STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS film makers have aroused the anger of Hateful Eight director Quentin Tarantino in a furious public rant.
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| Quentin Tarantino is furious with Star Wars |
The world is going crazy for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Quentin Tarantino, however, is not so happy.
The Pulp Fiction director publically attacked the makers of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the Howard Stern radion show in the US.
"They’re coming out to destroy us," he said. "To grind us into the gravel."
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| Samuel L Jackson in The Hateful Eight |
The director is accusing Disney of forcing cinemas to drop other films to make space for more screenings of The Force Awakens.
Tarantino says that his own film, upcoming Western murder thriller The Hateful Eight was a victim of these strong-arm tactics.
He angrily gave the specific example of his own local cinema, The ArcLight in Los Angeles.
"The Disney distribution people came down to the ArcLight and said, 'You’re going to break your commitment with The Hateful Eight and you’re going to not give them the theatre on December 25th,'" Tarnatino told Stern.
In the shocking public attack on Disney, he revealed that the company used intimidation and threats to get their film placed in cinemas.
Tarantino raged that film company representatives said to the ArcLight: "'You’re going to play Star Wars throughout the holiday season. And if you don’t, we’re going to pull the biggest movie ever made; we’re going to pull it from all the Arclight theaters.’
"So they actually, literally, are engaging in extortionist practices against us."
The Hateful Eight is out in UK cinemas in January, starring Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
SCROLL DOWN TO READ OUR FULL REVIEW OF STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
REVIEW: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (12A)
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, adam driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaacs, Lupita Nyong'o
Running time: 135 minutes
Rating: 5 stars
Over the last few months, 'Where is Luke?' has been the theme of endless debate, theory and trending hashtags.
Well, it seems the whole galaxy is wondering the same thing.
The opening chapter crawl tells us that Luke has disappeared after a traumatic event and that only he can restore the Jedi to the universe and bring balance to the Force. A nascent Republic is in charge, but, in reality, the future of the entire universe will be decided elsewhere.
The First Order, the latest military incarnation of the forces of Dark Side is pitted against the good old trusty Rebel Alliance. Both sides are desperate to find Luke and end the conflict once and for all.
From the very beginning, much of the plot unashamedly echoes Episode IV: a New Hope. A huge battle cruiser rumbles overhead and we discover that there is a secret hidden inside a loveable droid, BB-8 (who will endearingly rocket to the top of every child and many adults' Christmas wish-list).
There are baddies in billowing cloaks and a terrifying planet-destroying secret weapon that may just handily have one hidden flaw.
Most of all, there are tragedies between parents and children which can only have the most heart-breaking of endings.
Abrams' confident grip on his material ensures that all of this brings a mythical sense of history repeating, rather than a transparent retread like the recent Jurassic World.
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| Han Solo and Rey |
Obviously, much has been made of the triumphant return of Ford, Fisher and Hamill as Han Solo, Leia and Luke. It is an undeniable thrill to see all three back on the screen, our cherished childhood heroes brought back to life.
Each one rightfully has his or her spine-tingling moment, from Han Solo's blissful "Chewie, we're home,' To Luke's, well, that would be telling…
They are integral to the plot, but, crucially, they do not overwhelm it.
But it's not just the familiar faces that make this film such a thrill.
JJ Abrams has managed to go back to all the crucial elements that made the original three films such an enduring success. Those same elements that were so often lacking or replaced in the subsequent recent trilogy.
He wisely eschews 3-D trickery because there is no need for it. Every screen is already filled to the brim with glorious starships, exotic planets, dramatic action and quietly tender moments.
He sparingly delves in his bag of CGI tricks, preferring to use real locations and real actors.
A rebel base, space pirate's palace or intergalactic gambling and drinking den looks and feels totally real. (Music fans take note, reggae makes a comeback in the dodgy bars of the far distant future.)
Robots, droids and aliens are brought to life by prosthetics and gorgeous costuming, living and breathing on the screen in all their weird and wonderful glory.
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| First Order forces on the attack |
The last three films were crippled by clunky scripts, a moppet Anakin who couldn't act his way out of a paper bag and a grown up Anakin who resembled a whiny teen at a local youth centre.
Abrams gives us real characters with real motivations and real flaws and four perfectly cast young leads that we actually care about.
Daisy Ridley is spectacular as scavenger Rey, abandoned long ago on the bleak desert planet Bakku and still hopelessly hoping for her parents to come back for her.
She strides over sand dunes, kicks all hell out of desert warriors and is an incredible pilot with almost supernatural instincts. Hmmm, more on that later.
John Boyega is set up early as our valiant hero, Finn, a Stormtrooper trained from birth to carry out the evil plans of The First Order but already sickened by what he has seen.
A beautiful moment sees him marked by the blood of a fellow stormtrooper, the iconic pristine white armour stained shocking red by the human frailty hidden within.
Boyega finds a touching blend of bravado and puppyish yearning to belong as Finn finds himself on the run. Before long, he hooks up with Rey. Their budding relationship has bantering shades of Luke and Leia, although we seem to be blessedly safe from any whiff of incest this time around.
Oscar Isaacs is a testosterone-fuelled new incarnation of the Han Solo type. A fearless and peerless fighter pilot with just the right blend of swagger and honour, he is handsome, humorous and makes the most of the sharp and smart script.
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| Han Solo and Chewbacca |
Adam Driver has the hardest role of all. Confined behind the gleaming black mask of Kylo Ren for much of the film, he is the poster boy for the First Order. He is pitiless, powerful in the Dark Side of the Force and wields the coolest cross-guard lightsaber this side of Naboo.
He is also an emotionally troubled powder keg. His tantrums are terrifying, but also give a moment of delicious light relief as two Stormtroopers quickly run back around a corner when they hear him raging in his room.
As the film progresses and his mask comes off, it all boils down to daddy and granddaddy issues that build to a tremendously devastating showdown.
There are nice motion-capture turns from Lupita Nyong'o, trading her red carpet glamour for a wizened Maz Kanata, and Andy Serkis, appearing god-like on a huge throne as the boo-hiss Supreme Leader Snoke.
Chewie has welcome moments of wry humour as he punctures his best buddy Han's self-importance and every fanboy and girl will cheer at cameos from Admiral Ackbar, C-3PO and R2-D2.
Throughout the film, Abrams wisely keeps us away from the glitter and gloss of the Republic – no boring trade delegations or interminable council meetings this time.
It's a shrewd return to the space opera roots and gun-slinging Western magic of the original trilogy.
Everything builds to a desperate climax as the fate of the universe once more rests on a rag-tag band of rebels and their new young heroes.
Yes, someone major dies, yes we discover that a new generation of Skywalkers will decide the fate of the galaxy and, yes, that blasted theme tune is impossible to get out of your head when you leave the cinema well and truly.
This is a triumphant reboot of the biggest film franchise of our lifetimes and fully earns its place as the soon-to-be biggest film of all time.
The Force is, indeed, strong in this film.
STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS IS OUT IN UK CINEMAS AT 12.01 AM ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17
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