Plot:
Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order.
Review:
Within the trailers for Star Wars: The Last Jedi we saw Luke Skywalker say: “This is not going to go the way you think.”
That line, pretty much sums up exactly how the movie played out.
There is no denying that Episode VIII will be very divisive for fans, because not only doesn’t the movie play out the way you think it will, but it also pushes the Star Wars story into new territory.
Picture: Industrial Light & Magic/Lucasfilm via AP.
With The Force Awakens, it played out on screen like a big blockbuster that gave you the cheesy goodness with it’s nostalgia and introduction of new characters for this new trilogy. Criticisms of it being a carbon copy of a New Hope aside, it was a huge success and left fans excited about where the new storyline would take them.
Director Rian Johnson, who wrote and directed The Last Jedi presents the new characters, as well as the old with questions and struggles surrounding morality and conscience. He does so while not holding back on bright colour, and bold technical direction for the movie.
Johnson, who doesn’t exactly nail the first hour of the film with it’s uneven pacing, does find his stride and delivers in the second half, with the story upping the stakes and excitement of what is happening on screen.
One of the exciting plot decisions of The Last Jedi was the paralleling of the characters of Kylo Ren (Adam Drive) and Rey (Daisy Ridley). The movie interconnects the story in a way I won’t spoil here, but which builds towards a thrilling arc for the characters.
The Skywalker duo, Luke and Leia, are also given their own journeys on screen, with Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher (in her last on-screen role) delivering stellar performances in their roles; pushing their characters into new territories.
Carrie Fisher as General Leia in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," in theaters on Dec. 15. Picture: Lucasfilm via AP.
There are numerous standout moments in the film and excellent performances all round too, with Andy Serkis being a deliciously evil Snoke, and Domnhall Gleeson making a strong impression as General Hux.
We’re also introduced to new character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) who gets drawn into the battle with Finn (John Boyega), as they journey to sabotage the Empire. Their storyline is exciting, but there isn’t a lot of character development for Finn compared to the others.
Oscar Isaac, whose character Poe was initially intended to have died within The Force Awakens, returns giving a real glimpse at our headstrong pilot.
All in all, The Last Jedi doesn’t pander to it’s audience and give them the cookie cutter Star Wars they know, and will definitely provide for a divisive experience for it’s audience.
It’s an incredibly shot film, but whether it will be as eagerly received asThe Force Awakens is still yet to be decided.