There are two other illuminating segments in the documentary. The first deals with Johnson’s response to fan hatred for his efforts on The Last Jedi. The other is the “thanks but no thanks” attitude Bob Iger gave to George Lucas when it came to passing on his treatments and scripts. Instead, Iger and Kennedy gave it to the new kids at Disney to play with.
Where The Disney Star Wars Trilogy Documentary succeeds is in the way it documents fan reactions and charts the emotional downward spiral of the longtime fanbase. The film is a veritable who’s who of internet fandom featuring many known critics such as John Campea and Jeremy Jahns. Infamous YouTubers Geeks & Gamers, Nerdortic, and That Star Wars Girl are here as well. Even the never-controversial Ben Shapiro gets a few clips.
“…fair, level-headed, and comprehensive…”
My favorite moment of the movie happens when each of the sequels comes out. At first, there was a lot of excitement among fans and critics alike, lauding the return of Star Wars. However, as time passes, this excitement dissipates as if the rose-colored veil of fandom has lifted, and a new reality sets in. It’s fascinating to see this change in quick succession.
For me, Star Wars has good and bad issues. I’m not exactly on the “Death of the franchise” bandwagon, but at the same time, Disney clearly doesn’t care about hardcore fans (the ones who have spent millions on merchandise since 1977). But I also know there are fans who still love Star Wars in its current state. Though critical of Disney, I believe that The Disney Star Wars Trilogy Documentary presents a fair, level-headed, and comprehensive prosecution of the Walt Disney Company and its treatment of this beloved franchise.
The Disney Star Wars Trilogy Documentary can be seen on the Echo Base Network YouTube channel.
"…I was blindsided by the fan's passionate disapproval..."
