Pop culture currently exists in a place where large franchises and connected universes are the norm, but Star Wars has been at the forefront of this trend for several decades. Disney’s acquisition of Star Wars has brought the cherished science fiction franchise back and made it bigger than ever before. Some may prefer the content of the Original Trilogy, but there are still some incredible moments that have come out of modern Star Wars.
The entire franchise is an opportunity for actors to make a name for themselves or play in a radically different environment. There are casting decisions from Star Wars that are both inspired as well as confounding and it’s fascinating to see which actors are able to rise above the material and which struggle.
10 Nailed: Daisy Ridley’s Performance As Rey Represents The Future Of Star Wars
Much like Luke Skywalker before her, Rey is the face of hope and optimism in the latest Star Wars saga. Rey’s humble origins intentionally run parallel to Luke’s own and she faces the same difficult internal struggle that previously plagued Luke and Anakin. Ridley does excellent work as Rey progressively learns more about herself and her roots. She also brings such honest pain to her relationship with Kylo Ren and part of the reason such a development works as well as it does is because of Ridley’s work and her chemistry with Adam Driver.
9 Fell Short: Liam Neeson Goes Through The Motions With This Important Jedi Master
It’s shocking that Liam Neeson has arguably become more of an action star in his later years in life after his tenure as Qui-Gon Jinn in the highly anticipated The Phantom Menace. Qui-Gon is the Jedi mentor to Obi-Wan Kenobi and there’s serviceable chemistry between Neeson and McGregor here. Qui-Gon’s role becomes short-lived in the grander scheme of things and it never completely feels like Neeson is connected with his Jedi counterpart. He gets his way through the dialogue, but it’s not the actor’s best work and it feels like he could do more with the part now.
8 Nailed: Donald Glover’s Young Lando Calrissian Helps Give Solo Life
Audiences were skeptical as to whether a prequel story about a young Han Solo was really necessary. Granted, Solo does demystify the character, but there are still some entertaining ideas in the flawed film. Solo’s biggest success is the casting of Donald Glover as a young Lando Calrissian.
Glover is clearly having such a fun time in the role and he embodies Billy Dee Williams’ spirit and energy. Glover’s performance pops even more since Alden Ehrenreich’s work as Han doesn’t fully come together. There’s even a Lando series on the way because of Glover’s impressive work in the role.
7 Fell Short: Benicio Del Toro’s DJ Is Forgettable Frivolity
Stunt casting can definitely be a problem and it’s unfortunate when the public image and popularity of an actor can cloud their role and take precedent over whether they actually belong in the movie. The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy has some gratuitous casting choices like Keri Russell, Justin Theroux, and Benicio Del Toro that come across more like fancy cameos than justified characters. Benicio Del Toro’s DJ from The Last Jedi is particularly egregious and the character’s relevance is debatable. Del Toro gives a big, unusual performance, but it’s style over substance and it breaks the immersion of the experience.
6 Nailed: Harrison Ford’s No-Nonsense Attitude Is Han Solo
Everybody loves a scoundrel and that’s exactly why Han Solo resonates so much with Star Wars fans, even if he’s not the true protagonist of the franchise. Harrison Ford’s work as Han Solo is now so iconic that it’s easy to not give it the credit that it deserves. Ford’s affable nature as the swarthy rebel has become an archetype that’s been endlessly copied after the fact. Ford’s return in the Sequel Trilogy, as well as the Han Solo prequel movie, are proof that audiences can’t get enough of this character and what Ford has brought to the role.
5 Fell Short: Hayden Christensen Struggles To Capture Anakin’s Transformative Rage
Hayden Christensen might honestly have the most difficult role in the entire Star Wars franchise. Audiences watch the Prequel Trilogy to see Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader and Christensen’s performance, therefore, becomes the lynchpin to the whole trilogy.
Christensen feels awkward and stiff throughout Attack of the Clones and he’s unconvincingly moody throughout most of Revenge of the Sith. His moments as Darth Vader feel comical when they should be epic. Reception to Christensen’s performances in the Prequel Trilogy wasn’t kind, but there’s now the potential for redemption with Christensen set to return in Disney+’s upcoming Obi-Wan series.
4 Nailed: Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal Wears A Mask And Still Conveys An Economy Of Emotion
The return of Star Wars initially had people excited for the Sequel Trilogy, but it’s surprisingly been the Disney+ television series that have found the right formula and received the most acclaim. A large factor in the success of The Mandalorian is Pedro Pascal’s performance as Din Djarin, the titular Mandalorian bounty hunter. Pascal spends 90% of the series with his face covered, but he knows how to perfectly deliver his dialogue to convey the right emotion. The moment where Mando’s mask is off is a true master class in acting as Pascal exhibits many micro-gestures over his discomfort.
3 Fell Short: Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux Can’t Make Up His Mind
The Sequel Trilogy has good intentions and introduces some incredible ideas and exciting set pieces, but they’re largely held back by the lack of cohesive planning between the three movies. These pivots between directors result in many character arcs getting abandoned or completely changed. Domhnall Gleeson is a piece of casting that feels like it wastes Gleeson’s talent as Hux, a glorified grunt for the First Order. Gleeson screams orders in a way that never feels fully convincing and his sudden turn in The Rise of Skywalker only muddles his development and makes Gleeson’s previous work feel increasingly irrelevant.
2 Nailed: Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker Has Become An Inspiration For Generations
The Star Wars franchise has expanded in major ways, but the fact that the Sequel Trilogy couldn’t help but return to Luke Skywalker’s story is proof of just how much of a mark the character has had on pop culture. Skywalker has an incredible story, but Mark Hamill’s performance is just as important to the success of Star Wars as anything else. Hamill grows as an actor just as Luke grows as a Jedi. Hamill is exceptional in the original movies and his reprise in the Sequel Trilogy adds even more dimension to a fantastic character.
1 Fell Short: Natalie Portman Suffers From Poor Writing And A Stiff Character
Star Wars is one of the most iconic science fiction franchises, but a major issue with the Prequel Trilogy is that Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith heavily focus on the romance between Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker. Natalie Portman is a phenomenal actress, but she turns out one of the most unnatural performances in the Prequel Trilogy because Lucas’ dialogue and direction over these love scenes is so detached. Portman’s work in Star Wars is still early in her career, but the ineffectiveness of Amidala isn’t Portman’s fault.
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