Film: Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Director: Rian Johnson
Rating: PG-13
After the release of The Force Awakens, Star Wars was back fresh in the minds of its fanbase. Many praised it as a return to form, after the major disappointment that was the prequel trilogy (I still like Revenge of the Sith), along with seeing the film as a passing of the torch from one generation to the next, both figuratively in the cast of the film, and literally with The Force Awakens ushering in a new generation of Star Wars fans. Others, however, found themselves disappointed in the film, criticizing it for paying too much homage to A New Hope to the point where it seemed stuck in its predecessor's shadow, while also having a main protagonist that seemed almost Mary Sue-ish (Mary Sue referring to a character with little to no flaws, the constant focus for the plot and dialogue, and being essentially wish fulfillment, commonly found in badly written fanfiction or worse, published stories). I would be lying if I said I wasn't in the second camp of people for a time. Don't get me wrong, I genuinely enjoyed The Force Awakens when it came out, but had the aforementioned criticisms. I understood that the film was setting up for another installment where questions would be answered, but it still annoyed me that the film was written and directed in this fashion.
Coming into The Last Jedi, I am glad that some of my questions were answered. I'm also glad that The Last Jedi, unlike its predecessor, was able to take some more risks and keep out of the shadows of the Original Trilogy, while also having some nods to those films that aren't as overbearing as in The Force Awakens. I enjoyed how stylized some moments of the film were, giving this film some character to it, along with developing the characters from the previous film. However, I was let down by Snoke being a disappointing villain, tone going all over the place, and the humor in the film not landing for me.
After the events Episode VII, The Resistance is on the run from The First Order, the former being tracked through light speed, finding themselves short on fuel, and under seige by The First Order, after suffering major casualties along the way. After an attack on the bridge of the Resistance ship leaves General Leia Organa incapacitated and many resistance fighters dead, command of the ship is taken over by Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, who has no intentions of fighting back. Because of this strategy, Poe, Finn, BB-8, and ship mechanic Rose Tico devise a secret plan to disable the tracking system the First Order has been using on their ship so they can escape.
Meanwhile, Rey has encountered Luke Skywalker, the last living remnant of the legendary Jedi. Rey seeks training from Luke, but he refuses, stating he has given up on training future Jedi and plans to die on the planet. After persuasion from R2-D2, Luke resentfully trains Rey to hone her skills with the Force. After realizing Rey's connection in the force bearing similarities with Kylo Ren, his former student, he becomes hesitant of training her, fearing that she will trun to the dark side, just like his former student. When Rey and Kylo establish a connection in the force with each other, able to communicate with one another, even when light years away, Rey feels that there is conflict within Kylo, and believes that she can turn him back to the light, so she sets out on her own, hoping to find a way to bring back Kylo to the light.
What I like about The Last Jedi is that it looks to take time to flesh out the characters more and better than its predecessor. There is a lot of downtime within this film, allowing the characters to interact with each other, and develop as the story progresses. For example, the interactions with Rey and Kylo through their Force connection were a great way to establish this development. Rey, at first, shows animosity towards Kylo when their connections start, but overtime, she becomes more friendly towards Kylo, as he expresses his side of the story of what happened between him and Luke. It's interactions like these that help move the story and characters forward.
However, despite the development of existing characters, the new characters that are introduced in this film are incredibly bland and forgettable. DJ has just about nothing to him that really sticks out, with his only traits being guided by money and having a stutter, while Rose Tico (holy crap I actually remembered her name!) is not engaging at all and so poorly established that I didn't get her name until the end of the film. Nothing about her personality I find engaging, whether it be her short lived fanaticism for Finn that doesn't really go anywhere other than an implied crush on him (with chemistry that is almost non-existent, like they are trying to shoehorn in a love triangle), to this no nonsense type, willing to do anything for the cause of the Resistance, which while less obnoxious, doesn't make her any better of a character. They also kept showing that she and her sister, who dies in the beginning, had this deep connection with each other, considering the charm Rose wears around her neck, but Rose's sister is not introduced well, as her death leaves no real impact on the audience, even if the film continues to showcase that she and Rose were close. You can try to visually shout all you want that Paige Tico (Rose's sister) death means a lot to Rose, but the audience won't feel that impact without showcasing the chemistry between the two sisters. The film should have found a way to showcase the relationship between Paige and Rose before the former's death. Her death would have left much more of an impact if that were the case.
