Star Wars: The Last Jedi
“An Instant Classic. This is Star Wars at it’s best!”
-Albie TOTLB.com
The Last Jedi is visually stunning. It’s very well written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper 2012). The action only slows to give you time to think and grieve when needed. With a running time of
Spoilers Below…
When walking out of the theater after hearing the John Williams score over the credits, there was a lot to process. Character Arcs have begun, others have progressed and a big one has ended. Rey was still the star of the film, but this episode belongs to Mark Hamill.
The people and Droids we love are back. C-3PO and R2 have their moments, including a touching one with Luke, but BB-8 is the one that kicks some serious ass. I think BB-9E was there just to add to merchandise maybe, we’ll see how important he is to the universe later perhaps, so I’m giving that a pass.
It was odd to see Chewie without Han although he was given more than I thought he would be this time out, including a message about veganism perhaps, but done in the cutest of ways. The Porgs are super cute, needed comic relief and the only reason my 5-year-old daughter wants to see the film.
Finn is the anchor of the film, the piece that ties everything together, and also has his bit of adventure and, shall we say sparks with Rose Tico, played by the amazing breakout star Kelly Marie Tran. A Lower Decks type that gets pulled into the main action and is integral to the survival of the Rebels. I wasn’t expecting her arc to go the way it did, but I was so satisfied as it unfolded.
Leia’s exit in the film combined with the real-life loss of Carrie Fisher had a lump in my throat, and tears on my face early on. It was a moment of gravitas that we were waiting for and dreading at the same time. The force is strong with her. I was glad to see that there was no computer generated Leia this time, to my knowledge anyway, I was fooled with CGI Tarkin in Rogue One. It will be interesting how the loss will be dealt with in the next film.
Rey and Kylo Ren’s story was absolutely a middle, which is a thing that can normally hurt a part two in a trilogy, but they were given enough development, action, and twists that at one point make you want to stand and yell “Fuck Yeah!”
All I can say is Ben is a liar, he lied to Rey and I expect it to come out in Episode IX. Rey (Daisy Ridley) gives this movie the heart it needs to make it more than the sum of its parts. She has strength, beauty, and grace, a role model for us all to aspire to. Job well done.
Oscar Isaac‘s Poe shows this time out what can happen when you act without having all the information one needs. His arc, along with Finn and Rose, is integral to the if/than this of the bigger plot of the Rebellion vs The Empire, and how they may not be so different at all. This story in some ways is a mirror to our current interesting times of would-be dictators putting their ego and wants ahead of the needs of their people (cough, Supreme Leader Snoke, cough, Pussy Grabber). I have given a lot of crap to Star Wars for being hand-wavy fantasy, but the allegory here has earned, for me at least, it’s placed alongside the best Science Fiction.
Even More Spoilers Below…
For Real…
The completion of Luke’s arc was extremely satisfying and unexpected. Just the thought of us as a people experiencing this character’s life in real time, a boy in 1977, who lived in our homes and our hearts for the past four decades has come to the end of his life in much the same way as Obi-Wan did, really makes you think. For me the writing of Luke’s ending and Star Wars: The Last Jedi as a whole by Rian Johnson and the performance by Mark Hamill (Oscar material) was done so well it gives me a greater understanding of cyclical nature of life, the need for it to be so, and hope that we may all, in our own way, make a difference.
5/5 Stars
