‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Review

After two years of anticipation, we can finally see how the story continues after episode 7. Fans all around the world have been coming up with theories about the new characters and what will happen to them in future movies. 

What I can tell you is that most people’s theories or predictions are going to be wrong. While some argued that episode 7 was too predictable or too similar to the first Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi delivers something very new and it may end up dividing some fans.

Plot

I’m going to try to explain the plot the best I can without spoiling anything. The film takes place immediately after episode 7 ends. Rey (Daisy Ridley) found Luke (Mark Hamill) on the island and hands him his light saber hoping that he will come back and help the resistance. 

Meanwhile, the resistance finds themselves on the run from the mighty First Order. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) are also on the hunt for Luke so that they can bring an end to the Jedi. There is a lot happening and it is really hard to capture the whole plot without spoiling details.

Characters

The performances across the board are fantastic in this movie. Daisy Ridley proves that she has fully realized the role of Rey. She does a great job at displaying the internal struggle she has with the force. Adam Driver is also a great villain in this movie. Kylo Ren is very unpredictable and Driver does a great job at portraying a character who is still trying to find his identity. 

John Boyega is also great again as Finn, however, his character arc feels similar to the first film. Oscar Isaac is given a lot more to do as Poe Dameron and he fully delivers. He’s starting to become a rebellious, Han Solo type character and it makes him seem pretty cool.

The older faces from the original trilogy are also back and maybe better than ever. This is one of Hamill’s best outings as Luke Skywalker. He has to show how certain events have affected Luke and Hamill does a great job at convincing the audience that Luke has changed. 

Carrie Fisher also delivers her best performance as Leia. Obviously, it is a tragedy that this will be the last time we will see a new performance from her, but Fisher goes out on a high note and her outstanding legacy will always be remembered by fans forever.

The new characters are pretty cool too, most noteworthy being Kelly Marie Tran as Rose and Laura Dern as Admiral Holdo. I enjoyed both of these characters, however, they aren’t given much to do. Although, Holdo does have one moment of glory that is an amazing scene.  

I think the most underwhelming characters in this film are definitely Captain Phasma and Supreme Leader Snoke. They both didn’t have much to do in The Force Awakens and they aren’t given that much more time in this one. Gwendoline Christie and Serkis are both fantastic actors, but they have been very underutilized in this franchise.

The Narrative

Where The Last Jedi is so divisive is in its narrative. There are three main plotlines that connect the narrative together. One with Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker, and Rey, another with Finn & Rose on a separate adventure and finally one with Poe Damaron and Princess Leia. Johnson clearly wanted to just focus on Rey’s journey as this is the most intriguing.

There are new ideas of the force being explored as Rey is being trained which allows this film to expand on many ideas in Star Wars. Much of the past films is being questioned as both Kylo Ren & Rey struggle to figure out where they belong in this world. Fans have mixed reactions to how this film treats Luke, but I personally enjoyed it. It’s a new arc for him as he relearns how to be a hero and Mark Hamill is remarkable in the role. 

The other two storylines were far inferior to Rey. Finn & Rose’s mission almost amounts to nothing and isn’t that interesting. Poe’s storyline is stronger as his character is explored a lot more than in the first film. However, Johnson must not have been sure about what to do with both of these characters as most of the drama & attention has clearly been given to Rey & Luke.

While I loved everything going on with Rey, the rest of the film doesn’t feel as strong and could almost be skipped if you were watching it at home. 

Direction

I cannot praise Rian Johnson enough for his direction in this movie. The action scenes in this film are incredible. They are suspenseful, exciting, and shot beautifully. The fight at the end of the movie is one of the most beautiful looking sequences I think I’ve ever seen in a movie. 

The cinematography was just outstanding. I also loved how he shot the lightsaber scenes. He incorporated the lightsabers in ways that were very imaginative. I also loved how he used practical effects when he could and only used CGI when he absolutely needed to.

I really respect the direction that he took with this movie. The choices he made are not going to please all fans. It took me some time when I got home to fully process everything that had just happened, which I prefer. 

I would rather watch a Star Wars movie that makes me think about how I feel about certain events instead of one that has a very easy story. To quote Darth Vader, this film will definitely make you “search your feelings.”

Score

John Williams conducts the score and of course, it’s amazing. It’s John Williams. He delivers an amazing score every time he touches a film. He drops a bunch of musical easter eggs from the original trilogy that made me so happy to hear that music again. 

I found myself humming along to the music in my head because I was so familiar with it, which isn’t a problem. Williams places it perfectly in the film. He does a great job at building suspense or drawing emotion from the audience.

Final Thoughts

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi offered something completely new in the Star Wars franchise. Even though the film took a lot of chances, I loved most of everything that I saw. Really the only problem I had with this movie is the Finn and Rose storyline. It does bring the movie to a halt at certain points and just feels really random. 

The film is already dividing up Star Wars fans. Some people didn’t like the choices, while some people respect the boldness of the movie. I consider myself to be part of the latter. 

Rating:4/5