Let's talk about Snoke. I adore Andy Serkis' performance as Snoke, able to bring him to life with the excellent motion capture. Snoke is so expressive thanks to Serkis, and at times looks and sounds menacing. However, a great performance doesn't dispell the fact that Snoke is such a disappointment for a villain, as he is given so little screen time and his presence within The Last Jedi is not utilized to what it could have been. There was so much buildup to how pivotal of a villain Snoke would be within this trilogy, yet The Last Jedi doesn't utilize that, or just straight up forgets, and kills him, without truly showcasing how menacing of a character he potentially could have been. I understand that Kylo Ren is supposed to come into his own character in this film, which he does, to a degree, but him killing Snoke is showing your hand way too early. You'd think you would develop Snoke more throughout these films, but I guess Rian Johnson thought otherwise. Pretty bad move on his part.
I liked what The Last Jedi did visually with this film. I liked, in concept, Rey's interaction within the mirror on the island, however it isn't fully realized how it could be effectively used, and the scene doesn't really have any place in the film in my eyes. The final battle in the film utilizes a neat combination of red and white with the salt and particles on the planet such battle takes place, something that was, again, visually interesting in concept, but the pay off still had a lot to be desired. The symbolism is pretty obvious for the latter effect, with red representing blood being tainted on the battlefield, something that has honestly been done to death, but was still pretty to look at.
I have mixed feelings about the risks in this film. Like the interesting visuals, they are good ideas in concept, but their impact still leaves a lot to be desired. Leia's ability to use the force does makes sense, considering she does have some slight sensitivity to it in the original trilogy. One can imply that she had some training in the force from Luke to a degree, an idea that can be implied with Kylo's Jedi training as a child, but that isn't established well enough to make sense at first, especially showcasing Leia flying through space. Relating back to Snoke, I'm not against the idea of killing him off this early, but when you don't develop him enough as a character, it makes his death mean less, as well as his impact of being a villain squandered. It's so heavily established, the idea that Snoke is the equivalent of Emperor Palpatine, but it's so poorly developed that it is aggravating to see him go out this early. I get that they show him being a powerful force user, but power means nothing if your villain isn't developed enough to be menacing with it. Kylo's establishment as the new villain of this trilogy is welcomed, but the execution is sloppy when you establish his relationship with Snoke, while also forgetting Kylo Ren's admiration for Darth Vader that was established in the previous film. Why completely gloss over that key detail?
There's an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed; the humor. I don't mean this lightly: I hate the humor of this film, as it has the same problems that plagued Thor: Ragnarok. Nothing kills the vibe of a scene filled with tension or drama than adding some slapstick or comedic quip. That can suck a viewer out of the film and can kill the tone the scene is trying to set. It's the same Marvel brand of humor that gets on my nerves at times. Maybe I'm sounding like a "no fun allowed" snob, but let me put it this way: would you be intrigued or annoyed in a scene where Rey attempts to retrieve her lightsaber from Snoke, but the latter utilizes the Force to make it miss her hand, fly back around, and then hit her in the back of the head? Or how about in one of Rey and Kylo's connection scenes where Kylo happens to not be wearing a shirt and Rey tells him to put a shirt on, as she is uncomfortable seeing him shirtless? Or when Luke emerges from the aftermath of all the blaster shots that were aimed at him and he does the whole brushing off of dirt off his shoulder in a cocky manner? I'm not saying Star Wars has to be this super serious series of films, but when you compare it to the original trilogy's humor, the jokes work as they tie to the personalities of the characters and don't kill the tone of the scene. I can't be the only one finding it odd that Johnson would include this unnecessary humor in this film, especially when it is being delivered by characters whose personalities don't fit with executing such humor. Was it some higher ups at Disney that demanded this humor be shoehorned in? If that is the case, what is wrong with you? Do you not know what comedic timing is or dramatic story telling is? It may make sense for Poe to make these quips as it fits his character, but not in a dramatic scene with Rey and Kylo.
You have no idea how much I want to like The Last Jedi, as there is some stuff to like about it. The visuals are nice ideas, though not fully realized, more development of previously established characters which add to their depth, satisfying action scenes, and the film taking more risks than its predecessor. But when your fun ride is peppered with risks that don't work out, like killing Snoke too early without developing him to establish Kylo Ren as the main villain, while glossing over the latter's admiration for Darth Vader, they don't hit the mark well enough. Not to mention, the new characters were not very memorable or satisfying to sit with, as they are uninspired in development. Not to mention the tonal shifts that jump around all over the place, and humor that is more obnoxious than funny, I find myself so conflicted when thinking about this film, as I liked it when I saw. I mean, I wasn't in love with it when I saw it, but it was fun while it lasted, but as I let my thoughts on this film simmer, there were details within this film that really irked me. I do look forward to the next installment, but I'm not holding out on hope for it to be an excellent film like Empire Strikes Back was.
