Wow you guys. Seriously. The Last Jedi is SO good. It’s like director Rian Johnson (Looper) just dropped the mic and walked off the stage. Hype is awful. I try to avoid it and I’d hate to be guilty of it. I can’t say The Last Jedi is THE best Star Wars film. That depends on you. I can and will say I thought it was a fantastic addition to the Star Wars saga and the main reasons why are the ways in which it honors the source but is fearless in the way it moves the saga forwards.
Picking up shortly after the events of The Force Awakens the new movie sees the New Order at it’s most powerful and the rebels in a bad situation. Plot wise, as is the case with me and Star Wars reviews, that’s all I am giving you. The best way to see The Last Jedi is to experience the story for yourself, know as little as possible. The trailers give away very little. To wrap up my thoughts on the plot I will simply repeat myself; The Last Jedi pushes the saga ahead in a bold way.
Rian Johnson’s direction is excellent. The Last Jedi is a visual feast. Throughout the course of the film you will discover new lifeforms, planets, crafts and all out spectacle. All of which is presented in a really dynamic way that blows the whole Star Wars universe open in exciting new ways. The action, whether land or space based, is fantastic across the board. There’s obviously a lot of boss action sequences in the movie I’d love to rave about but I don’t want to ruin them for anyone.
The returning core cast – Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are great. Hamill and Fisher are especially excellent. Both have a lot more to do this time around. Carrie Fisher is dearly missed and her performance in The Last Jedi is a credit to the movie and her legacy. On the newcomer front Kelly Marie Tan as rebel Rose is a great addition, as is the brilliant Laura Dern as Vice Admiral Holdo and the equally good Benicio Del Toro, as the mysterious DJ. BB8 is awesome too AND Chewie is boss.
Star Wars musical mainstay John Williams delivers another amaze and at times bombastic score. The music of Star Wars is as much a part of the experience as what you’re seeing on the screen and it’s great to say that the movie’s score is as great as it is. For me, the music in The Force Awakens was very good but I felt it was just missing that somthing extra. That’s not the case here.
As I am writing this I am trying to think and be reasonable regarding any drawbacks in the film? Honestly I am having a hard time coming up with any. Really. Okay. I have one. One character, not saying who, probably could have done with more development. Arguably. It’s a long film, I normally don’t have the patience for long running times but this flew by. The pace is great. Rian Johnson, his amazing crew and cast have delivered a wonderful addition to the Star Wars universe and I feel privalged to have seen it. With Episode IX set to finish off this trilogy I can only hope J.J. Abrams is able to deliver a closing chapter as strong and as fresh as The Last Jedi.
'Hella Movies' 