Hey everyone! It's finally that time to really dive deep into The Last Jedi and hopefully all of you have had a chance to see it by now and if it now I encourage you to go out and see it and then come back. But let's face it. It's a Star Wars movie, so a lot of you have probably had the chance to see it already. I'm going to be talking about the things in the movie that I wasn't able to talk about in my Spoiler-Free review and if you want to check that out click here. Alright folks, read no further because I'm going to be diving deep into this movie. You've been warned.
First of all, if you wanted to know my general thoughts of this movie and you hadn't read my spoiler-free review, long story short is that I really loved this movie. I think it was a marvelous Star Wars film and that as a movie it worked in every capacity. I've seen it three times now as I'm writing this and each viewing I really found it hard to find flaws. But the flaws other people had with the movie I'll get into and give my two cents. Overall, I basically loved everything that this film had to offer.
I usually don't really like to say things like that it succeeded my expectations because I think going into a film expecting something to happen and it doesn't, can really damper the overall experience, when it could actually be really good. Truthfully, it wasn't the film I was expecting it to be, but that's a wonderful thing because it went in directions that I was not expecting it to go in the slightest. Yet, the fans who are currently trashing this movie, they wanted certain things to happen and not having anything go in new directions and it affected the way they took in the film.
One of the key things that probably left fans disappointed, but I was more than okay with how it was handled was that Rey's parents were revealed to be nobodies. There were endless fan theories that people supported and I for one would've really liked to have seen her related as a Kenobi because it would've changed the way we saw Obi-Wan in the saga. However, my other guess was that she was probably related to someone we haven't heard of. Turns out it was the latter. At my first viewing, when Kylo was revealing all this information to her, I thought, "Well, of course, he's lying to get her on his side. He's using that information as prey to lure her in."
Yet after my second viewing I felt it was quite obvious that he was telling the truth and that Rey herself confirms it. She even says the words, "They were nobody." Then, Kylo explains to her that they were junk dealers who sold her for drinking money and are now buried in paupers graves on Jakku. I think it just adds another layer of emotion because it adds to Rey's tragic backstory and we feel horrible that her family life wasn't so perfect. Not to mention that Kylo even says that she came from nothing and she is nothing, but not to him. The way he says those words felt so genuine because going off of the connection they had early on you know he genuinely cares about her. He wants what's best for her and doesn't think joining the Resistance will do it.
This also leads me into my next point that the parentage for Rey in this trilogy isn't really that important because this new trilogy focuses on characters. It doesn't want us to focus on a whole other aspect that furthers the canon, but to have us invested in the destiny of Rey, her character. If she were a Skywalker, Solo, or Kenobi maybe it would change how we look at original characters, but it would also probably shrink the universe if another lead character is connected to the lineage of a family line in Star Wars we already know. She doesn't have to be connected to anyone, but just be an important character we care about and moves the story along in the best possible way.
Also, another aspect that might've disappointed a lot of fans was the way The Force Awakens and this movie handled the character of Supreme Leader Snoke, for there was a lot of speculation and theories about this character that amounted to nothing for a lot of people. We didn't learn a whole lot more about his background this time around and I was personally okay with that because he served his purpose of being a downright evil presence. I mean did we care about Emperor Palpetine's background much when we saw a glimpse of him in The Empire Strikes Back or when he played more of a role in Return of the Jedi? No, because like Snoke he pulled the strings of the central villain (Darth Vader/Kylo Ren) and needed to die because of how his power would soon escalate.
That is one of the reasons why seeing Ben Solo finally kill Snoke off is so emotionally liberating because this film especially made us detest the site of this character. Also, that moment when Ben ignites that saber and cuts Snoke in half earned applause in my audience when I saw the movie opening night and the night after. It was a perfectly handled moment.
One of the scenes that I personally didn't understand why most people didn't like it and even the people who enjoyed the film was the scene on Canto Bight. I thought it was a really entertaining scene and another cool environment to explore in the Star Wars universe. Not to mention that we're with characters along the way that we actually care about like Rose and Finn. We even learn more about Rose and get a better feel of her character when we learn about how the First Order corrupted her past life. I also thought DJ played by Benicio del Toro was a really fun character to play off of our main heroes and served a purpose in the long run. I just love that with a scene like this we can see the progression of these characters and more of the team dynamic. The reason why the scene worked for me was because I was invested in these characters which leads into my next point.
The biggest reason why I think The Last Jedi is a misunderstood masterpiece is because of how it had an understanding of these characters and like Empire it challenged the characters. The reason why I feel this movie took them to new places as I mentioned in my spoiler-free review was because the movie showcased them as people who have flaws. The way the film executes that aspect really makes the characters relatable and in the end makes The Last Jedi a pretty inspirational movie. All the characters learn from the mistakes they make whether it was Rey trying to bring Kylo to the light, Finn and Rose trusting DJ to disable the tracker only to get caught, Kylo Ren failing Snoke, Poe scheming with Finn and Rose and trying to overthrow Admiral Holdo only to find he was wrong, and last, but certainly not least Luke failing Ben in fear of what he could become.
