6. Abrams Is Too Obvious A Choice Anyway
Looking back at many classic movies, it's the studio's decision to take a chance on a dangerous director that ultimately paid off; where would Spider-Man be without Sam Raimi, or Lord of the Rings without Peter Jackson, or Harry Potter without Alfonso Cuaron? While it would be an insult to Abrams to deem him incompetent to direct a sci-fi movie given how he's proven himself on Star Trek, the bold, gritty aesthetic of his Trek films has so little to do with Star Wars that it really proves quite inconsequential. Abrams on the surface almost seems
too obvious, ev
en
too
perfect a choice, and that's precisely the problem; it's hard not to think that as a result, Disney will be hoping for an inoffensively down-the-line product that doesn't really confound or exceed or expectations in any way. To call Abrams middling would be ridiculous, but perhaps what this franchise needs to regain its reputation is a riskier bet with an unconventional vision moving forward.