films.

My younger friend from another "era" commented that it was perhaps a good thing that he had not watched the earlier episodes since they would have actually been a continuation of the newer sequels. Unfortunately, the charms of Luke Skywalker, Leia and Hans Solo belonged to our era and were integral figments of our childhood, which will not be wholly appreciated by the newer generation who has been dazzled by the technical replacements. It is not so much of the sequence of the stories, but rather the state and purity of our minds then.

"May the Force be with you."