“Every Star Wars Film that’s ever been or ever will he made have people across the spectrum of how they’ve felt about it,” said Rian Johnson, the writer/director of The Last Jedi. Now that the eighth installment of Star Wars’ Skywalker Saga is available for purchase on VOD, fans (and detractors) can revisit what turned out to be one of the most polarizing films in the series’ canon.
During SXSW, The Director and the Jedi, a documentary about the making of The Last Jedi, premiered at SXSW. Speaking at the red carpet prior to the film’s screening, Johnson spoke about the fans’ polarizing reactions, as well as why he spent some time after its theatrical release explaining some of the film’s plot points.
“I went out a little bit after I came out and did some conversations,” Johnson explained, “but I feel like everything that’s there is in the movie. And talking to the fans, I feel that most people don’t feel the need to get clarification. So, I feel like maybe it’s time to stop explaining things and let the movie live.”
When asked if he was surprised by some of the negative reactions, Johnson said he was, but “I guess I shouldn’t have been.”
“I haven’t grown up in the Star Wars fan world. In retrospect, you never want to upset people, but the fact that it’s triggered everything from extreme love to extreme hate maybe means we did something right.”
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now available on digital platforms. You can own the Blu-ray on March 27.