Verdict: 5/10 (I've never felt so conflicted about a film in my life)
Coming into The Last Jedi, I am glad that some of my questions were answered. I'm also glad that The Last Jedi, unlike its predecessor, was able to take some more risks and keep out of the shadows of the Original Trilogy, while also having some nods to those films that aren't as overbearing as in The Force Awakens. I enjoyed how stylized some moments of the film were, giving this film some character to it, along with developing the characters from the previous film. However, I was let down by Snoke being a disappointing villain, tone going all over the place, and the humor in the film not landing for me.
After the events Episode VII, The Resistance is on the run from The First Order, the former being tracked through light speed, finding themselves short on fuel, and under seige by The First Order, after suffering major casualties along the way. After an attack on the bridge of the Resistance ship leaves General Leia Organa incapacitated and many resistance fighters dead, command of the ship is taken over by Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, who has no intentions of fighting back. Because of this strategy, Poe, Finn, BB-8, and ship mechanic Rose Tico devise a secret plan to disable the tracking system the First Order has been using on their ship so they can escape.
Meanwhile, Rey has encountered Luke Skywalker, the last living remnant of the legendary Jedi. Rey seeks training from Luke, but he refuses, stating he has given up on training future Jedi and plans to die on the planet. After persuasion from R2-D2, Luke resentfully trains Rey to hone her skills with the Force. After realizing Rey's connection in the force bearing similarities with Kylo Ren, his former student, he becomes hesitant of training her, fearing that she will trun to the dark side, just like his former student. When Rey and Kylo establish a connection in the force with each other, able to communicate with one another, even when light years away, Rey feels that there is conflict within Kylo, and believes that she can turn him back to the light, so she sets out on her own, hoping to find a way to bring back Kylo to the light.
What I like about The Last Jedi is that it looks to take time to flesh out the characters more and better than its predecessor. There is a lot of downtime within this film, allowing the characters to interact with each other, and develop as the story progresses. For example, the interactions with Rey and Kylo through their Force connection were a great way to establish this development. Rey, at first, shows animosity towards Kylo when their connections start, but overtime, she becomes more friendly towards Kylo, as he expresses his side of the story of what happened between him and Luke. It's interactions like these that help move the story and characters forward.
However, despite the development of existing characters, the new characters that are introduced in this film are incredibly bland and forgettable. DJ has just about nothing to him that really sticks out, with his only traits being guided by money and having a stutter, while Rose Tico (holy crap I actually remembered her name!) is not engaging at all and so poorly established that I didn't get her name until the end of the film. Nothing about her personality I find engaging, whether it be her short lived fanaticism for Finn that doesn't really go anywhere other than an implied crush on him (with chemistry that is almost non-existent, like they are trying to shoehorn in a love triangle), to this no nonsense type, willing to do anything for the cause of the Resistance, which while less obnoxious, doesn't make her any better of a character. They also kept showing that she and her sister, who dies in the beginning, had this deep connection with each other, considering the charm Rose wears around her neck, but Rose's sister is not introduced well, as her death leaves no real impact on the audience, even if the film continues to showcase that she and Rose were close. You can try to visually shout all you want that Paige Tico (Rose's sister) death means a lot to Rose, but the audience won't feel that impact without showcasing the chemistry between the two sisters. The film should have found a way to showcase the relationship between Paige and Rose before the former's death. Her death would have left much more of an impact if that were the case.
Let's talk about Snoke. I adore Andy Serkis' performance as Snoke, able to bring him to life with the excellent motion capture. Snoke is so expressive thanks to Serkis, and at times looks and sounds menacing. However, a great performance doesn't dispell the fact that Snoke is such a disappointment for a villain, as he is given so little screen time and his presence within The Last Jedi is not utilized to what it could have been. There was so much buildup to how pivotal of a villain Snoke would be within this trilogy, yet The Last Jedi doesn't utilize that, or just straight up forgets, and kills him, without truly showcasing how menacing of a character he potentially could have been. I understand that Kylo Ren is supposed to come into his own character in this film, which he does, to a degree, but him killing Snoke is showing your hand way too early. You'd think you would develop Snoke more throughout these films, but I guess Rian Johnson thought otherwise. Pretty bad move on his part.
