First and foremost, I couldn’t have done this review without the discusion of my wonderful friends so to Raven, Wise Sage, Lydia, John Michael, Marissa and Jesse. This one goes out to you.
So this article will be a bit shorter than most strictly because I refuse to give out any spoilers for this film but I promise to have a longer spoiler filled article after the first of the year.
I’m struggling here because I keep saying that this is the best Star Wars film and I don’t think it’s just excitement saying that. I honestly can’t find a solid flaw and the only two that are up for debate are ones that will be discussed in the aforementioned future article and they’re less of flaws and more so just personal preference as a writer.
The Last Jedi picks up immediately where The Force Awakens and Rian Johnson was able to jump into the story seamlessly. He’s crafted a perfect script, from the dialogue to the action set pieces. Nothing ever drags throughout the film, it just hooks into you and doesn’t let go until the credits roll.
The best part of the script, in my opinion is how Johnson was able to make things fresh and surprising without ruining what has come before. Prime example : Luke and Rey have some of my favorite scenes of the entire saga and one of them includes the most perfect description of the Force that has ever been given in the Star Wars Universe. It’s simple yet elegant in a way that you can tell he has a genuine love for the story. Luke and Rey are the clear standouts of this film. The ever impressive, Daisy Ridley, manages to hold her own so well alongside Hamill and neither one outshines the other.
As for the other characters, Kylo Ren continues to become one of my favorite characters in the saga. His tortured persona still comes across in such a personal way that can really only be handled by an actor of Adam Driver’s caliber.
Poe Dameron easily gets the most updated story arc as he takes a much proactive role in this film. His character growth is exactly what I wanted to see for him as he becomes such a great extension of both Han and Leia. He’s the hotshot pilot but he also learns a lot about leadership from Leia in this and their scenes together are where he really shines.
Finn took a bit of a back seat in this one but the impressive part is that it doesn’t feel that way while watching the movie. His acceptance of working with the resistance makes such a compelling arc especially when he’s paired with new character, Rose, she’s a shining light in every scene that she’s in and it’s her optimistic outlook on things during such dark times that make her such a breath of fresh air. I loved her story and I absolutely need to see more of her in the next one.
Everything in this film leads to a harrowing finale, which is one of the most visually stunning scenes I’ve ever watched. If ILM doesn’t get the oscar nod then I will just be furious. They continue to craft the galaxy in so many brand new ways. Their crowning achievement in this has to be the crystal foxes towards the end of the film. Yes, Porgs are fun but the Foxes are just incredible to behold.
Overall, this film is about passing the torch from one generation to the next. For further evidence of this, look no further than Leia. Carrie Fisher’s final performance is nothing short of masterful, her lines are all given a special weight due to Fisher’s untimely passing last year and it’s honestly one of the best performances that anyone could hope to go out on.
Where The Force Awakens successfully returned us to the stars, The Last Jedi reminds us that there’s still so much more out there. I genuinely loved everything about this movie and I know that I just sound like a fanboy about it but I can’t help it. This movie was nothing short of phenomenal and I can’t wait to talk about it more with you all in a few weeks.
