|
Forget everything you know. The eighth episode of the Skywalker saga in the Star Wars film series subverts everything you think you know. Just as with the first stand-alone film Rogue One, The Last Jedi puts the war in Star Wars. This is a much different film from what has come before.
With the Resistance on its last legs, Rey (Daisy Ridley) seeks out Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to ignite the spark of hope. However, what she finds is not what tales have told of the legendary Skywalker. Meanwhile, with the might of the First Order on their heels, General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac), and Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern) buy precious time as Finn (John Boyega) and lowly mechanic Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) embark on a dangerous mission.
For the love of God, please tread carefully. There are twists and turns in this film that you will never see coming that take this to some new highs in the Star Wars series. There are callbacks to the previous films that are not fan service but are things that are either used to move the story forward or build on the characters. Or sometimes both.
As we discover new worlds and creatures, the characters, in turn, discover things about themselves. Our characters are faced with choices that will have them question just what they are fighting for. As with Rogue One, the characters see just how impactful the war is. What they think is black and white, good and evil, is in fact shades of grey. With even the smallest creatures fighting for freedom, the complications of the war drive two characters in making big choices.
The parallel stories between Rey and Finn from The Force Awakens continues here as both are working towards the same goal of crushing the First Order. Rey has to wrestle with the Dark Side through ways we’ve never seen the Force used before in a Star Wars film. Finn must make a choice and before he can make that choice, he finds himself thrust into a dangerous story that finds the character fully formed during a pivotal moment in Canto Bight. Side note, two big franchise films, this and Logan, in 2017 have had pivotal moments and turning points for characters in casinos in different ways.
This is Leia’s film. The late Carrie Fisher delivers a performance of a lifetime for a character who is making the most of what she has. Leia was introduced as the “pretty princess”, an almost pin-up doll to be sexualized. The Last Jedi makes sure we get to see her strategic side which is methodical. Some characters won’t see the bigger picture of her choices, but it’s clear every move Leia make is for the Resistance’s advantage in the long-run. While everyone else is playing checkers, Leia is playing chess. Not only is a leader, but she is a serious badass as well.
Writer/director Rian Johnson has made sure every character in this film gets a big moment. More importantly, he takes this in unexpected directions making Star Wars feel fresh and new again. Rian does some camera moves as well as editing cuts, that I rarely see anymore in big blockbusters like this. Seriously, Johnson and his DP Steve Yedlin have some of the most gorgeous shots in the series thus far. So much so in fact that I wish Disney would have given this a wide release in 35mm (or as wide as possibly feasible). Whether this is a conscious part on Johnson or not, the representation of women and minorities continues in this. Kelly Marie Tran is gonna be a star. While I didn’t think much of the character of Rose, I want to see Kelly in other films. She just has it.
One of the biggest things that Johnson does is humanize Luke in ways we haven’t seen before. Yeah, just as with Leia, Mark Hamill gives his best performance of a character I had thought went through a complete arc in the original trilogy. Over the course of the film, you discover a big secret Luke is carrying with him that has haunted him all these years. It’s such a powerful secret that reveals such a human flaw in a mythic character that I don’t understand why we can do this for Luke Skywalker, but no one has figured out how to do this for Superman.
Another thing I must applaud Johnson for is that while yes, this is a very dark chapter in this series, there’s never a loss of joy and wonder. From the creatures to the new planets, there’s stuff in this to balance out the heavier moments including a lot of humor that never feels forced or out of place. In fact, that humor grounds the film, even more, adding another human element to something so grand.
Do I think this is a perfect film? No. I do think it lags at parts and you can feel its runtime. However, with that said I don’t know how you’d fix those pacing problems when every scene in this film is needed. Plus, a second viewing may address the pacing and make me feel stronger towards the film like subsequent viewings of Logan did. And to that end, there will be two characters who we never really get to know. One a missed opportunity which will likely rub some fans the wrong way and the other who I needed a backstory on desperately. There’s also a reveal on a major character that’s so besides the fact that it felt cheap after all the buildup.
Ever since it has been announced that Rian Johnson was doing The Last Jedi, I’ve been waiting for this. Rian is now four for four with Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper, and The Last Jedi. Once this film starts, it keeps moving and doesn’t let up. As far as ranking in the Star Wars canon, I hesitate to do that for many reasons. As of now, I’ll say I’m excited about Rian’s stand-alone trilogy where he can play with things on his own terms. It’s embarrassing that Solo: A Star Wars Story will be following this. For once, the future of Star Wars is looking like it has a great creative endeavor rather than financial endeavor. Whoever hates Porgs is a monster. ------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ
|
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
General Discussion
