My wife and I used our Moviepass last night to catch the early screening of Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi. The film picks up where the last film left off, bringing together many elements of old and new. The film was self-contained, but felt to me like a "bridge" movie. A link between the seventh film and a set up for the grande finale. While I don't plan to gush about this film, it was solid Star Wars fun. I will set up an overview of the film, without spoilers.
Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi finds the epic battle between good and evil finding a dark turn. The last film left us with Rey (Daisy Ridley) seeking the help of the legendary Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). But the future is not as bright as it seems. The rebellion is losing steam and may be on its last legs. General Leia (Carrie Fisher) is in command of a shrinking rebel force, Kylo Ren's (Adam Driver) power appears to be ascending and calls for help appear to fall on deaf ears. The Jedi religion is dying and there appears little hope it will survive. Yet there is a balance to everything. While it appears that dark forces are in control, a small beacon of light and hope survives.
As a stand-alone screenplay, Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi, was a decent self-contained story. Films like this are difficult for me to analyze objectively because they are part of a broader story. I have to ask myself, "if I came into this story without seeing any others, would it makes sense and would it feel like a complete film?" The answer is "no." It is a complete chapter, but it really builds on the existing stories and serves more as a set up for the finale than a stand alone film. That's not to say it wasn't good. Rian Johnson and George Lucas gave us a story that contains all the epic elements we have grown to expect from the Star Wars franchise. The power of the force, the source of that power, the battle between good and evil, the struggle that sometimes feels like hope is lost, this film has all those essential ingredients that make it Star Wars. And of course, let's not forget about lovable creatures that provide comic relief. Johnson also directed this episode and appears to be on tap for a Star Wars reboot. Lucas envisioned three trilogies when he created the franchise. But I see Johnson is on tap for episode one of a new trilogy. With films that gross a billion dollars each, that does not surprise me. Disney is not going to let a cash cow like this die off because nine films have been produced.
Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi felt in many ways like a sweetheart kiss to fans. It was a bridge film in terms of story, but it also served as a bridge between past and present. The film reunited many beloved characters past and present. We have the modern era of swashbucklers, joined by the franchise icons. There were characters peppered in to the last film, but the new one brings together many of the most recognizable icons from the past. Along with some new characters and creatures. Visually, the film was stunning. The CGI was Lucas-like perfection. The sets and background contained the detail that carry viewers away to distant planets and ships. The special effects were seamless. There wasn't a lot of direct interaction with General Leia, but there was enough to make me marvel at times. I believe it was a combination of CGI and stock footage. Whatever it was, it was seamless to watch.
I like Adam Driver, but was not thrilled with him as Kylo Ren in the last film. He must have grown on me. Driver was exceptional in this episode. Daisy Ridley owned her role as a force for good. The pair have a strange chemistry that works for me. Even though they are seldom together, they have a connection that is sold through their performances. I thought both were exceptional. Hamill was solid. The rest of the newcomers continued to solidify their importance to the current trilogy. John Boyega is endearing as reformed storm trooper Finn. Oscar Isaac was solid as the fearless Poe who also exercises poor judgment at times. Domnall Gleeson is calculating and insecure as General Hux. Kelly Marie Tran is sweet as engineer Rose. The cast really gelled for me in this film. And the performances helped sell the illusion that carries us away to a distant galaxy.
One of my biggest complaints about Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi aside from the feel of a "set up" film, was the pacing. The film felt a bit slow at times. At two hours and 32 minutes, the film has an epic feel, but it also feels slow at times. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of excellent action in this film. But there were scenes that felt a little too belabored. We spent more time getting to the point than needed at times. The film has some graphic violence, but not too much gore. Some of the light sabre scenes have an almost humorous use of violence. The violence was enough for this film to earn a PG-13 rating. I am sure the violence was carefully orchestrated to keep the film in the PG-13 range for young viewers. This is the type of film that would give young viewers prone to nightmares issues, but should be fine for most people.
Overall, Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi is the type of movie I would recommend seeing in the theater. While it is not as good as some of the other installments, it is the type of film that benefits from the large format and DLP sound. The pacing was sluggish at times, but that is to be expected for a film of this length. It wasn't horrible pacing. There were just a couple of scenes that could have used a nip and tuck. The story was interesting, serving to set up the finale and reuniting the film to its roots. The dialogue was spot on. The acting was excellent. The visual and sound qualities were exceptional. My biggest complaint was that the film felt like it served to set up the finale at times. If you have seen every film, you probably won't notice. Or it won't bother you. My subjective score, as a fan, is 8.5/10. My objective score is 7.5/10. If you aren't up-to-date on the trilogy, you need to watch at least the last film to fully appreciate this one.
