STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (2017)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Poster — Images: Walt Disney Pictures

“Did you come back to say you forgive me? To save my soul?”

Directed by: Rian Johnson
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
2h 32minPG-13$

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a divisive movie.

Viewers are split, and I completely understand why. I hold multiple conflicting opinions about the movie—opinions that fight and morph and distort, until each logically cancels out the other. I have criticism and praise for this one in almost equal measure.

The Last Jedi gets straight to its divisive ways right from the start. There’s opening dialog between ace Resistance pilot, Poe Dameron and First Order leader, General Hux that plays like Bart phoning Moe, except not funny—no matter how hard it tries. And it tries really hard.

From then on, the film constantly walks a razor wire, sometimes copying entire scenes directly from the original trilogy, then minutes later, taking risks with characters we’ve lived with for four decades now—risks so wild that it more than once looks like the train is leaving the rails. The reckless tonal shifts don’t help much either. The movie jumps from deadly serious scenarios of war and self sacrifice to quips and sight gags and irreverence in the flicker of a few frames. When The Last Jedi isn’t touching on topics like war profiteering, wealth inequality, and animal rights, it’s lingering on Luke drinking blue milk straight from the source.

BUT…

I think there is room in this world for a divisive Star Wars flick. Despite (and possibly because of) all my complaints and uncertainties about the film’s tone and point of view, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a fascinating film, and one I will watch many times.

First of all, it looks great—as great as any Star Wars film has ever looked.

Second—and this is the big one for me—it is, hands down, the Star Wars film I get the most emotional about. Something about The Last Jedi deeply involves me with the plight of the Resistance versus the First Order, and more specifically, Rey versus Kylo Ren. The way these two characters grow and interact with each other opens genuinely exciting future possibilities for the saga. That’s the stuff that lives up to the promise announced when the first note of John William’s score blasts out of the speakers and the Star Wars title bursts onto the screen then fades into infinite space.

Plus, The Last Jedi has a secret weapon—Carrie Fischer. She’s in it, and she’s great. Her performance made my heart grow three sizes that day.

Available for rent and purchase in HD, HDX, and UHD.