Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- Dec 30, 2017
- 3 min read
The lead up to watching Star Wars: The Last Jedi made me very nervous for the future of the Star Wars Saga. Critics have called this movie one of the greatest Star Wars films while fans have been critical and unforgiving. Some have said The Last Jedi surpasses even the high bar set by The Empire Strikes Back while others have labeled it as worse than the prequel films. This hasn’t been a subtle disagreement about a few specific scenes, but on the direction Disney will take Star Wars for years to come. What could have caused such a deep division between fans? Are the porgs the most adorable creatures ever? Has Disney destroyed 40 years of movie magic?
In a simple answer, The Last Jedi is amazing, it might even be the best one yet.
Star Wars has always been more of a mythology than a good collection of movies. It is possible to study it in the same way as Greek and Roman gods and the impact of its characters can be felt through generations. The story has been passed on from parent to child and over the 40 years since A New Hope the mythology has developed its own legends. Even as viewers left the theaters 40 years ago, their imaginations created a backstory for the Jedi, the Empire, the Rebels, and Darth Vader. Many of those theories were proven wrong just three years later with the release of The Empire Strikes Back. This frustration gave way as fans re-watched Empire and learned deeper truths about the legends of Star Wars. As the legends and mythology expanded there were high notes and low notes that fans debated and The Last Jedi is no different.
The Last Jedi takes great risks with the mythology of Star Wars and this pays off in big ways. When Luke says, “This is not going to go the way you think.” He is talking about everything we think we know about Star Wars. The characters of this new trilogy learn real lessons and suffer the consequences of mistakes. While the impact of Darth Vader and the Skywalkers is still pushing and shaking characters at this time in a galaxy far far away, some of that illusion has been replaced with less fantastical drama. The audience is forced to accept that the truth to the mythology can be explained by real characters that have real strengths and weaknesses. Not all characters come from greatness, but all have great possibilities for their future.
While the story and characters of The Last Jedi may cause some concerns, the action and special effects never miss a beat. From the first scene to the last I was on the edge of my seat. The attention to details for the look and sounds easily meet and at times exceed expectations. There are many moments that will leave almost as lasting of a memory as the first Death Star explosion. Comedy has never been a strong point for the Star Wars Saga, but in The Last Jedi, it shines. Even the questionable new porg is used to great effect.
It is clear that many fans have taken issue with decisions made with the new direction of Star Wars. Some concerns may have merit, but to defend each criticism would spoil many great moments. The Last Jedi embraces change and mostly succeeds. Anakin Skywalker may have been prophesied to be the one to bring balance to the force, but it’s now clear that such balance was temporary and a new mythology may be around the corner.
9.0/10
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