It's a pretty eye opening way to look at the characters and even Yoda says that "Failure is the greatest teacher." We as people are flawed and we make mistakes, but as we continue to go through life we try to learn from our mistakes, so that our weaknesses become our strengths. That's a pretty profound message the film is trying to convey if you ask me. And the way the film executes that aspect through the characters really makes the story feel all the more emotionally resonant. It's a very character driven Star Wars movie because it's the certain motivations and ideals they have that move the story along to give it more meaning.
Also, I have to mention that seeing a puppet Yoda in this movie was so incredible and even watching the film multiple times I have to ask myself what year is it? The puppetry and the voice work by Frank Oz still holds up after all these years and since it's a grounded Star Wars universe it definitely works to have him shown in this way.
What else can also piss off fans is the idea that there's more to The Force that hasn't been explored yet? I loved that Rian Johnson was able to explore more of the fantasy element of this franchise and I thought it was so intriguing to see him showcase it in ways fans haven't experienced it before. So, no, I don't think seeing Leia survive in space using the Force was goofy because I saw it as her tuning in to the power and just the way the visuals played out and the way the score was incorporated, her main theme, called for such a beautiful scene. I was actually starting to tear up during my second viewing. I just love this character so much and to see her play more of a role in the movie was great. So sad to see this was Carrie Fisher's last time playing the character, but it was awesome to see her have a substantial role in this film.
I also have to mention the way they handled Luke in this movie, which also pissed off a lot of fans because it was out of character. Maybe he's changed because so much time has happened between the events of the original trilogy and he's not so much that young motivated hero any more. Like any other human being he got discouraged and was afraid to fail once again. He aged and such events shaped him into that frame of mind. If he was just the perfect hero from the start of the movie would that have really been all that special? The fact that he regrets the past and then is motivated to have peace with himself and the Force to help Leia and the Resistance I found to be so much more powerful.
That's why it's so incredible and that there was a big applause moment for me both nights when we see Luke face off with Kylo as he projected himself using the Force. Not to mention that the final battle between the two is such an incredibly well put together scene and the shot composition, that wide take when the two are facing off on Crait is one of my all time favorite shots in any film I've ever seen.
If you couldn't tell already, I do really love this movie and the amount of scenes and moments this film offered. I mean the big YES moments with Luke facing Kylo and the "see you around kid" line. There was also Finn facing off against Phasma in a white-knuckled fight and the amount of rage he has against her is INCREDIBLE! Not to mention the scene after Kylo kills Snoke and him and Rey face off against his Royal Guards was just EVERYTHING! Just the way these scenes were filmed in grand wide shots and medium close ups to really get a feel of the emotion behind these characters in the action was absolutely terrific.
The complaints and criticisms with this movie I just can't understand because the more I think about it The Last Jedi is really everything I could've wanted it to be and more. The directing, writing, and even acting was crazy good! Everyone did as best a job they could to make a spectacular visual feast with eye popping action, the space battles, the lightsaber duels, and the use of color, the scene on Crait comes to mind. The scene where Holdo uses the Resistance ship to cut through the Star Destroyer is one of the most stellar things I've ever seen in my life!
And not to mention that the the writing behind these characters and the way every actor portrays them when it's Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, and Carrie Fisher gave the visual experience so much more weight. The visual aesthetic and the action sequences evoke so much emotion because where Rian Johnson took these characters in new directions and expanded the fantasy lore of this franchise I'm just so happy that I have a Star Wars film that transcends a lot of cinema I've seen in my lifetime. The Last Jedi is one of the most perfect experiences I've ever had in a cinema!
As for rankings of the entire franchise I think this is what I'd go with from BEST to WORST:
1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. The Last Jedi
3. A New Hope
4. The Force Awakens
5. Return of the Jedi
6. Rogue One
7. Revenge of the Sith
8. The Phantom Menace
9. Attack of the Clones
10. The Clone Wars
11. The Holiday Special
So there you have it, those are my Spoiler- Filled thoughts on The Last Jedi and I do think people could look at it a little differently. If not, that's perfectly okay, but I'll go on loving this film to death.
I tried to cover as much as I could and I'm sure I merely scratched the surface because there was much more I could get into, but maybe I'll do something in time for the Blu-Ray release. Who knows? What's so good about this movie is that the discussions will continue more and more because it's an amazing film with amazing layers.
Thank you all so much for reading my review and if you want to read my other Star Wars related reviews, be sure to check out my Star Wars page I linked below, and for more updates on the blog be sure to follow me on social media in the links below as well:
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Again thanks so much, as always see some great freakin' entertainment, and May the Force Be With You Always!
Take care. :-)
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