I liked what The Last Jedi did visually with this film. I liked, in concept, Rey's interaction within the mirror on the island, however it isn't fully realized how it could be effectively used, and the scene doesn't really have any place in the film in my eyes. The final battle in the film utilizes a neat combination of red and white with the salt and particles on the planet such battle takes place, something that was, again, visually interesting in concept, but the pay off still had a lot to be desired. The symbolism is pretty obvious for the latter effect, with red representing blood being tainted on the battlefield, something that has honestly been done to death, but was still pretty to look at.
I have mixed feelings about the risks in this film. Like the interesting visuals, they are good ideas in concept, but their impact still leaves a lot to be desired. Leia's ability to use the force does makes sense, considering she does have some slight sensitivity to it in the original trilogy. One can imply that she had some training in the force from Luke to a degree, an idea that can be implied with Kylo's Jedi training as a child, but that isn't established well enough to make sense at first, especially showcasing Leia flying through space. Relating back to Snoke, I'm not against the idea of killing him off this early, but when you don't develop him enough as a character, it makes his death mean less, as well as his impact of being a villain squandered. It's so heavily established, the idea that Snoke is the equivalent of Emperor Palpatine, but it's so poorly developed that it is aggravating to see him go out this early. I get that they show him being a powerful force user, but power means nothing if your villain isn't developed enough to be menacing with it. Kylo's establishment as the new villain of this trilogy is welcomed, but the execution is sloppy when you establish his relationship with Snoke, while also forgetting Kylo Ren's admiration for Darth Vader that was established in the previous film. Why completely gloss over that key detail?
There's an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed; the humor. I don't mean this lightly: I hate the humor of this film, as it has the same problems that plagued Thor: Ragnarok. Nothing kills the vibe of a scene filled with tension or drama than adding some slapstick or comedic quip. That can suck a viewer out of the film and can kill the tone the scene is trying to set. It's the same Marvel brand of humor that gets on my nerves at times. Maybe I'm sounding like a "no fun allowed" snob, but let me put it this way: would you be intrigued or annoyed in a scene where Rey attempts to retrieve her lightsaber from Snoke, but the latter utilizes the Force to make it miss her hand, fly back around, and then hit her in the back of the head? Or how about in one of Rey and Kylo's connection scenes where Kylo happens to not be wearing a shirt and Rey tells him to put a shirt on, as she is uncomfortable seeing him shirtless? Or when Luke emerges from the aftermath of all the blaster shots that were aimed at him and he does the whole brushing off of dirt off his shoulder in a cocky manner? I'm not saying Star Wars has to be this super serious series of films, but when you compare it to the original trilogy's humor, the jokes work as they tie to the personalities of the characters and don't kill the tone of the scene. I can't be the only one finding it odd that Johnson would include this unnecessary humor in this film, especially when it is being delivered by characters whose personalities don't fit with executing such humor. Was it some higher ups at Disney that demanded this humor be shoehorned in? If that is the case, what is wrong with you? Do you not know what comedic timing is or dramatic story telling is? It may make sense for Poe to make these quips as it fits his character, but not in a dramatic scene with Rey and Kylo.
You have no idea how much I want to like The Last Jedi, as there is some stuff to like about it. The visuals are nice ideas, though not fully realized, more development of previously established characters which add to their depth, satisfying action scenes, and the film taking more risks than its predecessor. But when your fun ride is peppered with risks that don't work out, like killing Snoke too early without developing him to establish Kylo Ren as the main villain, while glossing over the latter's admiration for Darth Vader, they don't hit the mark well enough. Not to mention, the new characters were not very memorable or satisfying to sit with, as they are uninspired in development. Not to mention the tonal shifts that jump around all over the place, and humor that is more obnoxious than funny, I find myself so conflicted when thinking about this film, as I liked it when I saw. I mean, I wasn't in love with it when I saw it, but it was fun while it lasted, but as I let my thoughts on this film simmer, there were details within this film that really irked me. I do look forward to the next installment, but I'm not holding out on hope for it to be an excellent film like Empire Strikes Back was.
Verdict: 5/10 (I've never felt so conflicted about a film in my life)
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